Key Facts
- Hangul: 우표; Revised Romanization: upyo
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean (郵票)
- Register: Neutral, everyday word used in both spoken and written Korean.
Stamp in Korean: What Does 우표 Mean?
우표 is a postage stamp, the small sticker that pays for mail. It is not the word for an ink stamp or a personal seal. People collect them, buy them at the post office and stick them on letters.
How Do You Pronounce 우표?
Two syllables: u-pyo. Both vowels are rounded, and the lips move between ㅜ and the ㅛ glide. The ㅍ is aspirated: a clear puff of air on the p. Keep the word short and even.
Example Sentences with 우표
우표를 사요.
Upyoreul sayo.
I buy a stamp.
The shortest purchase line. 사요 means buy, with 를 marking 우표 as the object.
편지에 우표를 붙였어요.
Pyeonjie upyoreul buchyeosseoyo.
I put a stamp on the letter.
에 marks where the stamp goes, and 붙였어요 is the past tense of sticking something on.
우표 한 장에 얼마예요?
Upyo han jange eolmayeyo?
How much is one stamp?
한 장 is one sheet, the counter for flat things like stamps. 얼마예요 asks the price.
Phrases and Collocations with 우표
The phrases cover putting one on, special issues and the hobby.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 우표를 붙이다 | to put on a stamp |
| 기념우표 | commemorative stamp |
| 우표 수집 | stamp collecting |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 우표 for a rubber stamp
Correct: ✓ 도장
Why: 우표 is only a postage stamp. A personal seal or rubber stamp is a 도장.
우표 Compared with Similar Words
Two other words cover ink stamps and seals.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 도장 | seal / stamp (signature) | A personal seal or rubber stamp, not a postage stamp. |
| 스탬프 | ink stamp | A loanword for an ink stamp or tourist stamp. |
Where Does 우표 Come From?
우표 is Sino-Korean, written 郵票: 郵 means mail and 票 means ticket. So the word literally says "mail ticket".
Buying Stamps for Postcards
A customer has two postcards ready to send. The clerk needs to know their destination before supplying the postage. The dialogue asks for stamps without assuming a particular price.
Customer
우표를 사고 싶어요.
Upyoreul sago sipeoyo.
I would like to buy stamps.
Clerk
어디로 보내세요?
Eodiro bonaeseyo?
Where are you sending them?
Customer
미국으로 보내요. 엽서 두 장이에요.
Migugeuro bonaeyo. Yeopseo du jangieyo.
I am sending them to the United States. They are two postcards.
Clerk
엽서를 보여 주세요.
Yeopseoreul boyeo juseyo.
Please show me the postcards.
사고 싶어요 expresses the wish to buy. 어디로 asks about the destination, while 엽서 두 장 tells the clerk the type and number of items. Showing the postcards lets the clerk deal with the actual mail rather than assuming that every stamp or every destination needs the same postage.
Which Phrases Go with Postage Stamps?
우표를 붙이다 means to stick a stamp on. 붙이다 focuses on attaching the physical stamp, as in the existing example 편지에 우표를 붙였어요. The letter takes 에 because it is where the stamp is placed, and the stamp takes 를 because it is the object being attached.
우표 수집 means stamp collecting. 수집 names the activity of gathering items into a collection. A collector may be discussing a design or a special issue rather than preparing a letter to send. The same noun 우표 fits both postal use and the collecting hobby.
기념우표 means a commemorative stamp. 기념 concerns commemorating or marking an occasion; the complete word still names a postage stamp. A tourist ink impression and a commemorative postage stamp may both be keepsakes, but only the latter is called 우표. The material and purpose distinguish them.
Where Will You Hear or See 우표?
At a post office, 우표 comes up when buying postage stamps or asking about a letter with stamps attached. 우편 요금 means postage charges, a broader idea than the stamp itself. If the question concerns the total charge for sending something, the fee expression may be more useful than asking the price of one stamp.
On a postcard, the space for a stamp may be indicated by a small printed box. 우표 names what goes there, while 우편번호 is the postal code in the address. The shared 우 syllable relates to mail; it does not mean that the code and the stamp do the same job.
In a cafe or at a tourist attraction, a request involving 스탬프 may concern a loyalty card or a souvenir impression. A document may instead require a 도장, an ink stamp or seal. Those contexts explain why translating every English “stamp” as 우표 can lead to the wrong object.
Related Words for Sending a Letter
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 엽서 | postcard | A flat piece of mail, counted with 장. |
| 봉투 | envelope | The cover that holds a letter. |
| 우체통 | postbox | The place where mail can be deposited. |
| 우편번호 | postal code | Part of an address, rather than proof of postage. |
The post office vocabulary lesson teaches the wider set for mail and counter conversations. 편지 names the letter, 봉투 names its envelope, and 우표 names the postage stamp. Keeping these separate helps when someone asks which item you need.
How Do You Ask for a Number of Stamps?
우표 한 장 means one stamp and 우표 두 장 means two stamps. 장 counts flat items, including both stamps and postcards. In the dialogue, 엽서 두 장 counts postcards; it does not say how many separate stamps the clerk will use to cover the required postage.
우표 한 장에 얼마예요 asks how much one stamp costs. 한 장에 gives a price per item, so this question has a different focus from asking the total cost of mailing your postcards. The destination, mail type and required postage still need to be established for the actual transaction.
우표 is neutral vocabulary and stays the same in polite service conversation. The customer’s 싶어요 and the clerk’s 주세요 carry the polite tone. You can therefore recognise the same two-syllable noun in a short shop label and in a complete request at the counter.
Quick Self-Test
- Which noun names a postage stamp: 우표 or 도장?
- What does 장 count in 우표 두 장?
- Does 우표 한 장에 얼마예요 ask for the price of one stamp or a postal code?
Show answers
- 우표. 도장 is an ink stamp or seal.
- Two individual postage stamps.
- The price of one stamp. 우편번호 means postal code.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say stamp in Korean?
Say 우표 (upyo) for a postage stamp.
How do you ask the price of a stamp?
Say 우표 한 장에 얼마예요?
What is a rubber stamp in Korean?
It is 도장.
What is a commemorative stamp?
It is 기념우표.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: post office vocabulary sets it with other post office words.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add it to the vocabulary flashcard decks.