Korean Dictionary
How to say "Pinky" in Korean
“Pinky” in Korean is 새끼손가락 (pronounced "saekkeisongarak").
새끼손가락
saekkeisongarak
Usage & Context
The smallest digit on the hand. Used in medical and everyday contexts. Important for describing hand features and gestures.
Example Sentence
새끼손가락이 가장 작아요.
The pinky is the smallest.
How to use 새끼손가락 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Pinky” is 새끼손가락, romanized as saekkeisongarak.
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 새끼손가락.
Pronunciation Guide
새 (sae) sounds like 'say' (as in 'say hello'). 끼 (kki) sounds like 'key' (as in 'door key'). 손 (son) sounds like 'sone' (rhymes with 'cone'). 가락 (garak) sounds like 'gah-rock'. The 'kk' in 끼 is a tense, aspirated 'k' sound. The stress is fairly even.
More Example Sentences
Making a promise with a child or a close friend.
새끼손가락 걸고 약속하자!
Let's pinky promise!
Complaining about cold weather.
너무 추워서 새끼손가락이 얼 것 같아요.
It's so cold, my pinky finger feels like it's freezing.
Describing a common phone-holding habit.
새끼손가락으로 폰을 지탱하는 습관이 있어요.
I have a habit of supporting my phone with my pinky finger.
Cultural Context
The 'pinky promise' (새끼손가락 걸고 약속하다) is a widely recognized and practiced gesture in Korea, not just among children but also adults, to signify a strong, playful, or heartfelt promise. It's a common sight in K-dramas between friends or lovers. The word itself, 새끼손가락, literally translates to 'baby finger,' emphasizing its small size.
Editorial note
We review entries like 새끼손가락 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
새끼손가락 걸다
To pinky promise (literally, 'hook pinky fingers')
새끼손가락 부러지다
To break one's pinky finger
새끼손가락만 하다
To be as small as a pinky finger (idiomatic for very small)
Related Expressions
약속하다
yaksokhada
To promise (often with pinky promise)
손가락
songarak
Finger (general term)
손
son
Hand
손톱
sontop
Fingernail
More Body Parts Words
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