Key Facts
- Hangul: 가격; Revised Romanization: gagyeok
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 價格 (價 price + 格 standard)
- Register: Neutral and slightly formal; 값 is the more colloquial native word.
Price in Korean: What Does 가격 Mean?
가격 means price or cost. It is neutral and slightly formal, while 값 is the more colloquial native word you hear in everyday speech, as in 값이 싸요.
How Do You Pronounce 가격?
Two syllables, ga-gyeok. The final ㄱ of the second syllable is held without a release.
Example Sentences with 가격
가격이 얼마예요?
gagyeogi eolmayeyo?
What is the price?
The standard price question. 얼마예요 asks how much, and 가격이 is the subject.
가격이 너무 비싸요.
gagyeogi neomu bissayo.
The price is too high.
비싸요 is the adjective expensive, and 너무 adds too much. A complaint at a shop counter.
가격을 비교해 보세요.
gagyeogeul bigyohae boseyo.
Please compare the prices.
가격을 is the object, and 비교해 보세요 invites a try at comparing. It reads like advice from a shop assistant.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 가격이 비싸다 | the price is expensive |
| 가격이 싸다 | the price is cheap |
| 가격표 | price tag |
| 가격 비교 | price comparison |
The Mistake to Avoid
English asks "What is the price?", so learners use the word for "what".
- Wrong: 가격이 뭐예요?
- Right: 가격이 얼마예요? or just 얼마예요?
Korean asks a price with 얼마, "how much", not 뭐, "what".
가격 Compared with Related Words
Two other money words overlap with 가격.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 가격 | price | This page's word |
| 값 | price (native) | More colloquial and common in speech, e.g. 값이 싸요. |
| 요금 | charge / fee | Service charge, such as fares or bills. |
Use 가격 for the price of a thing and 값 when speaking casually. 요금 is a charge for a service, such as a fare or a bill, not an item's tag.
Where Does the Word Come From?
가격 is Sino-Korean, written 價格 in hanja: 價 (price) plus 格 (standard).
At a Shop: Comparing Two Bags
A customer is choosing between two bags. The price question names the item first, so the assistant knows which tag to check.
Customer
이 가방은 가격이 얼마예요?
I gabangeun gagyeogi eolmayeyo?
How much is this bag?
Assistant
삼만 원이에요.
Samman wonieyo.
It is thirty thousand won.
Customer
저 가방도 같은 가격이에요?
Jeo gabangdo gateun gagyeogieyo?
Is that bag the same price too?
Assistant
아니요, 저 가방은 이만 원이에요.
Aniyo, jeo gabangeun iman wonieyo.
No, that bag is twenty thousand won.
같은 가격 means “the same price”. The customer checks whether the second bag costs the same before choosing. 도 adds “too”, so the question connects directly to the first answer. Both speakers use polite endings; 가격 itself does not change for a customer or a friend.
How Do You Describe a Price without Sounding Blunt?
가격이 비싸요 describes something as expensive. At a counter, the existing example with 너무, “too”, can sound like a complaint or the start of bargaining. If you only need information, ask 얼마예요 first. A question about cost leaves your opinion open.
가격이 높다 and 가격이 낮다 mean “the price is high” and “the price is low”. These describe a level on a scale, so they fit comparisons between shops or changes over time. 비싸다 and 싸다 describe something as expensive or cheap from the buyer's point of view. A price can be lower than yesterday and still feel expensive.
가격 대비 means “relative to the price” or “for the price”. In a product review, 가격 대비 좋아요 means the product is good for what it costs. The phrase weighs quality against cost; it does not simply say that the item is cheap. Look for what the writer praises, such as the material or size.
Where Will You See 가격?
On a shopping page, 가격 often labels the amount beside a product. 판매 가격 means “selling price”, while 할인 가격 means “discounted price”. When both appear, check which amount applies to the option you selected. A larger size or a different bundle may have its own price.
가격 비교 appears on shopping searches and comparison pages. It means comparing prices, not necessarily comparing the final total. 배송비, “shipping fee”, may be listed separately. Two shops can show the same product price but charge different amounts to deliver it.
가격표 is a price tag or price list. The ending 표 points to a displayed list or chart. 가격표를 보다 means to look at the price list; 가격을 보다 focuses on checking the price itself. In a shop, pointing to the item and asking 얼마예요 is enough when the label is missing.
가격 인상 means a price increase, and 가격 인하 means a price reduction. You may see these in a shop notice or a news headline. 인상 and 인하 describe the direction of a change; neither tells you the new amount by itself. Look for the old and new prices or the stated difference.
Money Words to Use Alongside 가격
| Korean | Meaning | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| 할인 | discount | Identify a reduction from the usual price. |
| 배송비 | shipping fee | Check the delivery cost before ordering. |
| 영수증 | receipt | Ask for proof of purchase after paying. |
| 원 | won | Name the currency after an amount. |
The shopping vocabulary lesson brings these words into the same buying situation. Keep 가격 and 배송비 separate when checking an online order: the first names the product's price, and the second names a delivery charge.
Quick Self-Test
- Which asks for an amount: 얼마예요 or 뭐예요?
- A review says 가격 대비 좋아요. Does that automatically mean “cheap”?
- Which word tells you about the cost of delivery?
Show answers
- 얼마예요 asks “How much is it?”
- No. It means good for the price, comparing quality with cost.
- 배송비 means shipping fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "price" in Korean?
Say 가격 (gagyeok).
How do I ask the price?
Say 가격이 얼마예요? or just 얼마예요?, not 가격이 뭐예요?
What is a price tag?
It is 가격표.
What is the difference between 가격 and 값?
값 is the more colloquial native word, while 가격 is neutral and slightly formal.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Shopping groups 가격 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Before this page in the list comes the word for discount.
- Next in the list is the word for receipt.