Discovering the beauty of Korea often involves appreciating its distinct seasons and the flowers that bloom in each. This guide introduces essential Korean vocabulary for various seasonal flowers, helping you identify and discuss them. Learning these names will enrich your understanding of Korean nature and culture, allowing you to connect more deeply with the seasonal changes.
Table Of Content
Core Expression
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Expression: 계절 꽃
Pronunciation: gye-jeol kkot
Meaning: Seasonal flower (계절 gye-jeol means season, 꽃 kkot means flower)
Spring Flowers
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Expression: 벚꽃
Pronunciation: beot-kkot
Meaning: Cherry blossom -
Expression: 개나리
Pronunciation: gae-na-ri
Meaning: Forsythia -
Expression: 진달래
Pronunciation: jin-dal-lae
Meaning: Azalea (Korean Rhododendron) -
Expression: 목련
Pronunciation: mong-nyeon
Meaning: Magnolia -
Expression: 튤립
Pronunciation: tyul-lip
Meaning: Tulip -
Expression: 수선화
Pronunciation: su-seon-hwa
Meaning: Daffodil -
Expression: 라일락
Pronunciation: ra-il-lak
Meaning: Lilac -
Expression: 팬지
Pronunciation: paen-ji
Meaning: Pansy -
Expression: 제비꽃
Pronunciation: je-bi-kkot
Meaning: Violet -
Expression: 민들레
Pronunciation: min-deul-le
Meaning: Dandelion
Summer Flowers
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Expression: 장미
Pronunciation: jang-mi
Meaning: Rose -
Expression: 해바라기
Pronunciation: hae-ba-ra-gi
Meaning: Sunflower -
Expression: 무궁화
Pronunciation: mu-gung-hwa
Meaning: Rose of Sharon (National flower of South Korea) -
Expression: 수국
Pronunciation: su-guk
Meaning: Hydrangea -
Expression: 연꽃
Pronunciation: yeon-kkot
Meaning: Lotus -
Expression: 봉선화
Pronunciation: bong-seon-hwa
Meaning: Garden Balsam -
Expression: 백일홍
Pronunciation: bae-gil-hong
Meaning: Crape Myrtle (Zinnia can also be called 백일홍) -
Expression: 나팔꽃
Pronunciation: na-pal-kkot
Meaning: Morning Glory -
Expression: 채송화
Pronunciation: chae-song-hwa
Meaning: Moss Rose (Portulaca) -
Expression: 능소화
Pronunciation: neung-so-hwa
Meaning: Trumpet Creeper
Autumn Flowers
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Expression: 국화
Pronunciation: gu-kwa
Meaning: Chrysanthemum -
Expression: 코스모스
Pronunciation: ko-seu-mo-seu
Meaning: Cosmos -
Expression: 단풍
Pronunciation: dan-pung
Meaning: Maple leaves (While not a flower, strongly associated with autumn scenery) -
Expression: 억새
Pronunciation: eok-sae
Meaning: Silver Grass / Eulalia (Again, not a flower, but a key part of autumn landscapes) -
Expression: 구절초
Pronunciation: gu-jeol-cho
Meaning: Siberian Chrysanthemum / Korean Daisy -
Expression: 맨드라미
Pronunciation: maen-deu-ra-mi
Meaning: Cockscomb -
Expression: 과꽃
Pronunciation: gwa-kkot
Meaning: China Aster -
Expression: 메밀꽃
Pronunciation: me-mil-kkot
Meaning: Buckwheat flower -
Expression: 상사화
Pronunciation: sang-sa-hwa
Meaning: Magic Lily / Surprise Lily -
Expression: 쑥부쟁이
Pronunciation: ssuk-bu-jaeng-i
Meaning: Aster yomena (a type of wild aster)
Winter Flowers
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Expression: 동백꽃
Pronunciation: dong-baek-kkot
Meaning: Camellia -
Expression: 시클라멘
Pronunciation: si-keul-la-men
Meaning: Cyclamen (Popular indoor winter flower) -
Expression: 포인세티아
Pronunciation: po-in-se-ti-a
Meaning: Poinsettia (Associated with Christmas) -
Expression: 매화
Pronunciation: mae-hwa
Meaning: Plum Blossom (Blooms late winter/early spring) -
Expression: 복수초
Pronunciation: bok-su-cho
Meaning: Adonis amurensis (Known as a harbinger of spring, blooming through snow) -
Expression: 군자란
Pronunciation: gun-ja-ran
Meaning: Clivia (Popular indoor flowering plant) -
Expression: 칼랑코에
Pronunciation: kal-lang-ko-e
Meaning: Kalanchoe (Common indoor flowering succulent) -
Expression: 게발선인장
Pronunciation: ge-bal-seo-nin-jang
Meaning: Christmas Cactus (Blooms around winter holidays) -
Expression: 납매
Pronunciation: nam-mae
Meaning: Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox)
Useful Phrases for Talking About Flowers
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Expression: 이 꽃 이름이 뭐예요?
Pronunciation: i kkot i-reu-mi mwo-ye-yo?
Meaning: What is the name of this flower? -
Expression: 이 꽃은 향기가 좋아요.
Pronunciation: i kko-cheun hyang-gi-ga jo-a-yo.
