Key Facts
- Hangul: 기술; Revised Romanization: gisul
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 技術 (技 skill + 術 art/method)
- Register: neutral; slightly formal in written and news contexts
Technology in Korean: What Does 기술 Mean?
기술 has two linked senses. The first is technology as a field, as in 새로운 기술 (new technology) or 기술 개발 (technology development). The second is a learned practical skill, as in 기술을 배우다, which means to learn a skill.
The tone is neutral, with a slightly formal feel in writing and news. The loanword 테크놀로지 exists, but it is used less often and mostly in marketing. Speakers who want to praise someone's hand skill may prefer 솜씨, a native word for handiwork.
How Do You Pronounce 기술?
기술 is gi-sul. The first syllable has a short, tight i, like the ee in see but shorter. The ㅅ in 술 is a plain s, and the final ㄹ is a light l with the tongue tip behind the upper teeth. When a vowel follows, as in 기술이, the ㄹ moves into the next syllable as a quick tap, so you hear gisuri.
Example Sentences with 기술
한국은 기술이 좋아요.
Hangugeun gisuri joayo.
Korea has good technology.
한국은 is Korea as the topic of the sentence. 기술이 좋아요 says that the technology is good, using the subject particle 이 after the noun.
새 기술을 배우고 있어요.
Sae gisureul baeugo isseoyo.
I am learning a new technology.
새 means new and sits in front of the noun. The ending 배우고 있어요 shows that the learning is going on now. In this sentence 기술 can be read as either a new technology or a new skill.
기술이 빠르게 발전해요.
Gisuri ppareuge baljeonhaeyo.
Technology develops quickly.
발전해요 means develops or advances, a verb that pairs naturally with 기술. 빠르게 is the adverb form of fast, so the sentence says that technology moves quickly.
Common Phrases and Collocations
Fields and skills share the same noun, so the verb tells you which meaning is in play.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 기술이 발전하다 | technology develops |
| 새로운 기술 | new technology |
| 기술을 배우다 | to learn a skill |
| 기술 개발 | technology development |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners often pick the word for science when they mean technology.
Wrong: ✗ 과학 for technology (gadgets and industry)
Correct: ✓ 한국은 기술이 좋아요.
과학 is science, the body of knowledge. 기술 is the applied side, the technology or technique that people actually use, so a sentence praising a country's gadgets and industry calls for 기술.
기술 Compared with 과학, 테크놀로지 and 솜씨
Each neighbour covers a slightly different area. Use this table to choose between them.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 기술 | technology; skill | Applied technology or a practical skill. |
| 과학 | science | Broader than 기술, which is applied technique. |
| 테크놀로지 | technology (loanword) | The loanword, mostly in marketing. |
| 솜씨 | skill; handiwork | A native word for hand skill. |
The entry for science covers 과학 in more detail.
Where Does the Word Come From?
기술 is Sino-Korean, written 技術 in hanja: 技 (skill) plus 術 (art or method). Both characters point to a craft learned through practice, which explains why the single word covers both a skill and a technology.
At a Bakery: Learning a Practical Skill
A new worker asks a colleague about the skill involved in making bread.
New worker
빵 만드는 기술을 배우고 싶어요.
Ppang mandeuneun gisureul baeugo sipeoyo.
I want to learn the skill of making bread.
Colleague
어떤 빵을 만들고 싶어요?
Eotteon ppangeul mandeulgo sipeoyo?
What kind of bread do you want to make?
New worker
식빵을 만들고 싶어요.
Sikppangeul mandeulgo sipeoyo.
I want to make sandwich bread.
Colleague
그럼 반죽부터 배워요.
Geureom banjukbuteo baewoyo.
Then let’s start by learning about the dough.
Here 기술 is a practical skill learned through training. Nothing in the conversation requires computers or electronic devices. 빵 만드는 describes the activity before 기술, and 배우고 싶어요 expresses the learner's wish to acquire it.
Where Will You Hear or See 기술?
In company news, 기술 개발 means technology development. A report about a new process or product may focus on the technology behind it, rather than the finished device. 첨단 기술 means advanced technology; 첨단 adds the sense of being at the leading edge.
In a workshop or training course, 기술을 익히다 means to acquire or master a skill through practice. This phrase fits hands-on work, including repairs, cooking and manufacturing. 기술을 배우다 focuses on learning; 익히다 draws attention to becoming familiar and capable through repeated use.
기술 지원 means technical support. On a service page, it points to help with technical problems, rather than a class that teaches a skill. The noun after 기술 often gives the best clue: development, support and education lead to different settings.
Words around Skills and Technology
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 기능 | function; feature | What a device or program can do. |
| 도구 | tool | Something used to carry out a task. |
| 기술자 | technician; skilled worker | Names a person with technical expertise. |
| 기술력 | technological capability | Emphasises the ability to develop or use technology. |
The technology vocabulary lesson teaches device and online terms alongside 기술. A device has 기능, while the methods used to make it work involve 기술. 기술자 names a worker; 기술 by itself names the skill or technology.
Quick Self-Test
- Must 기술 refer to computers?
- Which phrase means technical support?
- Which word names a skilled technical worker: 기술 or 기술자?
Show answers
- No. It also means a practical skill or technique, such as bread-making.
- 기술 지원.
- 기술자. 기술 names the skill or technology.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say technology in Korean?
Say 기술 (gisul). The same word also means a practical skill, so context tells you which sense is meant.
Is 기술 the same as 과학?
No. 과학 is science, while 기술 is technology or an applied skill. A phrase such as 기술이 발전하다 means technology develops.
How do you say learn a skill in Korean?
Say 기술을 배우다. In the example 새 기술을 배우고 있어요 the speaker is learning a new technology or skill.
Can I use the loanword 테크놀로지 instead?
You can, and it will be understood, but it is rarer and mostly seen in marketing. 기술 is the everyday choice.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: technology vocabulary holds 기술 beside devices and online words.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: Add 기술 to your review in the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next in the list is the word for camera.