Korean Dictionary
How to say "Ship" in Korean
“Ship” in Korean is 배 (pronounced "bae").
배
bae
Usage & Context
Supporting a romantic pairing between two characters. Fans ship their favorite couples and discuss them passionately. It's a central part of K-drama fan culture.
Example Sentence
난 이 배를 응원해!
I ship this couple!
How to use 배 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Ship” is 배, romanized as bae.
Usage tip
Drama lines are memorable, but some expressions are emotional or exaggerated compared with everyday Korean.
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 배.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounce '배' (bae) like the English word 'bay'. It's a single syllable, with a clear 'b' sound followed by the 'ay' vowel.
More Example Sentences
Describing a scene at a port.
큰 배가 항구로 들어오고 있다.
A large ship is entering the harbor.
Planning a trip to an island.
배 타고 제주도에 갈까?
Shall we go to Jeju Island by ship?
Talking about fishing activities.
어부들이 배를 타고 바다로 나갔다.
Fishermen went out to sea on their boats.
Cultural Context
The Korean word '배' (bae) has multiple meanings, including 'boat/ship', 'pear', and 'belly'. In the context of K-drama or K-pop fandom, '배' is NOT used to mean 'shipping' a romantic pairing. For 'shipping' a couple, Koreans typically use terms like '케미' (kemi, from 'chemistry') to describe good on-screen rapport, or simply say '이 커플을 응원해' (i keopeureul eungwonhae, 'I support this couple'). Sometimes, the English word 'ship' is directly used, often romanized as '쉽' (swip) or '쉬핑' (swiping), but it's not as common as '케미' or '커플'.
Editorial note
We review drama-style expressions like 배 for tone, because lines that sound natural in a scene can feel too emotional or direct in everyday Korean.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
배를 타다
to ride a boat/ship
배가 고프다
to be hungry (literally 'belly is hungry')
배 한 척
one boat/ship
Related Expressions
보트
boteu
boat (loanword)
선박
seonbak
vessel, ship (more formal)
항해
hanghae
voyage, sailing
선장
seonjang
captain (of a ship)
More K-Drama Expressions Words
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