Key Facts
- Word: 평화 (pyeonghwa), noun, Sino-Korean origin
- Register: Neutral to formal.
- Hanja: 平和 (平 flat + 和 harmony)
- Senses: peace
Peace in Korean: What Does 평화 Mean?
평화 is peace between people, groups or nations, in contrast to war. The adjective 평화롭다 describes a place or mood that feels peaceful. For a quiet room, 조용하다 describes the lack of noise. For a peaceful feeling or scene, 평화롭다 can also fit.
How Do You Pronounce 평화?
The word is [평화], two syllables. Finish 평 with ng, then move into 화 (hwa); avoid adding a vowel between the syllables. With the object marker, the word becomes [평화를].
Example Sentences with 평화
우리는 평화를 원해요.
urineun pyeonghwareul wonhaeyo
We want peace.
원해요 is the polite form of "want", and the object marker 를 follows 평화. The first word 우리는 sets "we" as the topic.
세계 평화를 위해 노력해요.
segye pyeonghwareul wihae noryeokaeyo
We work for world peace.
세계 평화 is "world peace", and 위해 means "for the sake of". 노력해요 means "make an effort".
평화로운 마을이에요.
pyeonghwaroun maeurieyo
It is a peaceful village.
평화로운 is the modifier form of 평화롭다. 마을 is "village", so the sentence describes a calm place to live.
Common Phrases and Collocations
평화 appears in set phrases about the world and about keeping the peace.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 세계 평화 | world peace |
| 평화롭다 | to be peaceful |
| 평화를 지키다 | to keep peace |
The Mistake to Avoid: Peace Versus Quiet
Wrong: ✗ 평화 for a quiet room
Correct: ✓ 조용하다 for a quiet place
평화 is peace between people or nations. If you mean "no noise", the adjective is 조용하다.
평화 Compared with Similar Words
Peace sits between a calm state and its opposite, war.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 평안 | peace / well-being | Peaceful, calm state. |
| 조용하다 | to be quiet | Quiet, not peace. |
| 전쟁 | war | Opposite. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
평화 is Sino-Korean, written 平和 in hanja: 平 means "flat" and 和 means "harmony". Flat harmony, with no bumps, is the picture.
Choosing a Theme for a School Poster
Two classmates are deciding what to put on a poster. The word names their topic, then becomes the object of “protect”.
Mina
포스터 주제를 뭘로 할까요?
Poseuteo jujereul mwollo halkkayo?
What should we choose as our poster theme?
Alex
세계 평화는 어때요?
Segye pyeonghwaneun eottaeyo?
How about world peace?
Mina
좋아요. 평화를 지키자는 말을 넣어요.
Joayo. Pyeonghwareul jikijaneun mareul neoheoyo.
Good. Let’s include a message about protecting peace.
세계 평화 names the broad theme. 평화를 지키다 then makes peace something people protect. The ending 자 in 지키자 expresses “let’s”; here it is part of the message the classmates plan to write.
Phrases about Public Peace and Personal Peace
평화를 지키다 literally means “protect peace”. English often translates it as “keep the peace”. In a public speech, the phrase can concern preventing conflict or preserving peaceful relations. The verb 지키다 adds the idea of maintaining something valuable that already exists.
평화를 이루다 means “achieve peace”. Compared with 지키다, 이루다 points toward a result that people are trying to bring about. These two verbs help you tell whether a sentence concerns building peace or preserving it.
평화적 해결 means “peaceful resolution”. 해결 names solving a problem; 평화적 describes the approach. The phrase concerns resolving a conflict through peaceful means, so it often appears alongside discussions of negotiations.
마음의 평화 is “peace of mind”. 마음 means mind or heart, and 의 links it to 평화. The phrase extends the word into personal life: someone may seek 마음의 평화 after a stressful period. It describes inner ease, rather than an agreement between countries.
평화로운 일상 means “peaceful everyday life”. The adjective 평화로운 can describe ordinary routines without danger or conflict. A quiet street may contribute to that impression, but low noise alone is expressed more precisely with 조용하다.
Where Will You See 평화?
News headlines, public speeches, memorial exhibitions and event titles use 평화 as a broad public value. A title such as 세계 평화 can stand on its own without a verb. In a full sentence, the surrounding verb tells you whether people want, protect or achieve that peace.
Travel writing and descriptions of village life often use 평화로운 before a place or scene. A peaceful village can still contain children talking or a busy market. The adjective describes the overall atmosphere, so it carries more than the sound level.
In a personal conversation, 마음의 평화 makes the inner meaning explicit. 평안 also points toward calm and well-being. If a learner sees only the English gloss “peace”, looking at nearby words such as 세계, 마음 or 마을 helps recover the intended scale.
평화 is a noun with no special honorific replacement. Its public uses can sound formal, but the word also fits an ordinary polite conversation like the poster dialogue. The sentence ending carries the politeness toward the listener.
Words for Reading about Peace
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 전쟁 | war | The direct contrast in international news. |
| 갈등 | conflict | Can concern people or groups without meaning war. |
| 평안 | peace / well-being | Focuses on a calm, settled state. |
| 평화롭다 | to be peaceful | Describes the atmosphere of a place or life. |
The core words 501–600 lesson develops the abstract vocabulary around this level. Pair 평화 with a verb as well as its English meaning: wanting peace, keeping peace and achieving peace describe different situations.
Quick Self-Test
- Which verb means keeping existing peace: 지키다 or 이루다?
- What does 마음의 평화 mean?
- Does 평화로운 마을 mean the village is completely silent?
Show answers
- 지키다. 이루다 emphasizes achieving peace.
- Peace of mind.
- No. It describes a peaceful atmosphere; 조용하다 refers directly to quiet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is peace in Korean?
It is 평화 (pyeonghwa), a neutral-to-formal noun.
How do I say "world peace"?
Say 세계 평화.
What is 평화롭다?
It is the adjective "to be peaceful", as in 평화로운 마을.
What is the opposite of 평화?
전쟁, which means war.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: It also appears in the 501-600 band of the core words list.
- Index: the Korean words A to Z page lists every word entry, including peace.
- Practice: put 평화 on your cards with the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next word: freedom in Korean is the next word in this list.