Korean Dictionary
How to say "Approximately" in Korean
“Approximately” in Korean is 약 (pronounced "Yak").
약
Yak
Korean usage reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Last reviewed June 4, 2026.
This page checks meaning, pronunciation, politeness level, and common learner mistakes.
Usage & Context
약 means approximately or about and is commonly used before numbers in Korean. It appears in everyday conversation formal writing and news reports. For example 약 100명 means approximately 100 people.
Example Sentence
공연장에 약 500명이 모였어요.
Approximately 500 people gathered at the venue.
How to use 약 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Approximately” is 약, romanized as Yak.
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 약.
Pronunciation Guide
"Yak" sounds like the English word 'yak' (the animal). The 'y' is soft, and the 'ak' is a short, sharp sound.
More Example Sentences
Giving travel information or directions.
서울에서 부산까지 약 4시간 걸려요.
It takes approximately 4 hours from Seoul to Busan.
A project manager explaining a timeline to a team.
이 프로젝트는 약 한 달 정도 걸릴 거예요.
This project will take about a month.
Texting a friend about your estimated arrival time.
약 10분 후에 도착할 것 같아요.
I think I'll arrive in about 10 minutes.
Cultural Context
'약' is extremely common when estimating numbers, time, or quantity. It's often used before the number. For instance, '약 30분' (about 30 minutes) or '약 100명' (about 100 people). It's a very practical word for daily communication, from planning meetups to discussing project timelines.
Editorial note
We review entries like 약 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. Last reviewed June 4, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
약 1시간
About 1 hour
약 10명
About 10 people
약 5만원
About 50,000 won
Related Expressions
대략
daeryak
roughly, approximately (slightly more formal)
정도
jeongdo
about, approximately (often used after the number, e.g., 10분 정도)
쯤
jjeum
about, approximately (similar to 정도, often used after the number/time)
거의
geoui
almost, nearly
More Numbers and Time Words
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