It is hard to tell which of the senses is more important – we never want to imagine ourselves without one of them – but sight is for sure one of the most important ones for me. I’m lucky enough to have traveled a lot in my lifetime, and I’ve seen places that you can only absorb and realize the immense beauty of our world by seeing them through your own eyes. You may want to learn a few Korean sight words that will help express what you see to others!
Do you know the feeling of being speechless? Koreans call it 말 못하는 (mal moshaneun), and it was a feeling I got when I first stepped foot in Korea for the first time. I had just arrived from peaceful and calm Thailand, and I was faced with the exciting and action-packed city of Seoul!
I couldn’t believe my eyes and wanted a way to express my excitement and what I saw to other local people. I was alone, and I wanted to connect with them; I wanted to make friends! Rapidly I went home and looked up the translation for the word “beautiful.” In a heartbeat, I started saying 아름다운 (aleumdaun), to which locals would start smiling and eventually laughing, probably making fun of my incredibly terrible Korean accent.

Nevertheless, I discovered a word that allowed me to express myself during my stay in Korea (because, let’s be honest, Korea is a very 아름다운 (aleumdaun) country, so much that I was constantly saying this word). Following this little word came many other common words in Korean that I intend to teach you in this article, and possibly help you not only learn a new language but also look good in front of locals and possibly make some new friends and get some smiles! It always feels good when a local compliments you when you speak their language!
These are not the most basic Korean words, and there are other much simpler ones that maybe you should check out on our blog and learn before diving into this somewhat more challenging vocabulary. In our blog, there’s also much more information about the Korean language, like how to say numbers in Korean, how to say your name in Korean, or how many Korean words you need to be fluent, so don’t forget to head there and check it out!
Coming back to our topic, let’s look at some words about sight in Korean to expand your knowledge of this beautiful language.
How To Say Sight And Other Senses In Korean
First, let’s have a look at how Koreans say the simple Korean words of sight and other senses. 오감 (ogam). The five-senses in Korean, are composed of 시력 (silyeog), or sight, 접촉 (jeobchog), or touch, 미각 (migag), or taste, 후각 (hugag), or smell, and 청각 (cheong-gag), or hearing.

Sight-Related Vocabulary In Korean
As I said above, sometimes I’m speechless when I see something so beautiful that I don’t have the words to describe it. However, there are lots of words we can use on those occasions, both good and bad, related to how we see things: if they are beautiful or ugly, bright or dark, colorful or pale, there are lots of vocabulary we can learn and use to describe what our eyes are transmitting to our brain.
In the following table are the most common Korean words related to how we see things in the world. If you want to learn how to pronounce them, hit the little blue play button and practice your speech in Korean.
Korean (hangul) | Korean (Translation) | English | Pronunciation |
아름다운 | aleumdaun | Beautiful | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]아름다운[/Speechword] |
아주 멋진 | aju meosjin | Gorgeous | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]아주 멋진[/Speechword] |
못생긴 | mos-saeng-gin | Ugly | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]못생긴[/Speechword] |
분명한 | bunmyeonghan | Clear | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]분명한[/Speechword] |
밝은 | balg-eun | Bright | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]밝은[/Speechword] |
흐린 | heulin | Foggy | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]흐린[/Speechword] |
눈이 먼 | nun-i meon | Blind | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]눈이 먼[/Speechword] |
끔찍한 | kkeumjjighan | Horrible | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]끔찍한[/Speechword] |
전망 | jeonmang | Vision | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]전망[/Speechword] |
시력 | silyeog | Sight | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]시력[/Speechword] |
안경 | angyeong | Glasses | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]안경[/Speechword] |
색안경 | saeg-angyeong | Sunglasses | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]색안경[/Speechword] |
어두운 | eoduun | Dark | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]어두운[/Speechword] |
화려한 | hwalyeohan | Colourful | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]화려한[/Speechword] |
흐리게 | heulige | Blurred | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]흐리게[/Speechword] |
근시 | geunsi | Myopic | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]근시[/Speechword] |
색맹 | saegmaeng | Colorblind | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]색맹[/Speechword] |
단색화 | dansaeghwa | Monochrome | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]단색화[/Speechword] |
색깔 | saegkkal | Color | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]색깔[/Speechword] |
검은색 | geom-eunsaeg | Black | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]검은색[/Speechword] |
하얀 | hayan | White | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]하얀[/Speechword] |
콘텍트 렌즈 | kontegteu lenjeu | Contact Lenses | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]콘텍트 렌즈[/Speechword] |
눈 | nun | Eyes | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]눈[/Speechword] |
안과 의사 | angwa uisa | Ophthalmologist | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]안과 의사[/Speechword] |
속눈썹 | sognunsseob | Eyelashes | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]속눈썹[/Speechword] |
눈썹 | nunsseob | Eyebrows | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]눈썹[/Speechword] |
굉장히 멋진 | goengjanghi meosjin | Stunning | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]굉장히 멋진[/Speechword] |
감동적인 | gamdongjeog-in | Impressive | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]감동적인[/Speechword] |
학생 | hagsaeng | Pupil | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]학생[/Speechword] |
망막 | mangmag | Retina | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]망막[/Speechword] |
Furthermore, let’s have a look at some common Korean verbs that we use in our everyday life about our sight.
Korean (Hangul) | Korean (translation) | English | Pronunciation |
보다 | boda | To see | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]보다[/Speechword] |
보기 위해 | bogi wihae | To watch | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]보기 위해[/Speechword] |
장님에게 | jangnim-ege | To blind | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]장님에게[/Speechword] |
관찰하다 | gwanchalhada | To observe | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]관찰하다[/Speechword] |
확인하다 | hwag-inhada | To identify | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]확인하다[/Speechword] |
검사하다 | geomsahada | To inspect | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]검사하다[/Speechword] |
보기 위해 | bogi wihae | To look | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]보기 위해[/Speechword] |

