Korean Dictionary
How to say "Fingernail" in Korean
“Fingernail” in Korean is 손톱 (pronounced "sontop").
손톱
sontop
Usage & Context
The hard covering on the tips of fingers. Used in beauty and medical contexts. Important for discussing nail care.
Example Sentence
손톱이 길어요.
My fingernails are long.
How to use 손톱 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Fingernail” is 손톱, romanized as sontop.
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 손톱.
Pronunciation Guide
손 (son) sounds like 'sone' (rhymes with 'cone'). 톱 (top) sounds like 'tope' (rhymes with 'rope'). The 't' in 톱 is a soft 't' sound, not a hard 't' like in 'top'. The stress is on the first syllable.
More Example Sentences
Talking about nail care or beauty.
손톱에 매니큐어 발랐어요.
I put nail polish on my fingernails.
Realizing one's nails need grooming.
손톱 좀 깎아야겠어요. 너무 길어요.
I should trim my nails. They're too long.
Confessing a nervous habit.
스트레스 받으면 손톱을 물어뜯는 버릇이 있어요.
I have a habit of biting my nails when I'm stressed.
Cultural Context
Nail care and nail art are extremely popular in South Korea, especially among women and increasingly men. Nail salons are ubiquitous, offering intricate designs and treatments, often seen as a form of self-expression. The phrase '손톱 물어뜯다' (to bite one's nails) is a very common expression for a nervous habit. Historically, long nails were sometimes a sign of nobility, indicating one did not engage in manual labor.
Editorial note
We review entries like 손톱 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
손톱 깎다
To cut/trim nails
손톱 물어뜯다
To bite one's nails
손톱 관리
Nail care
Related Expressions
발톱
baltop
Toenail
손
son
Hand
손가락
songarak
Finger
매니큐어
maenikyueo
Manicure / Nail polish
More Body Parts Words
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