Korean Dictionary
How to say "Salary" in Korean
“Salary” in Korean is 급여 (pronounced "geupyeo").
급여
geupyeo
Usage & Context
Regular payment for employment services. Salary discussions in Korea are often sensitive and follow company protocols. Annual salary reviews are common and tied to performance evaluations.
Example Sentence
급여는 매월 25일에 지급됩니다.
Salary is paid on the 25th of every month.
How to use 급여 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Salary” is 급여, romanized as geupyeo.
Usage tip
Business Korean usually needs polite or formal endings, especially in emails, meetings, and customer situations.
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 급여.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'GEUB-yeo' — two syllables. '급' has the neutral 'ㅡ' vowel with an unreleased 'ㅂ' ('geup'), and '여' is 'yeo' (like 'yuh' + a slight 'eh'). In connected speech, the 'ㅂ' links: 'geu-byeo'.
More Example Sentences
HR reminder at a company
급여 명세서 확인해 보세요.
Please check your pay statement.
Negotiating with a manager
급여 인상을 요구했어요.
I asked for a raise.
Complaining about net vs gross salary
세금 떼고 나면 실수령 급여가 적어요.
After taxes, take-home pay is small.
Cultural Context
급여 is the formal/contractual term printed on payslips and in labor contracts, while 월급 (monthly salary) is what Koreans actually use in daily speech — e.g., '월급 올랐어' (my paycheck went up). Korean payday is typically the 25th ('25일 월급날'), and the slang '월급 루팡' ('salary Lupin') refers to employees who sneakily do minimal work but still collect pay. '연봉' (annual salary) is the headline figure in job listings and a common first-date conversation topic in more traditional families.
Editorial note
We review business terms like 급여 for formality, so the example fits emails, meetings, or workplace conversations instead of casual speech.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
월급 언제 나와요?
When does the paycheck come out?
연봉이 얼마예요?
What's your annual salary?
급여가 올랐어요.
My salary went up.
Related Expressions
월급
Wolgeup
Monthly salary (conversational)
연봉
Yeonbong
Annual salary
실수령액
Silsuryeongaek
Take-home pay (after deductions)
봉급
Bonggeup
Wages / salary (older term)
More Business Words
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