Korean Dictionary
How to say "Starfish" in Korean
“Starfish” in Korean is 불가사리 (pronounced "bulgasari").
불가사리
bulgasari
Usage & Context
A marine creature with five arms found in Korean coastal waters. Starfish are featured in Korean marine education and aquariums. They are symbols of the sea and marine biodiversity.
Example Sentence
불가사리는 다섯 개의 팔이 있어요.
The starfish has five arms.
How to use 불가사리 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Starfish” is 불가사리, romanized as bulgasari.
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 불가사리.
Pronunciation Guide
To pronounce "불가사리" (bulgasari), break it down as 'Bul-ga-sa-ri'. 'Bul' sounds like 'bull' in English. 'Ga' is like 'gah' in 'gah-gah'. 'Sa' is like 'sah' in 'sahara'. 'Ri' is like 'ree' in 'tree'. The stress is fairly even across syllables.
More Example Sentences
A child excitedly telling their parent about a discovery.
바닷가에서 불가사리를 발견했어요.
I found a starfish at the beach.
A parent teaching a child about marine conservation.
불가사리는 다시 바다로 돌려보내야 해.
You should put the starfish back into the sea.
Someone asking for advice at a pet store.
어항에 불가사리를 키울 수 있을까요?
Can I raise a starfish in a fish tank?
Cultural Context
While '불가사리' literally means starfish, it also carries a metaphorical meaning of something 'indestructible' or 'impossible to kill,' stemming from its regenerative abilities. This is sometimes used in a playful or exaggerated way in Korean media or daily conversation to describe something incredibly resilient or hard to get rid of, like a persistent problem or a character in a drama who keeps surviving despite all odds.
Editorial note
We review entries like 불가사리 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
불가사리처럼 질기다
To be as tough as a starfish (meaning very resilient)
바다 불가사리
Sea starfish (sometimes used for clarity)
불가사리 모양
Starfish shape
Related Expressions
해삼
haesam
Sea cucumber
성게
seongge
Sea urchin
바다 생물
bada saengmul
Marine creature
불멸의 존재
bulmyeorui jonjae
Immortal being (metaphorical)
More Animals Words
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