Korean Dictionary
How to say "Bat" in Korean
“Bat” in Korean is 박쥐 (pronounced "Bakjwi").
박쥐
Bakjwi
Usage & Context
박쥐 (bat) is found throughout Korea and plays an important role in controlling insect populations. In Korean traditional culture bats are considered a symbol of luck and prosperity unlike in Western cultures. Bat imagery appears in traditional Korean decorative patterns on furniture and textiles.
Example Sentence
박쥐는 밤에 날아다니며 해충을 잡아먹어요.
Bats fly around at night and eat harmful insects.
How to use 박쥐 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Bat” is 박쥐, romanized as Bakjwi.
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 박쥐.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'bahk-jwee' — 'bak' rhymes with 'lock' but with a 'b,' and 'jwi' is one syllable where 'jw' is a quick 'j+w' glide into a long 'ee.' The whole word is two beats, stressed evenly.
More Example Sentences
describing a hiking trip to a cave
동굴 안에 박쥐가 거꾸로 매달려 있었어요.
There were bats hanging upside down inside the cave.
a science-class explanation for kids
박쥐는 초음파로 방향을 찾아요.
Bats use ultrasonic waves to navigate.
complaining about a two-faced coworker
그 사람은 박쥐 같아서 믿을 수가 없어요.
That person is like a bat — I can't trust them.
Cultural Context
Unlike the Western association with vampires and Halloween, 박쥐 has long been a symbol of good fortune in Korean traditional art — you'll see five-bat motifs (오복박쥐) carved onto wooden 장롱 (wardrobes), embroidered on 베개 (pillow ends), and painted on royal 한옥 ceilings, because 박쥐 sounds similar to 복 (blessing). In modern slang, however, calling someone 박쥐 같다 ('like a bat') is an insult — it means a person who flips loyalties depending on which side is winning, a la Aesop's fable. Park Chan-wook's 2009 film 박쥐 (Thirst) also made the word culturally loaded for a generation of Korean cinephiles.
Editorial note
We review entries like 박쥐 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
박쥐를 무서워해요.
I'm scared of bats.
박쥐처럼 거꾸로 매달려 있어요.
It's hanging upside down like a bat.
박쥐는 야행성 동물이에요.
Bats are nocturnal animals.
Related Expressions
동물
dong-mul
animal
야행성
ya-haeng-seong
nocturnal
초음파
cho-eum-pa
ultrasound / ultrasonic wave
박쥐 같다
bak-jwi gat-da
to be two-faced (idiom)
More Animals Words
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