Key Facts
- Hangul: 택배; Revised Romanization: taekbae; pronounced [taek-ppae]
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 宅配 (宅 house + 配 deliver)
- Register: neutral, used in speech and writing; very common because of online shopping
Parcel Delivery in Korean: What Does 택배 Mean?
택배 means parcel delivery and also the delivered parcel itself. The register is neutral, in speech and writing, and it is very common because of online shopping. The person who brings it is a 택배 기사, a delivery driver.
How Do You Pronounce 택배?
The standard pronunciation is [taek-ppae]: after the final ㄱ, the ㅂ of the second syllable becomes the tense ㅃ. Revised Romanization follows the spelling, so it is still written taekbae.
Example Sentences with 택배
택배가 왔어요.
Taekbaega wasseoyo.
A parcel has arrived.
가 marks the parcel as the subject, and 왔어요 means has come. You will hear this whenever a box lands at the door.
택배를 보냈어요.
Taekbaereul bonaesseoyo.
I sent a parcel.
를 marks the parcel as the object, and 보냈어요 is the past tense of "send".
내일 택배를 받을 거예요.
Naeil taekbaereul badeul geoyeyo.
I will receive a parcel tomorrow.
내일 means tomorrow, and 받을 거예요 means will receive.
Common Phrases and Collocations
택배 기사 is the delivery driver, 택배를 보내다 is to send a parcel, and 택배 상자 is the cardboard delivery box.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 택배 기사 | delivery driver |
| 택배를 보내다 | to send a parcel |
| 택배 상자 | delivery box |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners take 택배 to mean the delivery person.
Wrong: 택배 on its own for the driver.
Correct: 택배 기사 for the driver. 택배 itself means the service or the parcel, as in 택배가 왔어요 (A parcel has arrived).
택배 Compared with 소포 and 배달
Two near words separate the courier from the post office and from food delivery.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 택배 | parcel delivery, delivered parcel | This page's word |
| 소포 | package | 소포 is a package sent through the post office; 택배 is a courier delivery to your door. |
| 배달 | delivery (food etc.) | 배달 is delivery of food or goods from a shop; 택배 is parcel courier service. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
The word is Sino-Korean, 宅配: 宅 (house) and 配 (deliver). So it literally means delivering to the house.
Parcel delivery is part of everyday life in South Korea, and next-day delivery of online orders is common.
Taking a Call from a Delivery Driver
A delivery driver calls after arriving. The recipient cannot come to the door and asks where the parcel should be left.
Driver
택배 왔습니다.
Taekbae watseumnida.
Your parcel is here.
Recipient
문 앞에 놓아 주세요.
Mun ape noa juseyo.
Please leave it in front of the door.
Driver
네, 문 앞에 놓겠습니다.
Ne, mun ape noketseumnida.
Yes, I’ll leave it in front of the door.
The driver uses formal endings, while the recipient makes a polite request with 주세요. 문 앞에 identifies a specific place for the parcel. The first line leaves out 가, a normal conversational omission when announcing an arrival. 택배 names the delivery in this exchange; the speaker's role tells you that the person calling is the driver.
Which Parcel Phrases Appear in Messages?
택배를 받다 means to receive a parcel, while 택배를 보내다 means to send one. 택배가 도착하다 means a parcel arrives. The first two put the parcel in the object role with 를; the arrival phrase makes it the subject with 가. A message about arrival can therefore describe the same box from a different point of view than your reply about receiving it.
택배비 means the parcel shipping charge. 비 adds the idea of a fee, so the word concerns the cost of the service rather than the value of the item inside. A seller may also use 배송비 for shipping cost. On an order screen, check which charge is being discussed before assuming it refers to the purchase price.
배송 중 means “in transit,” and 배송 완료 means “delivery completed.” These are compact status labels rather than full conversational sentences. A completed delivery status tells you what the tracking system reports; it does not specify the exact place where the box was left. A separate message may give that location.
Where Will You See 택배?
택배 appears on online order pages, parcel labels, delivery notices and signs near apartment collection areas. 택배 보관함 means a parcel locker or storage compartment. 보관 adds the idea of keeping something in storage, so the phrase identifies a collection place rather than a delivery company.
When addressing a driver, 기사님 adds the respectful 님 to 기사. 택배 기사 names the job; 기사님 can address the person directly once their role is clear. The noun 택배 itself stays neutral. Politeness comes from how you refer to the person and how you phrase the request.
More Words for Sending and Receiving a Box
| Korean | Meaning | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|
| 운송장 번호 | tracking number | The parcel identifier used to look up its journey. |
| 받는 사람 | recipient | The person the parcel is addressed to. |
| 보내는 사람 | sender | The person sending the parcel. |
| 반품 | return of goods | Sending a purchased item back to the seller. |
The post office vocabulary lesson teaches the wider sending and address set. On a form, distinguish the sender's details from the recipient's details: both can include a name, address and phone number, but they refer to different people.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 택배가 왔어요 say a parcel arrived or name the driver?
- What does 택배비 refer to?
- Which status says delivery is completed: 배송 중 or 배송 완료?
Show answers
- It says a parcel has arrived. The driver is a 택배 기사.
- The parcel shipping charge.
- 배송 완료. 배송 중 means in transit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say parcel delivery in Korean?
Say 택배, pronounced [taek-ppae]. The same word covers the courier service and the parcel itself, so 택배가 왔어요 means a parcel has arrived.
What is a delivery driver?
A parcel delivery driver is a 택배 기사. 기사 is used for professional drivers, and adding 택배 in front tells you the driver delivers parcels.
Is 택배 the same as 소포?
Not quite. 소포 is a package sent through the post office, while 택배 is a courier delivery to your door. The post office also runs its own 택배 service, so the line between them is blurring.
Is 택배 the same as 배달?
No. 배달 is delivery of food or goods straight from a shop or restaurant, such as a takeaway order. 택배 is a parcel sent through a courier network, usually from an online store.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: post office vocabulary groups 택배 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add it to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Related pages: postal code, 소포 and 배달.