Korean Dictionary
How to say "Building" in Korean
“Building” in Korean is 건물 (pronounced "Geonmul").
건물
Geonmul
Usage & Context
Structure designed for human use. Can be residential, commercial, or industrial.
Example Sentence
이 건물은 100년 전에 지어졌어요.
This building was constructed 100 years ago.
How to use 건물 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Building” is 건물, romanized as Geonmul.
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 건물.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'gon-mool' — 'gon' rhymes with 'gone', and 'mool' like 'mool' in 'wool' (with an 'm'). Two short syllables.
Formal & Casual Forms
Casual (반말)
빌딩
bilding
빌딩 (from English 'building') is often used for modern office or commercial high-rises — '63빌딩', 'OO빌딩' — while 건물 is the general term.
More Example Sentences
Describing workplace to a friend
우리 회사 건물은 10층이에요.
Our company's building is 10 floors.
Giving directions on a coffee date
저 건물 1층에 카페가 있어요.
There's a cafe on the first floor of that building.
Warning a guest about a walk-up apartment
오래된 건물이라 엘리베이터가 없어요.
It's an old building so there's no elevator.
Cultural Context
In Korean addresses and conversation, '건물' is the all-purpose word for any structure — from a small shop to a 50-story tower. Modern glass-and-steel office towers are more often called '빌딩' or '타워' (Lotte World Tower is just 롯데월드타워). Iconic Seoul buildings like 63빌딩 and N서울타워 are landmark navigation points, and many Koreans give directions by building name plus floor: '○○빌딩 3층' (3rd floor of ○○ Building).
Editorial note
We review entries like 건물 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
이 건물은 몇 층이에요?
How many floors is this building?
건물 입구가 어디예요?
Where is the building's entrance?
건물이 정말 크네요.
The building is really big.
Related Expressions
빌딩
bilding
modern high-rise / office building
타워
tawo
tower
층
cheung
floor / story
건설
geonseol
construction
More Architecture Words
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