Key Facts
- Korean: 눈, Revised Romanization nun
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: neutral everyday word
- Same spelling: 눈, eye
Snow in Korean: What Does 눈 Mean?
눈 means snow. The same spelling means eye, as in 눈이 아파요, "my eyes hurt"; context decides.
How Do You Pronounce 눈?
눈 is [nun], with a rounded "oo" between two n sounds.
Example Sentences with 눈
눈이 와요.
Nuni wayo.
It is snowing.
와요 comes from 오다, so snow, like rain, "comes".
겨울에 눈이 많이 와요.
Gyeoure nuni mani wayo.
It snows a lot in winter.
겨울에 means "in winter", and 많이 means "a lot".
눈이 하얘요.
Nuni hayaeyo.
The snow is white.
하얘요 means "is white".
Phrases with 눈
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 눈이 오다 | it snows |
| 눈사람 | snowman |
| 눈싸움 | snowball fight |
| 눈이 쌓이다 | snow piles up |
눈사람 means snowman. 눈싸움 means a snowball fight in a winter scene, but it can also mean a staring contest.
A Common Mistake with 눈
- Wrong: reading 눈이 아프다 as something about snow.
- Correct: 눈이 아프다 means "my eyes hurt"; snow goes with 오다, as in 눈이 와요.
Check the verb: 오다 and 쌓이다 point to snow, while 아프다 points to eyes.
눈 "Snow" Compared with 눈 "Eye" and 얼음
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 눈 | snow | Falls with 오다 |
| 눈 | eye | Same spelling; 눈이 아파요 "my eyes hurt" |
| 얼음 | ice | Frozen water, not snow |
The First Snow
첫눈 means the season’s first snow. Korean dramas and songs often use it as a romantic setting.
Before Leaving Home: Checking the Snowfall
Two housemates are about to walk to a shop. One looks outside and notices snow, so they check whether they need an umbrella.
Housemate A
밖에 눈이 와요.
Bakke nuni wayo.
It is snowing outside.
Housemate B
눈이 많이 와요?
Nuni mani wayo?
Is it snowing a lot?
Housemate A
네, 길에도 눈이 쌓였어요.
Ne, giredo nuni ssayeosseoyo.
Yes, snow has piled up on the road too.
Housemate B
그럼 우산을 가져갈게요.
Geureom usaneul gajyeogalgeyo.
Then I will take an umbrella.
밖에 places the snowfall outside. 많이 asks about its amount, while 쌓였어요 describes snow that has already accumulated. Those are different observations: snow can be falling lightly while older snow still covers the road. The last speaker responds with a plan, using 그럼, “then”, to connect it to the weather.
Snow Falling, Settling and Melting
눈이 오다 describes snowfall. 눈이 내리다 is another common way to say that snow falls; it appears in forecasts and descriptions of winter scenes. In both phrases, snow is the subject, so 눈 takes 이. A forecast can describe snow coming without saying that the ground will become covered.
눈이 쌓이다 means that snow accumulates or piles up. 눈이 녹다 means that snow melts. These phrases help you follow the stages of a winter scene: first snow falls, then it can settle, and later it may melt. The verb carries information that the noun alone cannot supply.
눈을 치우다 means to clear away snow. Here 눈 takes 을 because somebody acts on it, for example by clearing a path. Compare this with 눈이 쌓이다, where the sentence describes what happens to the snow. The change of marker follows the snow's role in the sentence.
Winter Compounds and a Useful Ambiguity
첫눈 means the first snow of the season. 첫 adds the idea of “first”, and the compound is written together. 함박눈 describes large, fluffy snowflakes, while 폭설 means heavy snowfall. Neither word gives an exact depth unless the speaker supplies a measurement.
눈사람 literally combines “snow” and “person”, giving “snowman”. 눈싸움 means a snowball fight in a snowy outdoor scene. However, 눈싸움 also names a staring contest, using 눈 in its “eye” sense. If two people stare at each other indoors without blinking, the same spelling points to the second activity.
These compounds show why the surrounding scene matters as much as the individual syllables. In a snowball fight, 싸움, “fight”, refers to throwing snow at one another for play. In a staring contest, it refers to competition through eye contact. The word does not always describe an angry argument.
Where Will You Encounter 눈?
Weather forecasts use 눈 alongside 비, rain, when describing expected precipitation. A report about a road may mention 쌓이다 because accumulation affects the surface even after the snowfall stops. In daily conversation, 눈이 와요 is enough to draw someone's attention to flakes outside the window.
K-dramas and winter songs may emphasize 첫눈 as a romantic moment. That is a familiar storytelling theme, rather than a rule that every couple follows. In ordinary plans, the same word can simply identify the season's first snowfall without a romantic meaning.
Words for a Winter Scene
| Korean | Meaning | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| 첫눈 | first snow | Identifies the season's first snowfall. |
| 눈사람 | snowman | Names something made from snow. |
| 얼음 | ice | Frozen water, including patches on a path. |
| 눈길 | snowy road or path | In a winter travel context, describes the surface. |
| 비 | rain | Another weather noun used with 오다. |
The weather vocabulary lesson teaches the wider set for forecasts and daily weather talk. Keep the weather scene in mind: 눈길 also has an “eye” sense meaning a look or gaze.
Quick Self-Test
- Which phrase describes accumulation: 눈이 오다 or 눈이 쌓이다?
- What does 첫눈 mean in a weather conversation?
- Does 눈싸움 always involve snow?
Show answers
- 눈이 쌓이다 describes snow piling up.
- The first snowfall of the season.
- No. It can also mean a staring contest; the scene decides.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Say "It's Snowing" in Korean?
Say 눈이 와요, literally "snow comes". Like rain, snow uses the verb 오다: 눈이 와요 means "it is snowing", and 눈이 많이 와요 means "it is snowing a lot". When snow builds up on the ground, use 쌓이다: 눈이 쌓이다.
How Do You Tell 눈 "Snow" from 눈 "Eye"?
Look at the verb and the context. 눈이 와요, with 오다, is snow falling. 눈이 아파요, "my eyes hurt", is about eyes. In everyday sentences the verb almost always makes the meaning clear, so learners rarely need more than one clue.
How Do You Say Snowman in Korean?
A snowman is 눈사람, from 눈, snow, and 사람, person. A snowball fight is 눈싸움, from 싸움, fight. Both words are common in winter, and children in Korea enjoy both after the first heavy snowfall.
Why Is the First Snow Special in Korea?
The first snow is a familiar romantic theme in Korean dramas and songs, often giving characters a reason to meet or think of someone. This is a storytelling association, not a custom every couple follows. In weather talk, 첫눈 simply means the first snow of the season.
Related Words and Next Steps
- See more nature weather vocabulary.
- Find more single words like snow in the Korean words A to Z index.
- Review snow (눈) with the vocabulary flashcard decks.