Key Facts
- Korean: 호랑이, Revised Romanization horangi
- Part of speech: noun
- Register: neutral everyday word
- Older native word: 범
What Does 호랑이 Mean?
호랑이 means tiger. A white tiger is 백호, a Sino-Korean word.
How Do You Pronounce 호랑이?
Say ho-rang-i, three syllables. The ㄹ is a light tap, and the ng of 랑 runs straight into the final 이.
Example Sentences with 호랑이
호랑이가 무서워요.
Horangiga museowoyo.
The tiger is scary.
무서워요 means "is scary".
동물원에서 호랑이를 봐요.
Dongmurwoneseo horangireul bwayo.
I see tigers at the zoo.
동물원에서 means "at the zoo", and 봐요 means "see".
호랑이는 한국의 상징이에요.
Horangineun hangugui sangjingieyo.
The tiger is a symbol of Korea.
한국의 상징 means "a symbol of Korea".
Phrases with 호랑이
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 호랑이 무늬 | tiger stripes |
| 호랑이 굴 | tiger's den |
| 백호 | white tiger |
무늬 means pattern, so 호랑이 무늬 is the striped pattern on clothes or fabric.
A Common Mistake with 호랑이
- Wrong: 호랭이
- Correct: 호랑이
호랭이 is a non-standard form heard in some dialects. Write 호랑이.
호랑이 Compared with 범 and 사자
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 호랑이 | tiger | Everyday word |
| 범 | tiger | Older native word |
| 사자 | lion | A different big cat |
The Tiger in Korean Culture
The tiger is a national symbol in Korean folk tales, and a white tiger named Soohorang was the mascot of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
At the Zoo: Spotting a Tiger
Two friends are looking into a tiger enclosure. One cannot find the animal until the other points it out under a tree. Both use polite everyday speech.
Nari
호랑이가 어디 있어요?
Horangiga eodi isseoyo?
Where’s the tiger?
Jun
저기 나무 밑에 있어요.
Jeogi namu mite isseoyo.
It’s over there under the tree.
Nari
아, 보여요! 정말 크네요.
A, boyeoyo! Jeongmal keuneyo.
Oh, I can see it! It’s really big.
Jun
네, 지금 자고 있어요.
Ne, jigeum jago isseoyo.
Yes, it’s sleeping now.
호랑이가 uses 가 because 호랑이 ends in a vowel. 보여요 means “is visible” or “I can see it”, which fits the moment Nari spots the animal. 자고 있어요 describes an action in progress: the tiger is sleeping now, rather than habitually sleeping in that exact place.
What Does the Tiger Proverb Mean?
호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다 literally says that even a tiger comes when people talk about it. In everyday use, it describes someone appearing just as others are talking about them. English “speak of the devil” is a close conversational equivalent. The person arriving need not be dangerous or disliked.
Imagine that two classmates are wondering where a friend is, and the friend walks into the room. That coincidence is the setting for the proverb. Translating each word without the situation can make the line sound like a warning about wild animals, although no actual tiger is involved.
호랑이 선생님 means a frightening or very strict teacher. The tiger image describes the person’s manner. It is a nickname or description rather than a respectful way to address the teacher. In direct conversation, use the teacher’s usual title instead of assuming the nickname will sound friendly.
Both the proverb and the figurative person sense appear in the National Institute of Korean Language’s entry for 호랑이. They explain why a conversation containing the animal word may actually be about somebody in the room.
Where Will You Hear or See 호랑이?
At a zoo, 호랑이 is the animal’s name on a sign or map. In an animal description, 호랑이 무늬 points to the striped pattern. On clothing or fabric, the same phrase refers to a tiger-like design; it does not identify the material as tiger skin.
Children’s stories use 호랑이 as a character, sometimes frightening and sometimes easy to trick. In a story title, the tiger word tells you who appears, but it does not tell you whether that character will be brave, foolish or kind. Read the actions before deciding what the animal represents in that particular tale.
백호 means white tiger. It names a tiger described by its white coloring, rather than a different word for a lion or a generic white animal. The older 범 can also mean tiger, but 호랑이 is the most useful starting point for everyday zoo conversation.
Animal Words beside 호랑이
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 동물원 | zoo | Names the place where the dialogue happens. |
| 사자 | lion | A different big cat, often learned alongside tiger. |
| 표범 | leopard | Another spotted big cat; the name includes 범. |
| 줄무늬 | stripes | Describes the pattern more generally than 호랑이 무늬. |
| 마리 | animal counter | Use after a number when counting tigers. |
The animal vocabulary lesson gives you the wider set. 호랑이 한 마리 means one tiger. The final 이 in 호랑이 belongs to the noun itself: keep it when adding a particle or a counter phrase. 호랑이가 and 호랑이를 both retain the complete animal name.
Quick Self-Test
- What does 호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다 describe in everyday conversation?
- Does 호랑이 선생님 describe an actual animal?
- Which counter can you use for one tiger?
Show answers
- Someone appearing just as people are talking about them.
- No. It describes a frightening or very strict teacher.
- 마리: 호랑이 한 마리.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Say Tiger in Korean?
Say 호랑이 (horangi). It is the everyday word for a tiger. An older native word, 범, appears in proverbs and older texts. A white tiger is 백호. The tiger is a national symbol in Korea and appears constantly in folk tales.
Why Is the Tiger a Symbol of Korea?
Tigers once lived across the Korean peninsula and appear throughout Korean folk tales and folk paintings, sometimes fearsome and sometimes comic. The 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics used a white tiger mascot, Soohorang, which shows how strongly the animal is linked to Korean identity.
What Is the Difference between 호랑이 and 범?
Both mean tiger. 호랑이 is the everyday modern word. 범 is an older native word you will meet in proverbs, folk tales and some compound words. In conversation, use 호랑이; recognize 범 when reading, especially in proverbs where the tiger stands for danger.
Is 호랭이 Correct?
No. 호랭이 is a regional, non-standard form you may hear in dialects or see in jokes. The standard spelling is 호랑이, with the vowel ㅏ in the second syllable. Use 호랑이 in writing and in tests.
Related Words and Next Steps
- See more animal words.
- Find more single words like tiger in the Korean words A to Z index.
- Review tiger (호랑이) with the vocabulary flashcard decks.