Korean Dictionary
How to say "Holiday" in Korean
“Holiday” in Korean is 휴일 (pronounced "Hyuil").
휴일
Hyuil
Usage & Context
Day off or public holiday. Major Korean holidays include 설날 (Lunar New Year), 추석 (Chuseok/harvest festival), 어린이날 (Children's Day), and 광복절 (Independence Day). Chuseok and Seollal are the two biggest holidays where families reunite and highways are extremely congested.
Example Sentence
추석 연휴에 고향에 내려가요.
I'm going back to my hometown during the Chuseok holiday.
How to use 휴일 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Holiday” is 휴일, romanized as Hyuil.
Usage tip
Practice this word inside a full daily-life sentence, because particles and sentence endings make the Korean sound natural.
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 휴일.
Pronunciation Guide
'Hyu' (휴) sounds like 'hew' in 'hew a log' or 'Hugh'. 'Il' (일) is pronounced like 'eel'. The 'h' sound is very soft, almost blending into the 'yu' sound.
More Example Sentences
Asking a friend about their holiday activities.
이번 휴일에 뭐 할 계획이에요?
What are your plans for this holiday?
Explaining why one won't be at work.
내일은 공휴일이라서 회사 안 가요.
Tomorrow is a public holiday, so I'm not going to work.
Lamenting a short break from work or school.
휴일이 너무 짧아서 아쉬워요.
It's a pity the holiday is too short.
Cultural Context
Korea has several important national holidays (휴일), with 설날 (Seollal, Lunar New Year) and 추석 (Chuseok, Harvest Festival) being the most significant. These are typically '연휴' (yeonhyu), long weekends, where families travel to their hometowns, leading to massive traffic jams. Many Koreans use these holidays for family gatherings, ancestral rites, and enjoying traditional foods. Other holidays like 어린이날 (Children's Day) are also widely celebrated.
Editorial note
We review entries like 휴일 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
휴일을 보내다
to spend a holiday
휴일 계획
holiday plans
대체 휴일
substitute holiday (when a public holiday falls on a weekend)
Related Expressions
공휴일
gonghyuil
public holiday
연휴
yeonhyu
long weekend, consecutive holidays
주말
jumal
weekend
방학
banghak
school vacation
More Daily Life Words
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