Korean Dictionary
How to say "Korean Traditional Archery" in Korean
“Korean Traditional Archery” in Korean is 국궁 (pronounced "gukgung").
국궁
gukgung
Usage & Context
Gukgung (국궁) is the traditional Korean art of archery. It has been practiced for thousands of years as both a martial art and a ceremonial tradition. Korea has a strong Olympic archery tradition rooted in this heritage.
Example Sentence
국궁은 한국의 전통 활쏘기 문화예요.
Gukgung is Korea traditional archery culture.
How to use 국궁 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Korean Traditional Archery” is 국궁, romanized as gukgung.
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 국궁.
Pronunciation Guide
Guk-gung is pronounced like "gook-goong". The first 'ㄱ' (g) sounds like the 'g' in "go", and the 'ㅜ' (u) like "oo" in "moon". The second 'ㄱ' (g) is also like the 'g' in "go", followed by 'ㅜ' (u) and 'ㅇ' (ng) like the "ng" in "sing". The two 'g' sounds are distinct but flow together.
More Example Sentences
Suggesting a weekend activity to a friend.
주말에 국궁 체험하러 갈까요?
Shall we go try traditional Korean archery this weekend?
Discussing the benefits of a traditional sport.
국궁은 정신 수양에도 좋다고 해요.
They say gukgung is also good for mental discipline.
Explaining the heritage of Korean archery.
올림픽 양궁 강국인 한국의 뿌리가 바로 국궁에 있어요.
Korea, a powerhouse in Olympic archery, has its roots in gukgung.
Cultural Context
국궁 (Gukgung) is more than just a sport; it's a deep-rooted part of Korean heritage, emphasizing discipline, focus, and respect. Unlike Western archery, traditional Korean bows (활, hwal) are composite recurve bows, and the shooting style often involves a thumb ring. Many Koreans still practice 국궁 at dedicated archery ranges (활터, hwalteo) as a way to connect with their history and for mental well-being.
Editorial note
We review entries like 국궁 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
국궁을 배우다.
To learn gukgung.
국궁 체험.
Gukgung experience.
국궁 대회.
Gukgung competition.
Related Expressions
활쏘기
hwalsso-gi
archery (general term)
양궁
yanggung
Western archery (Olympic style)
궁술
gungsul
archery skill/art
활
hwal
bow
More Korean History Words
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