Korean Dictionary
How to say "Pollen" in Korean
“Pollen” in Korean is 꽃가루 (pronounced "Kkotkaru").
꽃가루
Kkotkaru
Usage & Context
Fine particles released by flowers for fertilization. Spring in Korea brings high 꽃가루 levels causing allergies for many people. Combined with 미세먼지 (fine dust), spring air quality can be challenging. Mask wearing in spring is common among allergy sufferers. 꽃가루 알레르기 (pollen allergy) is increasingly common.
Example Sentence
봄에 꽃가루 때문에 눈이 간지럽고 재채기가 나요.
In spring, my eyes itch and I sneeze because of pollen.
How to use 꽃가루 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Pollen” is 꽃가루, romanized as Kkotkaru.
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 꽃가루.
Pronunciation Guide
"Kkot" sounds like "kott" (a sharp, stopped 't' sound, similar to "cot" but ending abruptly). "Ka" is like "kah" in "car", and "ru" is like "roo" in "kangaroo". The 'kk' is a tense consonant, making the first syllable strong.
More Example Sentences
Explaining a daily inconvenience during spring.
봄에는 꽃가루 때문에 창문을 잘 못 열어요.
In spring, I can't open the windows much because of pollen.
Talking about managing allergies.
꽃가루 알레르기가 심해서 마스크를 꼭 써야 해요.
My pollen allergy is severe, so I must wear a mask.
Observing nature.
꿀벌이 꽃가루를 모으는 모습이 신기했어요.
It was amazing to see bees collecting pollen.
Cultural Context
Spring in Korea is beautiful with cherry blossoms and other flowers, but it also brings a significant amount of kkotkaru (pollen), often exacerbated by mise meonji (fine dust). This combination can make spring challenging for allergy sufferers, leading to widespread use of masks even before the pandemic. Kkotkaru allergies (kkotkaru allereugi) are a common topic of conversation during this season.
Editorial note
We review entries like 꽃가루 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
꽃가루 알레르기
Pollen allergy
꽃가루 날리다
Pollen flying/scattering
꽃가루 농도
Pollen concentration
Related Expressions
알레르기
allereugi
Allergy
미세먼지
misemeonji
Fine dust
황사
hwangsa
Yellow dust (from China/Mongolia)
꿀벌
kkulbeol
Honeybee (collects pollen)
More Nature Words
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