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Korean vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "prison" in Korean?
감옥
gamok
In Korean, "prison" is 감옥 (gamok).
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Pronunciation
Pronounce it as “gamok”, letting the first syllable carry slightly more weight before the rest trails off smoothly.
Writing and usage
감옥 is written using hangul. It's a noun, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.
Example sentence
도둑은 감옥에 갔다.
dodugeun gamoge gatda.
The thief was sent to prison.
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How to remember 감옥
Picture someone saying “gamok” out loud while pointing at a heavy prison door clanging shut — the sound alone should call the image to mind.
Related words
- library 도서관 doseogwan
- museum 박물관 bakmulgwan
- theater 연극 yeongeuk
- cinema 영화 yeonghwa
- stadium 경기장 gyeonggijang
- gym 체육관 cheyukgwan
- pool 수영장 suyeongjang
- church 교회 gyohoe
- temple 사원 sawon
Browse all Korean words in the glossary.
Questions about 감옥
How do you pronounce 감옥?
Pronounce it as “gamok”, letting the first syllable carry slightly more weight before the rest trails off smoothly.
Is 감옥 formal or casual?
감옥 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.
How is 감옥 written in Korean?
감옥 is written using hangul. Romanised, it reads as gamok.
Where can I practice Korean words for free?
You can play free Korean minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Korean glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Prison" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Korean language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.
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