Key Facts
- Korean: 거북이, Revised Romanization geobugi
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: neutral; 거북 is the plain form
- Senses: turtle; tortoise
Turtle in Korean: What Does 거북이 Mean?
거북이 means a turtle or a tortoise. Korean uses one word for both, and adds 바다 (sea) when it matters that the animal lives in the ocean.
How Do You Pronounce 거북이?
거북이 is [geo-bu-gi]. The final ㄱ of 북 links to the vowel 이, so it is heard as the start of the last syllable.
Example Sentences with 거북이
거북이가 느려요.
Geobugiga neuryeoyo.
The turtle is slow.
느려요 means "is slow", the classic description of a turtle.
거북이는 바다에 살아요.
Geobugineun badae sarayo.
Turtles live in the sea.
바다에 살아요 means "live in the sea"; this describes sea turtles.
저는 거북이를 키워요.
Jeoneun geobugireul kiwoyo.
I keep a turtle.
키워요 means "keep" or "raise" a pet.
Phrases with 거북이
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 거북이걸음 | turtle's pace |
| 바다거북 | sea turtle |
| 거북이 등딱지 | turtle shell |
| 거북선 | turtle ship |
바다거북 and 거북선 use the plain form 거북, which is typical in compounds.
A Common Mistake with 거북이
- Wrong: treating 거북 and 거북이 as two different animals.
- Correct: they are the same animal; 거북이 is the common everyday form.
Use 거북이 in conversation and expect 거북 in compounds and formal writing.
거북이 Compared with 거북 and 토끼
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 거북이 | turtle | Everyday form |
| 거북 | turtle | Plain form, used in compounds |
| 토끼 | rabbit | Paired with the turtle in the folk tale |
The Turtle Ship
The turtle ship, 거북선, was a famous Joseon-era warship.
Watching a Turtle at an Aquarium
Two friends stop beside a tank. They notice both the animal and how it is moving.
Mina
저기 거북이가 있어요.
Jeogi geobugiga isseoyo.
There is a turtle over there.
Ben
어디요?
Eodiyo?
Where?
Mina
물속에서 헤엄치고 있어요.
Mulsogeseo heeomchigo isseoyo.
It is swimming in the water.
Ben
아, 보여요. 생각보다 빠르네요.
A, boyeoyo. Saenggakboda ppareuneyo.
Oh, I see it. It is faster than I expected.
거북이가 identifies the turtle as the subject. The next reply leaves the animal's name out because both friends are looking for the same thing. 헤엄치고 있어요 describes swimming in progress. The last line is a useful contrast with the familiar 느려요 example: a turtle is not necessarily moving slowly in every scene.
Is the 이 in 거북이 a Particle?
거북이 is a complete noun, including its final 이. To make that everyday noun the subject, add 가: 거북이가. To make it the object, add 를: 거북이를. The final vowel belongs to the animal's name before you attach either marker.
The shorter noun 거북 also exists. Its subject form is 거북이, with 이 as the subject marker after a consonant. That means the written string 거북이 can be either the longer noun alone or the shorter noun with a marker, depending on the sentence. For a beginner, using 거북이가 and 거북이를 keeps the everyday noun easy to recognize.
This also explains why 거북이 and 거북이가 are not competing spellings of one form. One is the word you look up, and the other includes a sentence marker. You can see the same distinction between the headword and the first example at the top of this page.
Phrases beyond the Animal Enclosure
거북이걸음 literally pictures a turtle's steps. In a traffic report or a comment on work, it means very slow movement or progress. The phrase can describe cars that are barely moving; no animal needs to be present. It is more expressive than simply saying the traffic is slow.
토끼와 거북이 means “The Rabbit and the Turtle”, the familiar race story. 와 means “and” here. In a children's book or cartoon title, the pair points to the story, rather than two pets belonging to one family. The context explains why these animals keep appearing together.
바다거북 names a sea turtle. 육지거북 names a land tortoise. These terms are useful when the habitat matters, while 거북이 remains the broad conversational word. Avoid reading the sea example above as a statement that every turtle lives in the ocean; it describes the sea-dwelling kind.
Reading Signs and Animal Descriptions
At an aquarium, the longer name on a label may identify a particular species. Recognizing 거북 within that name gives you the animal family, but not every detail of its habitat or diet. In a pet conversation, 키우다 means to keep or raise the animal, as in the existing example.
거북선 belongs to a different setting: a museum label or history programme. The compound uses the turtle image to name a ship. The final 선 is part of the ship's name, so spotting 거북 does not always mean the text is about a living animal.
Words for Describing What You See
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 등딱지 | shell / carapace | The hard covering on the turtle's back. |
| 바다거북 | sea turtle | Specifies an ocean-dwelling turtle. |
| 육지거북 | land tortoise | Useful when distinguishing a land-dwelling kind. |
| 헤엄치다 | to swim | Describes the movement in the dialogue. |
| 토끼 | rabbit | The turtle's partner in the race story. |
The animal vocabulary lesson teaches the wider set of animal names.
Quick Self-Test
- In 거북이가, does the first 이 belong to the noun?
- Must 거북이걸음 describe a real animal?
- Which term specifies a sea turtle?
Show answers
- Yes. 거북이 is the noun and 가 is the subject marker.
- No. It can describe very slow traffic or progress.
- 바다거북.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Say Turtle in Korean?
Say 거북이 (geobugi). It is the everyday word for both turtles and tortoises; Korean does not split them the way English does. A sea turtle is 바다거북. The plain form 거북 means the same animal and appears in compounds and more formal writing.
What Is the Difference between 거북 and 거북이?
They name the same animal. 거북 is the plain form, used in compounds such as 바다거북 and in more formal or scientific writing. 거북이 adds 이 and is the common everyday form, especially in speech and children's stories. Both are correct.
What Is the Turtle Ship, 거북선?
거북선 is the turtle ship, a covered warship of the Joseon era associated with Admiral Yi Sun-sin, who used it against Japanese fleets in the 1590s. Its armored, turtle-like roof made it famous, and it is a well-known symbol of Korean history.
What Does 거북이걸음 Mean?
거북이걸음 means "a turtle's pace", a very slow way of moving. It is used for slow traffic, slow progress on a project or anyone walking slowly. 걸음 means a step or walk, so the image is a turtle's steps.
Related Words and Next Steps
- See more animal words.
- Find more single words like turtle in the Korean words A to Z index.