How do you say "temple" in Korean?

사원

sawon

Noun Hangul

In Korean, "temple" is 사원 (sawon).

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Pronunciation

Try “sawon” slowly first, splitting it into sa-wo, then speed up until it flows as one smooth word.

Writing and usage

사원 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

그들은 언덕 위의 조용한 사원을 방문했다.

geudeureun eondeok wiui joyonghan sawoneul bangmunhaetda.

They visited a quiet temple on the hill.

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How to remember 사원

Turn “sawon” into a short story: incense drifting through a temple. Replay that mini-story and the word comes back on its own.

Related words

Browse all Korean words in the glossary.

Questions about 사원

How do you pronounce 사원?

Try “sawon” slowly first, splitting it into sa-wo, then speed up until it flows as one smooth word.

Is 사원 formal or casual?

사원 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 사원 written in Korean?

사원 is written using hangul. Romanised, it reads as sawon.

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.

"Temple" 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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