Korean Dictionary
How to say "Skyscraper" in Korean
“Skyscraper” in Korean is 마천루 (pronounced "Machenru").
마천루
Machenru
Usage & Context
Very tall building. Seoul has many skyscrapers including the Lotte World Tower.
Example Sentence
서울의 마천루는 정말 높아요.
Seoul's skyscrapers are really tall.
How to use 마천루 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Skyscraper” is 마천루, romanized as Machenru.
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 마천루.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'ma-cheon-roo' — 'ma' like the 'ma' in 'mama', 'cheon' rhymes with 'chun' in 'chunk', and 'roo' like 'roo' in 'kangaroo'. Literally 'touches-the-sky-tower'.
Formal & Casual Forms
Casual (반말)
고층 빌딩
gocheung bilding
In daily speech, Koreans more often say '고층 빌딩' (high-rise building) rather than the literary 마천루, which has a poetic, dramatic tone.
More Example Sentences
Looking at travel photos with friends
뉴욕의 마천루는 상징적이에요.
New York's skyscrapers are iconic.
Sightseeing with a visitor
롯데월드타워는 한국에서 가장 높은 마천루예요.
Lotte World Tower is Korea's tallest skyscraper.
Describing the Manhattan skyline
마천루 숲이 장관이에요.
The forest of skyscrapers is spectacular.
Cultural Context
마천루 has a somewhat literary, dramatic ring — it means 'sky-scraping tower' using hanja characters (摩天樓). In everyday Korean, '고층 빌딩' (high-rise building) or simply the building's name (롯데월드타워, 63빌딩) is more common. Korea's most famous 마천루 is Lotte World Tower in Seoul, standing 555m tall as the 5th tallest building in the world. Skyscraper clusters in Yeouido and Gangnam define Seoul's modern skyline.
Editorial note
We review entries like 마천루 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
마천루가 정말 높아요.
The skyscraper is really tall.
마천루에서 야경이 멋져요.
The night view from the skyscraper is amazing.
도시에 마천루가 많아요.
There are many skyscrapers in the city.
Related Expressions
고층 빌딩
gocheung bilding
high-rise building
초고층 빌딩
chogocheung bilding
super-tall building
전망대
jeonmangdae
observation deck
스카이라인
seukairain
skyline
More Architecture Words
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