Korean Dictionary
How to say "Protestant" in Korean
“Protestant” in Korean is 개신교 (pronounced "Gaesinnyo").
개신교
Gaesinnyo
Usage & Context
Protestantism is the largest Christian denomination in Korea. Korean Protestants are known for their strong faith and active participation in church activities.
Example Sentence
개신교는 한국에서 가장 큰 기독교 종파입니다.
Protestantism is the largest Christian denomination in Korea.
How to use 개신교 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Protestant” is 개신교, romanized as Gaesinnyo.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 개신교.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'gae-sin-gyo'. Three syllables: 'gae' (like 'gay'), 'sin' (like 'seen'), 'gyo' (a 'gy' glide into 'oh').
More Example Sentences
history lesson
개신교는 16세기 종교 개혁에서 시작됐어요.
Protestantism began with the 16th-century Reformation.
observation
개신교 교회가 많아요.
There are many Protestant churches.
religious background
저희 집안은 개신교예요.
Our family is Protestant.
Cultural Context
개신교 literally means 'reformed religion' and is the precise term for Protestantism, distinguishing it from Catholicism (가톨릭). In daily speech many Koreans use 기독교 interchangeably with 개신교. Protestantism entered Korea in the late 19th century via American missionaries and grew rapidly, especially after the Korean War. Mega-churches like 여의도 순복음 교회 are world-famous.
Editorial note
We review entries like 개신교 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
개신교 신자예요.
I'm Protestant.
개신교 교회에 다녀요.
I attend a Protestant church.
개신교와 가톨릭은 달라요.
Protestantism and Catholicism are different.
Related Expressions
기독교
gidokgyo
Christianity / Protestantism (colloquial)
교회
gyohoe
Protestant church
목사님
moksanim
pastor (honorific)
예배
yebae
worship service
More Religion Words
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