Korean Dictionary
How to say "Public Holiday" in Korean
“Public Holiday” in Korean is 공휴일 (pronounced "gonghyuil").
공휴일
gonghyuil
Usage & Context
공휴일 refers to all official days off in Korea including 국경일 and other designated holidays. Korean workers are entitled to substitute holidays when 공휴일 falls on a weekend. The Korean government regularly reviews and updates the 공휴일 calendar to provide adequate rest for workers.
Example Sentence
이번 달에 공휴일이 많아서 연휴가 생겼어요.
There are many public holidays this month so there is an extended break.
How to use 공휴일 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Public Holiday” is 공휴일, romanized as gonghyuil.
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 공휴일.
Pronunciation Guide
'Gong' sounds like the English word 'gong'. 'Hyu' is pronounced like 'hew' in 'hew a log'. 'Il' sounds like 'eel'. The 'h' sound in 'hyu' is very light, almost blending into the 'yu' sound.
More Example Sentences
Looking forward to a day off due to a public holiday.
이번 주 월요일은 공휴일이라서 쉴 수 있어요.
This Monday is a public holiday, so I can rest.
Explaining what services are unavailable on public holidays.
공휴일에는 은행이나 관공서가 문을 닫아요.
On public holidays, banks and government offices are closed.
Referring to how public holidays are marked on calendars.
달력에 빨간 날은 다 공휴일이에요.
All the red dates on the calendar are public holidays.
Cultural Context
공휴일 (gonghyuil) is the general term for any official day off in Korea, encompassing both 국경일 (national holidays) and other designated holidays like Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving). A key aspect of Korean public holidays is the '대체 공휴일' (daeche gonghyuil) system, where if a public holiday falls on a weekend, an additional weekday (usually Monday) is designated as a substitute holiday, ensuring people don't lose their day off. This system is very popular and often leads to extended long weekends.
Editorial note
We review entries like 공휴일 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
공휴일 지정
designation as a public holiday
공휴일 근무
working on a public holiday
공휴일이라서
because it's a public holiday
Related Expressions
국경일
gukgyeongil
national holiday (specific type)
대체 공휴일
daeche gonghyuil
substitute public holiday
주말
jumal
weekend
휴가
hyuga
vacation, annual leave
More Holidays & Festivals Words
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