Key Facts
- Hangul: 설날; Revised Romanization: seollal
- Part of speech: noun
- Senses: Lunar New Year's Day, Seollal
- Origin: Native Korean
- Register: Neutral; the first day of the lunar year, a major holiday.
New Year's Day in Korean: What Does 설날 Mean?
설날 is the first day of the lunar year and one of Korea's two biggest holidays, alongside 추석. It is a neutral word. Because it follows the lunar calendar, the solar date moves each year, between late January and late February.
Pronunciation
Think seol-lal, not seol-nal: the ㄴ of 날 turns into ㄹ after the ㄹ of 설, giving [seol-lal]. The vowel in seol is ㅓ, an open "uh" sound.
Example Sentences with 설날
설날에 세배를 해요.
seollare sebaereul haeyo.
We do the New Year's bow on Seollal.
세배 is the deep bow children give to elders. 해요 turns the noun into the action of bowing.
설날에는 떡국을 먹어요.
seollareneun tteokgugeul meogeoyo.
We eat tteokguk on Seollal.
떡국 is rice-cake soup, the food of the day. Tradition says that eating a bowl of it makes you a year older.
올해 설날은 2월이에요.
olhae seollareun i worieyo.
This year's Seollal is in February.
The sentence names the lunar date by its solar month. 올해 means this year, and the calendar date moves each year.
Phrases That Use 설날
설날 아침 is the morning of the holiday, 설날 연휴 is the holiday break, and 설날 인사 is the New Year greeting.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 설날 아침 | Seollal morning |
| 설날 연휴 | Seollal holiday |
| 설날 인사 | New Year greeting |
The Mistake to Avoid
Two things go wrong. The first is the sound.
Wrong: [seol-nal], keeping the n
Correct: [seol-lal]
The second is the date.
Wrong: 설날 for January 1
Correct: 신정 for January 1 on the solar calendar; 설날 for the lunar holiday
설날 Compared with Similar Words
신정 is January 1, the solar new year, while 설날 follows the lunar calendar. 추석 (Chuseok) is the other major holiday.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 설날 | Lunar New Year's Day | This page's word |
| 신정 | January 1 | January 1 (solar new year) |
| 추석 | Chuseok | Chuseok |
Where Does the Word Come From?
설날 is a native Korean word, so it has no hanja: 설 is the New Year and 날 is "day".
Cultural Note
On Seollal, people bow to elders (세배) and receive money (세뱃돈). Tradition says that eating tteokguk adds a year to your age.
Talking about Seollal Plans
Two coworkers are chatting before the holiday. One asks about Seollal, and the other describes a family visit without assuming that everyone celebrates the same way.
Jisu
설날에 뭐 해요?
Seollare mwo haeyo?
What are you doing on Seollal?
Alex
가족을 만나러 가요.
Gajogeul mannareo gayo.
I’m going to see my family.
Jisu
새해 복 많이 받으세요.
Saehae bok mani badeuseyo.
Happy New Year.
Alex
감사합니다. 새해 복 많이 받으세요.
Gamsahamnida. Saehae bok mani badeuseyo.
Thank you. Happy New Year to you too.
새해 복 많이 받으세요 literally wishes someone plenty of good fortune in the new year. It works as a polite greeting to a coworker, neighbor or older relative. The greeting is used around both January 1 and Seollal, so hearing it alone does not identify which date is being celebrated.
Reading Holiday Notices
설날 names the day, while 설 연휴 or 설날 연휴 refers to the surrounding holiday break. A shop notice about the break may cover more than the single day of Seollal. Read the listed dates to learn when that particular business closes and reopens.
설날 휴무 means “closed on Seollal.” 정상 영업 means normal business hours or normal operation. These phrases are useful together on shop doors and restaurant notices: one tells you about a closure, and the other about regular service. The word 설날 alone is not a complete opening-hours statement.
In travel conversations, 설에 is a shorter way to say “at Seollal.” 설 is the New Year element already inside 설날. You may hear the shorter form in questions about family visits or plans, while calendars often show the full holiday name.
Phrases around Family Visits
세배를 하다 means to perform the New Year bow. 세배를 받다 means to receive it. These expressions describe the two roles in the same custom. Children commonly bow to elders, and adults may also bow to older relatives; 세배 is not restricted to small children.
세뱃돈 is the money given in connection with the New Year bow. Keep the ㅅ in the spelling. It is a particular holiday word, whereas 용돈 is spending money or an allowance more generally. A conversation about 세뱃돈 already gives you a strong clue that the topic is Seollal customs.
떡국을 먹다 means eating rice-cake soup. The familiar tradition associates the soup with growing a year older, but the phrase describes a meal, not a date-of-birth calculation. Family practices vary, so a question about someone’s holiday plans is more useful than assuming which ceremonies they observe.
Words for Following a Holiday Conversation
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 새해 | new year | Appears in greetings and wishes. |
| 연휴 | holiday break | Covers consecutive days off rather than just the named day. |
| 세배 | New Year bow | Names the act of greeting elders with a bow. |
| 떡국 | rice-cake soup | Names a dish associated with the holiday. |
The holiday vocabulary lesson places 설날 beside other celebrations. When discussing travel or a shop closure, use the dates as well as the holiday name to make the schedule clear.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 설날 normally mean January 1 on the solar calendar?
- Is 새해 복 많이 받으세요 limited to Seollal?
- Which expression means the holiday break: 설날 아침 or 설 연휴?
Show answers
- No. 설날 is Lunar New Year’s Day; 신정 refers to January 1.
- No. It is also used around January 1.
- 설 연휴. 설날 아침 means Seollal morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lunar New Year in Korean?
It is 설날 (seollal).
How is 설날 pronounced?
It is [seol-lal], with the ㄴ turning into ㄹ.
What is the difference between 설날 and 신정?
신정 is January 1; 설날 follows the lunar calendar.
What do people do on 설날?
They bow to elders (세배) and eat 떡국.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: holiday words groups 설날 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: the vocabulary flashcard decks take this word.