Korean Dictionary
How to say "Independence Movement Day" in Korean
“Independence Movement Day” in Korean is 삼일절 (pronounced "sam-il-jeol").
삼일절
sam-il-jeol
Usage & Context
Samil-jeol (삼일절) is Korea national holiday on March 1 commemorating the 1919 March First Independence Movement. It is a day of remembrance for those who fought for Korean independence. National ceremonies and cultural events are held across Korea.
Example Sentence
삼일절은 3월 1일 국경일이에요.
Samil-jeol is a national holiday on March 1.
How to use 삼일절 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Independence Movement Day” is 삼일절, romanized as sam-il-jeol.
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 삼일절.
Pronunciation Guide
삼 (sam) sounds like 'sahm' in 'psalm'. 일 (il) sounds like 'eel'. 절 (jeol) sounds like 'juhl', similar to 'jungle' without the 'n' and a softer 'j'. There's a slight pause between '삼일' and '절', and the stress is fairly even.
More Example Sentences
Describing a common practice on the holiday.
삼일절에는 태극기를 게양해요.
On Samil-jeol, we raise the Korean flag.
Talking about participating in a national event.
삼일절 기념식에 참석했어요.
I attended the Samil-jeol commemorative ceremony.
Explaining the meaning of the holiday.
삼일절은 한국의 독립 정신을 기리는 날이에요.
Samil-jeol is a day to honor Korea's spirit of independence.
Cultural Context
삼일절 (Samil-jeol), or March First Independence Movement Day, is one of Korea's most significant national holidays, observed on March 1st. It commemorates the 1919 nationwide non-violent protest against Japanese colonial rule. On this day, many Koreans display the national flag (태극기, Taegeukgi) and participate in various commemorative events. It's a day of solemn remembrance and a powerful symbol of Korean patriotism and the enduring desire for self-determination. You might see documentaries or special news reports about it on TV.
Editorial note
We review entries like 삼일절 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
삼일절 기념.
Samil-jeol commemoration.
삼일절 정신.
Spirit of Samil-jeol.
삼일절에 쉬다.
To rest on Samil-jeol.
Related Expressions
독립운동
dongnip undong
Independence movement
유관순
yu gwansun
Yu Gwan-sun (a famous independence activist)
태극기
taegeukgi
Korean national flag (often displayed on this day)
국경일
gukgyeongil
National holiday
More Korean History Words
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