Korean Sight Words And Phrases – Examples
Now that we know how to say many words related to how we see the world, it is time to see how some of these words are used in real-life conversations. Thus, the following table is a series of sentences using these words.
Korean (Hangul) | Korean (translation) | English | Pronunciation |
이거 정말 아름답다! | igeo jeongmal aleumdabda! | It is so beautiful! | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]이거 정말 아름답다![/Speechword] |
내 눈을 믿을 수가 없어! | nae nun-eul mid-eul suga eobs-eo! | I can’t believe my eyes! | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]내 눈을 믿을 수가 없어![/Speechword] |
안경 없이는 아무것도 볼 수 없습니다. | angyeong eobs-ineun amugeosdo bol su eobs-seubnida. | I can’t see anything without my glasses. | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]안경 없이는 아무것도 볼 수 없습니다.[/Speechword] |
방금 안과에서 왔습니다. | bang-geum angwa-eseo wassseubnida. | I just came from the Ophthalmologist. | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]방금 안과에서 왔습니다.[/Speechword] |
당신은 색맹입니까? | dangsin-eun saegmaeng-ibnikka? | Are you colorblind? | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]당신은 색맹입니까?[/Speechword] |
공기가 너무 밝고 맑아서 계곡 전체가 보입니다! | gong-giga neomu balg-go malg-aseo gyegog jeonchega boibnida! | The air is so bright and clear I can see the whole valley! | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]공기가 너무 밝고 맑아서 계곡 전체가 보입니다![/Speechword] |
서울은 정말 다채로운 도시입니다. | seoul-eun jeongmal dachaeloun dosiibnida. | Seoul is such a colourful city. | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]서울은 정말 다채로운 도시입니다.[/Speechword] |
미안해, 나는 눈이 멀었어. | mianhae, naneun nun-i meol-eoss-eo. | I’m sorry, I’m blind. | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]미안해, 나는 눈이 멀었어.[/Speechword] |
내 선글라스 줄 수 있어? | nae seongeullaseu jul su iss-eo? | Can you give me my sunglasses? | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]내 선글라스 줄 수 있어?[/Speechword] |
나는 그 장소가 마음에 들지 않았다. 추악합니다. | naneun geu jangsoga ma-eum-e deulji anh-assda. chuaghabnida. | I didn’t like that place. It is just ugly. | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]나는 그 장소가 마음에 들지 않았다. 추악합니다.[/Speechword] |
나는 안경을 쓰지 않고 콘택트 렌즈를 착용합니다. | naneun angyeong-eul sseuji anhgo kontaegteu lenjeuleul chag-yonghabnida. | I don’t wear glasses, I wear contact lenses. | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]나는 안경을 쓰지 않고 콘택트 렌즈를 착용합니다.[/Speechword] |
나는 완벽한 시력을 가지고 있습니다! | naneun wanbyeoghan silyeog-eul gajigo issseubnida! | I have perfect vision! | [Speechword voice=”Korean Female” isinline]나는 완벽한 시력을 가지고 있습니다![/Speechword] |

Come See For Yourself And Learn Korean With Ling App
See how easy that was (pun intended)? So you want to learn more about the Korean language and not just these random words and phrases? Great news, I have the perfect place for you!
It is called Ling app, a language learning platform that offers lessons in 60+ languages worldwide, including Korean. With this application, you’ll be just a few clicks away from learning Korean wherever you are, whenever you may want!
Are you on the plane heading to Korea and haven’t learned a single basic Korean word? Download Ling app and start learning!
You’re waiting for a doctor’s appointment, and your doctor is Korean? Download Ling app and start learning!
You’re sitting in a Korean BBQ restaurant and want to learn a bit about this beautiful language? Download Ling App and start learning!
I could stay here all week, explaining why you should improve your Korean skills, but I won’t bother you anymore. The bottom line is Ling App is the perfect place if you want to learn Korean through fun and interactive ways, such as games, puzzles, and quizzes, and at the end of the day, have a real conversation with an AI chatbox and practice what you’ve learned. I can guarantee you’ll be speaking in Korean in no time!
Join us at Ling, and let’s master Korean together!