Key Facts
- Word: 표 (pyo), noun, Sino-Korean origin
- Register: Neutral, everyday word used in both spoken and written Korean. 티켓 is a loanword used for event or concert tickets.
- Hanja: 票 (票 ticket)
- Senses: ticket
Ticket in Korean: What Does 표 Mean?
표 means a ticket for a train, bus, plane or show. The register is neutral and everyday. For concerts, movies and events, the loanword 티켓 is common. The formal term for a boarding ticket is 승차권.
How Do You Pronounce It?
Say pyo as one syllable with a y-glide, and no ending consonant. The romanization pyo matches the sound. In compounds such as 기차표 the pronunciation stays the same.
Example Sentences with 표
표를 사요.
Pyoreul sayo.
I buy a ticket.
The basic purchase. 사요 is the polite 'buy', and the object marker follows the noun.
기차표는 얼마예요?
Gichapyoneun eolmayeyo?
How much is the train ticket?
A price question. 기차표 joins 기차 (train) with 표, and 얼마예요 asks how much.
표를 보여 주세요.
Pyoreul boyeo juseyo.
Please show your ticket.
An inspection request. 보여 주세요 means 'please show me', which is what a conductor or gate attendant says.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 표를 사다 | to buy a ticket |
| 기차표 | train ticket |
| 표를 예매하다 | to reserve a ticket |
The Mistake to Avoid
Two different words are spelled 표. The ticket word is written 票 in hanja; a separate word written 表 means a table, chart or mark, as in 표시 (sign, indication).
- Wrong: reading 표를 사요 at a station as "I buy a chart".
- Correct: in a transport or ticket-office setting 표 is a ticket. Context decides.
표 Compared with Similar Words
Ticket words differ by setting and formality.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 티켓 | ticket (loanword) | 티켓 is used for concerts, movies and events; 표 is the everyday short word and works for transport. |
| 승차권 | ride ticket (formal) | 승차권 is the formal term for a boarding ticket. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
표 is Sino-Korean, written 票 (ticket). The same character also means a vote or ballot, which is why Korean words for voting contain it. The "table" or "chart" word is a different word that happens to share the spelling, written 表.
At a Station: Asking for Two Tickets
A traveler is buying train tickets at a staffed counter. They name the destination and quantity first. The employee then asks which departure they want.
Traveler
부산 가는 표 두 장 주세요.
Busan ganeun pyo du jang juseyo.
Two tickets to Busan, please.
Employee
몇 시 기차로 드릴까요?
Myeot si gicharo deurilkkayo?
For what time train would you like them?
Traveler
오후 두 시 표 있어요?
Ohu du si pyo isseoyo?
Do you have tickets for two in the afternoon?
Employee
네, 두 장 있어요.
Ne, du jang isseoyo.
Yes, two tickets are available.
가는 means “going to”, so 부산 가는 표 identifies the destination without a separate sentence. 두 장 counts two tickets. 드릴까요 is the employee’s polite offer to give or provide something. The traveler can simply use 주세요, “please give me”, for the purchase request.
How Do You Count and Ask about Tickets?
표 한 장 means one ticket and 표 두 장 means two. 장 is the counter commonly used for tickets and other flat items. The forms 한 and 두 belong before a counter; the quantity tells the seller how many tickets you need, rather than how many journeys the ticket allows.
표가 있다 means that a ticket is available in a booking conversation. 표가 없다 means none is available. These are useful availability phrases, but they do not explain whether the train is full, sales have not opened or the requested ticket is unavailable for another reason. Listen for the explanation that follows.
표를 예매하다 emphasizes buying or booking in advance. 표를 사다 simply says to buy a ticket and does not specify when. A sentence about advance purchase can therefore use either idea, but 예매 highlights that the purchase happens before the journey or event.
What Ticket Words Appear on Signs?
매표소 is a ticket office or booth. 무인 발권기 is an unattended ticket machine, and 발권 concerns issuing a ticket. These labels help you find where to obtain the ticket. A reservation confirmation and the process of collecting or issuing a ticket may appear as separate steps, depending on the service.
매진 means “sold out”. In a booking screen it tells you something different from the ticket price. 예매 and 취소 label advance booking and cancellation actions. Before choosing a button, identify whether you are buying, collecting or canceling the ticket you already have.
At an entrance, 표를 보여 주세요 asks you to show your ticket. The word 표 can still be used when the ticket is on a phone. It names the admission or travel ticket, rather than requiring a particular paper format. Follow the venue’s instructions about which screen or code to present.
Ticket Details You May Need Next
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 편도 | one way | Travel in one direction. |
| 왕복 | round trip | Includes outward and return travel. |
| 좌석 | seat | Check the assigned seat separately from the departure time. |
| 입장권 | admission ticket | Used for entering a venue rather than boarding transport. |
| 매표소 | ticket office | Look for this when buying in person. |
The transportation vocabulary lesson connects ticket buying to journeys. 편도 and 왕복 describe the trip arrangement; 한 장 and 두 장 describe the number of tickets. Two tickets do not automatically mean a round trip, since they could be for two passengers taking the same one-way journey.
Quick Self-Test
- How do you request two tickets using a counter?
- What does 매진 tell you?
- Which is the more specific word for an admission ticket: 표 or 입장권?
Show answers
- 표 두 장 주세요.
- The tickets are sold out.
- 입장권; 표 is the broader everyday word.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'ticket' in Korean?
표 (pyo). For concerts, movies and other events, the loanword 티켓 is also common.
How do I say 'buy a ticket'?
표를 사다. In polite speech: 표를 사요 (I buy a ticket).
How do I reserve one?
표를 예매하다, which means to book a ticket in advance.
What is 승차권?
It is the formal word for a ticket to board a train or bus. You see it on signs and printed tickets; in conversation people say 표.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Transportation words groups 표 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add it to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- See also the page for taxi: taxi.