Korean Dictionary
How to say "Electric Fan" in Korean
“Electric Fan” in Korean is 선풍기 (pronounced "Seonpunggi").
선풍기
Seonpunggi
Usage & Context
Electric fans are widely used in Korean homes during hot summers. Leaving a fan on while sleeping in a closed room is a cultural taboo in Korea known as fan death myth.
Example Sentence
여름에 선풍기를 켜고 자면 시원해요.
Sleeping with the fan on in summer is cool.
How to use 선풍기 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Electric Fan” is 선풍기, romanized as Seonpunggi.
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 선풍기.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'sun-poong-gi' — 'sun' rhymes with English 'sun,' 'poong' rhymes with 'boom' but ends in 'ng,' and 'gi' sounds like 'gee' in 'geese' but shorter. Three quick, even syllables.
More Example Sentences
discussing summer utility bills with a roommate
에어컨보다 선풍기가 전기 요금이 훨씬 싸요.
Fans are much cheaper on electricity than air conditioners.
sharing a traditional Korean superstition
할머니가 선풍기 틀고 자면 죽는다고 하셨어요.
My grandmother told me you could die if you sleep with the fan on.
talking about seasonal household prep
여름이 오기 전에 선풍기를 꺼내야겠어요.
I should take the electric fan out before summer arrives.
Cultural Context
선풍기 is tied to one of Korea's most famous urban legends: 선풍기 사망설 ('fan death') — the widely held belief that sleeping in a closed room with a fan running can kill you. Even today, many Korean fans are sold with built-in timers (타이머) specifically to address this fear. In practice, Koreans rely heavily on fans during the sticky 장마 (monsoon) and heatwave summers, often pairing them with the 돌돌이 (rotating stand fan) or the trendy cordless 무선 선풍기 carried on commutes.
Editorial note
We review entries like 선풍기 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
선풍기 좀 켜 주세요.
Please turn on the fan.
선풍기 바람이 시원해요.
The fan's breeze feels refreshing.
선풍기 타이머 맞췄어요?
Did you set the fan's timer?
Related Expressions
에어컨
e-eo-keon
air conditioner
타이머
ta-i-meo
timer
무선 선풍기
mu-seon seon-pung-gi
cordless / handheld fan
시원하다
si-won-ha-da
to be cool / refreshing
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