Korean Dictionary
How to say "National Foundation Day" in Korean
“National Foundation Day” in Korean is 개천절 (pronounced "gaecheonjeol").
개천절
gaecheonjeol
Usage & Context
Gaecheonjeol (개천절) is Korea National Foundation Day celebrated on October 3. It commemorates the legendary founding of Gojoseon by Dangun in 2333 BCE. It is one of Korea five national public holidays.
Example Sentence
개천절은 10월 3일 국경일이에요.
Gaecheonjeol is a national holiday on October 3.
How to use 개천절 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “National Foundation Day” is 개천절, romanized as gaecheonjeol.
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 개천절.
Pronunciation Guide
개 (gae) sounds like 'geh' as in 'get' but with a slightly wider 'a' sound. 천 (cheon) sounds like 'chun' as in 'chunk'. 절 (jeol) sounds like 'juhl' with 'uh' as in 'cup' and a soft 'l' at the end. Put it together: 'geh-chun-juhl', with each syllable pronounced distinctly.
More Example Sentences
Explaining the historical significance of the holiday.
개천절은 단군왕검이 고조선을 세운 날을 기념하는 국경일이에요.
Gaecheonjeol is a national holiday commemorating the day Dangun Wanggeom founded Gojoseon.
Describing a common tradition on the holiday.
개천절에는 태극기를 게양하는 가정이 많아요.
Many families hoist the Korean flag on Gaecheonjeol.
Talking about holiday scheduling and its impact.
올해 개천절은 주말과 겹쳐서 연휴가 되었어요.
This year, Gaecheonjeol fell on a weekend, making it a long holiday.
Cultural Context
개천절 (Gaecheonjeol) is one of Korea's most significant national holidays, commemorating the legendary founding of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom, by Dangun Wanggeom in 2333 BCE. It's a day for Koreans to reflect on their national identity and long history. While not as overtly celebrated with parades as some national days, many families observe it by displaying the Korean flag (태극기, Taegeukgi) and taking advantage of the public holiday for family gatherings or short trips. The story of Dangun is a fundamental part of Korean mythology and national pride.
Editorial note
We review entries like 개천절 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
개천절 연휴
Gaecheonjeol long weekend/holiday
개천절 기념식
Gaecheonjeol commemorative ceremony
개천절에 태극기 달기
Hoisting the Korean flag on Gaecheonjeol
Related Expressions
국경일
gukgyeongil
National holiday
단군 신화
Dangun sinhwa
Dangun myth/legend
고조선
Gojoseon
Gojoseon (ancient Korean kingdom)
삼일절
Samiljeol
March First Independence Movement Day (another national holiday)
More Korean History Words
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