Meaning: This flower smells good. -
Expression: 저는 장미를 좋아해요.
Pronunciation: jeo-neun jang-mi-reul jo-a-hae-yo.
Meaning: I like roses. -
Expression: 벚꽃은 언제 펴요?
Pronunciation: beot-kko-cheun eon-je pyeo-yo?
Meaning: When do cherry blossoms bloom? -
Expression: 꽃 구경하러 가요.
Pronunciation: kkot gu-gyeong-ha-reo ga-yo.
Meaning: Let’s go see the flowers. / Let’s go flower viewing. -
Expression: 봄에는 예쁜 꽃이 많이 펴요.
Pronunciation: bo-me-neun ye-ppeun kko-chi ma-ni pyeo-yo.
Meaning: Many pretty flowers bloom in spring. -
Expression: 이 꽃은 무슨 색이에요?
Pronunciation: i kko-cheun mu-seun sae-gi-e-yo?
Meaning: What color is this flower? -
Expression: 꽃 선물을 받았어요.
Pronunciation: kkot seon-mu-reul ba-da-sseo-yo.
Meaning: I received flowers as a gift. -
Expression: 정원에 꽃을 심었어요.
Pronunciation: jeong-wo-ne kko-cheul si-meo-sseo-yo.
Meaning: I planted flowers in the garden. -
Expression: 가을에는 국화 축제가 열려요.
Pronunciation: ga-eu-re-neun gu-kwa chuk-je-ga yeol-lyeo-yo.
Meaning: Chrysanthemum festivals are held in autumn.
Korean Culture Notes
Flowers hold significant meaning in Korean culture. Cherry blossoms (벚꽃 – beot-kkot) symbolize the ephemeral beauty of life and are celebrated with nationwide festivals in spring. People gather for picnics and strolls under the blooming trees.
The Rose of Sharon (무궁화 – mu-gung-hwa) is South Korea’s national flower. Its name means “eternal blossom that never fades,” representing the resilience and enduring spirit of the Korean people.
Korea hosts numerous flower festivals (꽃 축제 – kkot chuk-je) throughout the year, celebrating specific blooms like tulips, roses, cosmos, and chrysanthemums. These festivals are popular seasonal attractions.
Giving flowers as gifts is common for various occasions like birthdays, graduations, or visiting someone’s home. However, chrysanthemums (국화 – gu-kwa), especially white ones, are often associated with funerals, so it’s wise to be mindful of this context.
Certain flowers have traditional associations. For example, plum blossoms (매화 – mae-hwa) blooming in late winter symbolize perseverance and hope, often appearing in traditional art and poetry.
Real Conversation Example
Situation: Two friends, Minjun (A) and Sora (B), are walking in a park during spring.
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Expression: A: 와, 소라야, 여기 벚꽃 좀 봐! 정말 예쁘다.
Pronunciation: wa, so-ra-ya, yeo-gi beot-kkot jom bwa! jeong-mal ye-ppeu-da.
Meaning: Wow, Sora, look at the cherry blossoms here! They’re really pretty. -
Expression: B: 그러게, 민준아. 봄에는 역시 벚꽃이지. 저쪽에는 개나리도 활짝 폈네.
Pronunciation: geu-reo-ge, min-ju-na. bo-me-neun yeok-si beot-kko-chi-ji. jeo-jjo-ge-neun gae-na-ri-do hwal-jjak pyeot-ne.
Meaning: I know, Minjun. Spring is definitely about cherry blossoms. Over there, the forsythias have bloomed fully too. -
Expression: A: 맞아. 노란색 개나리도 참 예뻐. 아, 이 꽃 이름이 뭐였지? 보라색 작은 꽃인데…
Pronunciation: ma-ja. no-ran-saek gae-na-ri-do cham ye-ppeo. a, i kkot i-reu-mi mwo-yeot-ji? bo-ra-saek ja-geun kko-chin-de…
Meaning: Right. The yellow forsythias are pretty too. Ah, what was the name of this flower? It’s a small purple one… -
Expression: B: 아, 이건 제비꽃이야. 봄에 많이 볼 수 있어. 향기도 은은하게 나지 않아?
Pronunciation: a, i-geon je-bi-kko-chi-ya. bo-me ma-ni bol su i-sseo. hyang-gi-do eu-neu-na-ge na-ji a-na?
Meaning: Ah, this is a violet. You can see them a lot in spring. Doesn’t it have a subtle fragrance? -
Expression: A: 응, 정말 좋다. 역시 봄에는 꽃 구경하는 게 최고야!
Pronunciation: eung, jeong-mal jo-ta. yeok-si bo-me-neun kkot gu-gyeong-ha-neun ge choe-go-ya!
Meaning: Yes, it’s really nice. Flower viewing in spring is the best!
Practice Tips
Learning flower names is fun! Try identifying flowers you see on walks or in parks using the Korean names you’ve learned~ When you visit Korea, make sure to check out the seasonal flower festivals! You can practice asking “이 꽃 이름이 뭐예요?” (i kkot i-reu-mi mwo-ye-yo?) when you see an unfamiliar flower. Labeling pictures of flowers with their Korean names can also be a great study method. Enjoy discovering the beautiful flowers of Korea! 화이팅! (hwa-i-ting! – You can do it!)
