Body Parts in Korean — Complete Anatomical Vocabulary

<h2>Body Vocabulary: Essential for Daily Life</h2> <p>Knowing body parts in Korean is far more useful than you might think. In 12 years in Seoul, I've needed this vocabulary dozens of times: at the doctor's, at the pharmacy, to describe symptoms, or even to understand common expressions. In Korean, countless idioms use body parts — just like English with "costing an arm and a leg" or "keeping an eye on."</p> <h2>Head and Face — 머리와 얼굴</h2> <table> <tr><th>Korean</th><th>Romanization</th><th>English</th></tr> <tr><td>머리</td><td>meo-ri</td><td>Head / hair</td></tr> <tr><td>얼굴</td><td>eol-gul</td><td>Face</td></tr> <tr><td>이마</td><td>i-ma</td><td>Forehead</td></tr> <tr><td>눈</td><td>nun</td><td>Eye</td></tr> <tr><td>눈썹</td><td>nun-sseop</td><td>Eyebrow</td></tr> <tr><td>속눈썹</td><td>song-nun-sseop</td><td>Eyelash</td></tr> <tr><td>코</td><td>ko</td><td>Nose</td></tr> <tr><td>입</td><td>ip</td><td>Mouth</td></tr> <tr><td>입술</td><td>ip-sul</td><td>Lips</td></tr> <tr><td>혀</td><td>hyeo</td><td>Tongue</td></tr> <tr><td>이</td><td>i</td><td>Tooth</td></tr> <tr><td>귀</td><td>gwi</td><td>Ear</td></tr> <tr><td>볼</td><td>bol</td><td>Cheek</td></tr> <tr><td>턱</td><td>teok</td><td>Chin</td></tr> </table> <p><strong>Note:</strong> <strong>머리</strong> means both "head" and "hair." To say "I have a headache," you say <strong>머리가 아파요</strong> (meo-ri-ga a-pa-yo). To say "I got a haircut," it's also 머리: <strong>머리 잘랐어요</strong> (meo-ri jal-la-sseo-yo).</p> <h2>Upper Body — 상체</h2> <table> <tr><th>Korean</th><th>Romanization</th><th>English</th></tr> <tr><td>목</td><td>mok</td><td>Neck / throat</td></tr> <tr><td>어깨</td><td>eo-kkae</td><td>Shoulder</td></tr> <tr><td>[가슴](/en/dictionary/%EA%B0%80%EC%8A%B4)</td><td>ga-seum</td><td>Chest</td></tr> <tr><td>등</td><td>deung</td><td>Back</td></tr> <tr><td>허리</td><td>heo-ri</td><td>Waist / lower back</td></tr> <tr><td>배</td><td>bae</td><td>Belly / stomach</td></tr> <tr><td>팔</td><td>pal</td><td>Arm</td></tr> <tr><td>팔꿈치</td><td>pal-kkum-chi</td><td>Elbow</td></tr> <tr><td>손목</td><td>son-mok</td><td>Wrist</td></tr> <tr><td>손</td><td>son</td><td>Hand</td></tr> <tr><td>손가락</td><td>son-ga-rak</td><td>Finger</td></tr> <tr><td>손톱</td><td>son-top</td><td>Fingernail</td></tr> </table> <h2>Lower Body — 하체</h2> <table> <tr><th>Korean</th><th>Romanization</th><th>English</th></tr> <tr><td>엉덩이</td><td>eong-deong-i</td><td>Buttocks</td></tr> <tr><td>다리</td><td>da-ri</td><td>Leg</td></tr> <tr><td>허벅지</td><td>heo-beok-ji</td><td>Thigh</td></tr> <tr><td>무릎</td><td>mu-reup</td><td>Knee</td></tr> <tr><td>종아리</td><td>jong-a-ri</td><td>Calf</td></tr> <tr><td>발목</td><td>bal-mok</td><td>Ankle</td></tr> <tr><td>발</td><td>bal</td><td>Foot</td></tr> <tr><td>발가락</td><td>bal-ga-rak</td><td>Toe</td></tr> <tr><td>발톱</td><td>bal-top</td><td>Toenail</td></tr> </table> <h2>Internal Organs — 내장 기관</h2> <table> <tr><th>Korean</th><th>Romanization</th><th>English</th></tr> <tr><td>심장</td><td>sim-jang</td><td>Heart</td></tr> <tr><td>폐</td><td>pye</td><td>Lungs</td></tr> <tr><td>간</td><td>gan</td><td>Liver</td></tr> <tr><td>위</td><td>wi</td><td>Stomach</td></tr> <tr><td>뇌</td><td>noe</td><td>Brain</td></tr> <tr><td>뼈</td><td>ppyeo</td><td>Bone</td></tr> <tr><td>피</td><td>pi</td><td>Blood</td></tr> <tr><td>근육</td><td>geu-nyuk</td><td>Muscle</td></tr> </table> <h2>Body Part Idioms</h2> <p>Korean is full of expressions using body parts. Here are some I use daily:</p> <table> <tr><th>Expression</th><th>Literal Meaning</th><th>Actual Meaning</th></tr> <tr><td>눈이 높다</td><td>To have high eyes</td><td>To have high standards (in love)</td></tr> <tr><td>입이 가볍다</td><td>To have a light mouth</td><td>To be unable to keep secrets</td></tr> <tr><td>발이 넓다</td><td>To have wide feet</td><td>To know many people</td></tr> <tr><td>손이 크다</td><td>To have big hands</td><td>To be generous (cooking a lot)</td></tr> <tr><td>귀가 얇다</td><td>To have thin ears</td><td>To be easily influenced</td></tr> <tr><td>배가 아프다</td><td>To have a stomachache</td><td>To be jealous of someone's success</td></tr> <tr><td>코가 높다</td><td>To have a high nose</td><td>To be proud / arrogant</td></tr> </table> <h2>At the Doctor — 병원에서</h2> <p>Being able to describe your symptoms is crucial. Here are the most useful phrases:</p> <table> <tr><th>Korean</th><th>Romanization</th><th>English</th></tr> <tr><td>…이/가 아파요</td><td>…i/ga a-pa-yo</td><td>My … hurts</td></tr> <tr><td>머리가 아파요</td><td>meo-ri-ga a-pa-yo</td><td>I have a headache</td></tr> <tr><td>배가 아파요</td><td>bae-ga a-pa-yo</td><td>My stomach hurts</td></tr> <tr><td>목이 아파요</td><td>mo-gi a-pa-yo</td><td>My throat hurts</td></tr> <tr><td>허리가 아파요</td><td>heo-ri-ga a-pa-yo</td><td>My back hurts</td></tr> <tr><td>열이 나요</td><td>yeol-i na-yo</td><td>I have a fever</td></tr> <tr><td>기침이 나요</td><td>gi-chim-i na-yo</td><td>I have a cough</td></tr> </table> <p>The structure is always the same: <strong>[body part] + 이/가 + 아파요</strong>. This is one of the most useful patterns in everyday Korean.</p> <p>🏥 <strong>Want to communicate in Korean in any situation?</strong> <a href="/en/signup">Sign up on Seonsaengnim</a> for complete courses and a teacher available 24/7!</p>