Key Facts
- Hangul: 애완동물; Revised Romanization: aewandongmul
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 愛玩動物 (愛 love + 玩 play with + 動 move + 物 thing)
- Register: Neutral but slightly dated; 반려동물 is the preferred modern term because 애완 can imply a toy.
Pet in Korean: What Does 애완동물 Mean?
애완동물 is a long compound, four syllables, built from the characters for love and play plus 동물, animal. It is neutral in grammar, but its tone has dated: 반려동물, the "companion animal", is now the preferred term in the media because 애완 can suggest a toy. The usual verb is 키우다, so 애완동물을 키우다 means to keep a pet, and the same noun feeds 애완동물 가게 (pet shop) and 애완동물 사료 (pet food).
How Do You Pronounce 애완동물?
Say it in four even beats: ae-wan-dong-mul. The first syllable ae is one vowel sound, like the e in "bed" said a little wider. Read the spelling as written, because no neighbouring sounds merge.
Example Sentences with 애완동물
애완동물을 키워요.
Aewandongmureul kiwoyo.
I keep a pet.
A statement of ownership with the verb for raising or keeping animals, in the polite form. It is the natural way to say that you have a dog or cat at home.
애완동물이 있어요?
Aewandongmuri isseoyo?
Do you have a pet?
The same noun as the subject of 있어요 ("exist"), the pattern for "do you have X?". Raise the tone at the end to turn it into a question.
저는 애완동물을 좋아해요.
Jeoneun aewandongmureul joahaeyo.
I like pets.
저는 introduces the speaker, and 좋아해요 is the polite verb for "like". Good for a first conversation about hobbies.
Common Phrases and Collocations
Pet-owner conversation uses these three combinations.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 애완동물을 키우다 | to keep a pet |
| 애완동물 가게 | pet shop |
| 애완동물 사료 | pet food |
The Mistake to Avoid
The trap is register, not grammar: 애완동물 is understood everywhere, but it is no longer the first choice for many speakers.
Wrong: Assuming 애완동물 is the only word for a pet.
Correct: Learn 반려동물 as well; many Koreans now prefer it because it treats the animal as a companion.
애완동물 stays common and perfectly understandable, so use it freely in plain talk, but expect 반려동물 on signs and in news.
애완동물 Compared with 반려동물 and 애견
Two words sit close to 애완동물 and are worth knowing.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 반려동물 | companion animal | The preferred modern term, framing the animal as a companion rather than a plaything. |
| 애견 | pet dog | Narrower: only dogs. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
애완동물 is written 愛玩動物 in hanja: 愛 (love), 玩 (play with), 動 (move) and 物 (thing). The second character, "play with", is the reason some speakers now find it too much like a toy. In recent years, 반려동물 has become the preferred term in the media.
At a Café: Asking Whether a Pet Can Come In
A customer checks the café’s entry policy before bringing a dog inside. The conversation uses 반려동물, the companion-animal term, alongside the everyday word for a dog.
Customer
반려동물도 들어갈 수 있어요?
Ballyeodongmuldo deureogal su isseoyo?
Can pets come in too?
Staff
네, 테라스는 괜찮아요.
Ne, teraseuneun gwaenchanayo.
Yes, they are allowed on the terrace.
Customer
강아지랑 같이 앉아도 돼요?
Gangajirang gachi anjado dwaeyo?
May I sit with my dog?
Staff
네, 목줄은 해 주세요.
Ne, mokjureun hae juseyo.
Yes, please keep the leash on.
The staff allows the terrace, rather than giving permission for every part of the café. 목줄 means a leash or lead in this setting. The customer uses polite questions, and the staff uses 주세요 for the request. Neither 애완동물 nor 반려동물 by itself tells you the venue’s rules.
What Do Pet Signs Mean?
반려동물 동반 가능 means that bringing a pet is allowed. 동반 literally means accompanying; on a venue notice, it concerns entering with the animal. 반려동물 출입 금지 means that pet entry is prohibited. 가능 and 금지 point in opposite directions, so recognizing the animal word is only half of reading the sign.
애견 동반 narrows the wording to dogs. A dog-related label does not automatically describe rules for cats or other animals. Likewise, a notice allowing pets may specify a particular area, a carrier, or a leash. Use the complete notice or ask staff, as the customer does in the dialogue.
Which Phrases Describe Caring for a Pet?
애완동물을 키우다 means to keep or raise a pet. 키우다 emphasizes ongoing care; it is the usual verb for saying you have an animal at home. 애완동물이 있다 states that you have one, while 애완동물을 좋아하다 says you like pets. Liking pets does not imply that you keep any.
사료를 주다 means to give animal feed, or to feed the pet. 간식을 주다 means to give a treat. 사료 and 간식 are different food categories, so a shop label helps you identify whether you are buying the main food or a snack. 산책시키다 means to take an animal for a walk; it often comes up when discussing a dog’s routine.
Where Will You Hear the Animal's Own Name?
Once a conversation is about a particular pet, speakers often say 강아지 or 고양이 rather than repeating the general category. 강아지 literally means puppy, but owners also use it affectionately for an adult dog. 고양이 means cat. Neither word tells you whether the animal belongs to the speaker unless the context does.
At an animal clinic, 보호자 means the person responsible for the animal. Staff may address that person with 보호자님. This word is broader than “pet owner” in other settings, but the clinic context makes the relationship clear. 동물병원 is the animal hospital or veterinary clinic, rather than a shop selling pets.
Words for a Pet Outing
| Korean | Meaning | When it helps |
|---|---|---|
| 목줄 | leash; lead | Useful when reading entry conditions or walking a dog. |
| 이동장 | pet carrier | A container used to transport an animal. |
| 사료 | animal feed; pet food | The food category on bags and shop shelves. |
| 동물병원 | veterinary clinic | The place for an animal’s medical care. |
The pets vocabulary lesson supplies animal names and the wider set. Learning the animal name plus one care word makes a question more specific than repeating “pet”.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 애완동물을 좋아해요 say that you own a pet?
- Which sign allows pets: 동반 가능 or 출입 금지?
- Does 애견 refer to every kind of pet?
Show answers
- No. It says you like pets.
- 동반 가능 allows accompanying pets; 출입 금지 prohibits entry.
- No. 애견 is about dogs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "pet" in Korean?
Say 애완동물 (aewandongmul). It is neutral and widely understood, though 반려동물 is the modern preference.
Which is better, 애완동물 or 반려동물?
Both are understood. 반려동물 is preferred in the media and by many owners, because it describes a companion rather than a toy.
How do you say "I have a pet"?
Say 애완동물이 있어요 for "I have a pet". The question form is 애완동물이 있어요? with rising tone.
What is a pet shop called?
It is 애완동물 가게. Pet food is 애완동물 사료.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Dogs, cats and other household animals are listed in the pets vocabulary page.
- Many more everyday nouns are listed in Korean words A to Z.
- Save both pet terms in your vocabulary flashcard decks so the register difference sticks.