Korean Dictionary
How to say "Heaven" in Korean
“Heaven” in Korean is 천국 (pronounced "Cheonguk").
천국
Cheonguk
Usage & Context
Heaven is the divine realm where the righteous go after death. In Korean Christianity, heaven is a central concept of salvation.
Example Sentence
천국은 아름다운 곳입니다.
Heaven is a beautiful place.
How to use 천국 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Heaven” is 천국, romanized as Cheonguk.
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 천국.
Pronunciation Guide
For '천국', '천' sounds like 'chun' in 'chunk'. '국' sounds like 'gook' in 'cook', but with a slightly harder 'g' sound. Put them together: 'chun-gook'.
More Example Sentences
Expressing a religious belief about the afterlife.
죽으면 천국에 갈 거라고 믿어요.
I believe I will go to heaven when I die.
Describing a beautiful or peaceful place.
여기는 정말 천국 같아요!
This place is truly like heaven!
Pondering philosophical or religious questions.
천국과 지옥은 어디에 있을까요?
Where could heaven and hell be?
Cultural Context
'천국' is widely understood as 'heaven' in the Christian sense in Korea, a concept central to the large Christian population. While traditional Korean beliefs (Buddhism, shamanism) have their own concepts of the afterlife (like 극락, geungnak for Buddhist paradise, or 저승, jeoseung for the underworld), '천국' specifically refers to the Christian heaven. It's also frequently used metaphorically in daily life and K-dramas to describe a wonderfully pleasant or ideal place, like a 'food heaven' (음식 천국, eumshik cheonguk).
Editorial note
We review entries like 천국 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
천국에 가다
To go to heaven
천국 같은 곳
A heavenly place
천국 문
Heaven's gate
Related Expressions
극락
Geungnak
Buddhist paradise, Pure Land
낙원
Nagwon
Paradise, Eden
저승
Jeoseung
Underworld, realm of the dead (traditional Korean belief)
지옥
Jigok
Hell
More Religion Words
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