Korean Dictionary
How to say "Pupil" in Korean
“Pupil” in Korean is 동공 (pronounced "donggong").
동공
donggong
Usage & Context
The dark center of the eye that controls light. Used in medical and scientific contexts. Important for eye health discussions.
Example Sentence
동공이 확대되었어요.
The pupils dilated.
How to use 동공 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Pupil” is 동공, romanized as donggong.
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 동공.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'dohng-gohng' — both syllables rhyme with 'long.' The double 'ng' sounds nasal and smooth, not staccato. Emphasis is even on both syllables.
Formal & Casual Forms
Casual (반말)
눈동자
nundongja
Everyday term meaning 'eye pupil' or more broadly 'the dark of the eye' — used in poetry and casual speech
More Example Sentences
explaining eye anatomy to a child
밝은 곳에서는 동공이 작아져요.
In bright places, the pupils shrink.
describing a medical appointment
안과에서 동공 반응 검사를 받았어요.
I had a pupil-response test at the eye clinic.
describing someone's appearance poetically
그녀의 맑은 눈동자가 인상적이었어요.
Her clear pupils were striking.
Cultural Context
Korean distinguishes between the medical term 동공 (the anatomical pupil) and the poetic/everyday 눈동자 (the dark of the eye, often used in K-drama descriptions and song lyrics). The idiom '눈동자가 흔들리다' ('the pupils waver') is a common K-drama trope describing someone whose eyes flicker with emotion — lies, heartbreak, or hidden feelings — and it's practically a required camera shot in romantic scenes. Another cultural keyword is 동공지진 ('pupil earthquake'), internet slang that blew up in the late 2010s describing the wide-eyed panic look when someone is caught off-guard, often paired with a reaction meme.
Editorial note
We review entries like 동공 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
동공이 확장되다
the pupils dilate
동공이 수축되다
the pupils contract
동공 반응 검사
pupil-response test
Related Expressions
눈동자
nundongja
pupil / the dark of the eye (everyday)
홍채
hongchae
iris
각막
gakmak
cornea
동공지진
donggongjijin
'pupil earthquake' — wide-eyed panic (slang)
More Body Parts Words
Master Korean with AI-Powered Learning
Practice Pupil and 10,000+ words with native pronunciation and AI conversation.
