Korean Dictionary
How to say "Collateral" in Korean
“Collateral” in Korean is 담보 (pronounced "Dambo").
담보
Dambo
Usage & Context
Property pledged as security for a loan. Collateral reduces risk for lenders.
Example Sentence
담보로 집을 제시했어요.
I offered my house as collateral.
How to use 담보 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Collateral” is 담보, romanized as Dambo.
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 담보.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'dahm-boh' — 'dam' rhymes with 'dumb,' and 'bo' rhymes with 'bow' (the bow of a boat). Two short, flat syllables with no strong stress.
More Example Sentences
talking about personal finance with a friend
은행에서 담보 없이 대출받기 어려워요.
It's hard to get a loan from a bank without collateral.
an entrepreneur explaining how they funded their startup
아파트를 담보로 잡고 사업 자금을 마련했어요.
I used my apartment as collateral to raise business capital.
a news-style comment about Korean housing loans
담보 대출 금리가 많이 올랐어요.
Mortgage interest rates have gone up a lot.
Cultural Context
담보 is a huge part of everyday financial vocabulary in Korea because most middle-class households use their apartment as 담보 for 주담대 (주택담보대출 — mortgage loans). The Korean financial regulator periodically tightens or loosens 담보인정비율 (LTV — loan-to-value ratio) to cool or stimulate the housing market, so terms like 담보대출, 담보권, and 담보물 appear in the news constantly. Beyond banking, the verb 담보하다 can also mean 'to guarantee' in an abstract sense — you'll hear phrases like 안전을 담보하다 ('to guarantee safety'). In casual speech, younger Koreans sometimes joke about putting a body part 담보 as a dramatic promise, similar to English 'I'll bet my arm on it.'
Editorial note
We review entries like 담보 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
담보가 있어야 대출이 돼요.
You need collateral to get the loan.
집을 담보로 잡았어요.
I put up my house as collateral.
담보 대출 금리가 얼마예요?
What's the collateral loan interest rate?
Related Expressions
대출
dae-chul
loan
주담대
ju-dam-dae
mortgage loan (abbreviation of 주택담보대출)
보증금
bo-jeung-geum
deposit / security money
저당
jeo-dang
mortgage / pledge
More Finance & Banking Words
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