Korean Dictionary
How to say "Beetle" in Korean
“Beetle” in Korean is 딱정벌레 (pronounced "ttakjeongbeolre").
딱정벌레
ttakjeongbeolre
Usage & Context
A hard-bodied insect with protective wing covers. Beetles are diverse insects found throughout Korea. They are featured in Korean children's collections and nature studies.
Example Sentence
딱정벌레는 딱딱한 등껍질이 있어요.
The beetle has a hard shell.
How to use 딱정벌레 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Beetle” is 딱정벌레, romanized as ttakjeongbeolre.
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 딱정벌레.
Pronunciation Guide
The first syllable, "ttak," is a tense, sharp 't' sound, like "tack" in "tack hammer," but with no aspiration. "jeong" sounds like "jung" in "jungle," with a soft 'j' and a 'ng' at the end. "beol" sounds like "bull" in "bullet," and "re" sounds like "reh" in "reindeer." The stress is relatively even, with a slight emphasis on "ttak."
More Example Sentences
Children playing in nature
아이들이 딱정벌레를 잡으러 숲으로 갔어요.
The children went to the forest to catch beetles.
Observing an insect closely
이 딱정벌레는 등껍질이 정말 단단하네요.
This beetle's shell is really hard.
Learning about insects
딱정벌레 종류가 정말 다양해요.
There's a really wide variety of beetles.
Cultural Context
Beetles are common insects in Korea and are often collected by children as a hobby, especially stag beetles (사슴벌레) and rhinoceros beetles (장수풍뎅이). These larger, more impressive beetles are sometimes kept as pets. They frequently appear in nature documentaries, children's books, and educational programs, representing the diversity of the insect world.
Editorial note
We review entries like 딱정벌레 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
딱정벌레를 키워요.
I raise beetles as pets.
딱정벌레가 날아다녀요.
A beetle is flying around.
딱정벌레는 곤충이에요.
A beetle is an insect.
Related Expressions
곤충
gonchung
insect (general term)
장수풍뎅이
jangsu-pungdeng-i
rhinoceros beetle (a type of large beetle)
사슴벌레
saseum-beolle
stag beetle (another type of large beetle)
등껍질
deung-kkeopjil
shell, carapace (literally 'back shell')
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