Korean Dictionary
How to say "Preschool" in Korean
“Preschool” in Korean is 유아원 (pronounced "Yuawon").
유아원
Yuawon
Usage & Context
An educational program for children before kindergarten. Korean preschools focus on play and social development.
Example Sentence
아이가 유아원에 다닙니다.
The child attends preschool.
How to use 유아원 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Preschool” is 유아원, romanized as Yuawon.
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 유아원.
Pronunciation Guide
유 (yu) sounds like 'yoo' as in 'you'. 아 (a) sounds like 'ah' as in 'father'. 원 (won) sounds like 'won' as in 'one'. The syllables flow together smoothly.
More Example Sentences
A parent planning for their child's education.
우리 아이는 내년에 유아원에 갈 거예요.
Our child will go to preschool next year.
Explaining the curriculum of a preschool.
유아원에서는 주로 놀이 위주의 교육을 합니다.
Preschools primarily provide play-based education.
A parent researching educational options.
좋은 유아원을 찾기 위해 여러 곳을 알아보고 있어요.
I'm looking into several places to find a good preschool.
Cultural Context
While '유아원' is understood as preschool, '어린이집' (eorinijip, daycare center) and '유치원' (yuchiwon, kindergarten) are more commonly used terms, each with slightly different focuses (childcare vs. education). Many Korean parents place high importance on early education, leading to a competitive environment for enrolling children in popular preschools and kindergartens.
Editorial note
We review entries like 유아원 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
유아원 선생님
preschool teacher
유아원 등록
preschool registration
유아원 교육
preschool education
Related Expressions
어린이집
eorinijip
daycare center
유치원
yuchiwon
kindergarten
학원
hagwon
private academy
초등학교
chodeunghakgyo
elementary school
More Parenting & Family Life Words
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