Korean Dictionary
How to say "College Entrance Exam" in Korean
“College Entrance Exam” in Korean is 수능 (pronounced "Suneung").
수능
Suneung
Usage & Context
수능 (College Scholastic Ability Test) is the most important exam in Korean education taken by high school seniors. The entire country is affected on 수능 day with flights delayed and workplaces starting late to help students commute without disruption. A student score on 수능 largely determines their university prospects.
Example Sentence
수능 당일에는 비행기 이착륙도 제한돼요.
On the day of suneung even airplane takeoffs and landings are restricted.
How to use 수능 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “College Entrance Exam” is 수능, romanized as Suneung.
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 수능.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounce it as "Soo-neung." "Soo" rhymes with "sue," and "neung" sounds like the "nung" in "lung," but with a slightly softer 'n' sound. The stress is fairly even on both syllables.
More Example Sentences
A high school student asking a friend about their post-exam plans.
수능 끝나고 뭐 할 거야?
What are you going to do after Suneung?
Wishing good luck to a student taking the exam.
수능 대박 나세요!
Hope you do great on Suneung! (Literally: Hit the jackpot on Suneung!)
Explaining the Korean university admission system.
수능 점수로 대학을 결정해요.
Universities are decided by Suneung scores.
Cultural Context
Suneung is arguably the most important day for many Korean high school seniors, often determining their future university and career paths. The entire nation rallies around the students on Suneung day; flights are delayed, workplaces start late, and even police escorts are available for late students. There's a common phenomenon called '수능 한파' (Suneung cold snap), where the weather often turns unusually cold around the exam date.
Editorial note
We review entries like 수능 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
수능 대박!
Good luck on Suneung!
수능 잘 봐!
Do well on Suneung!
수능 한파
Suneung cold snap
Related Expressions
대학수학능력시험
Daehaksuhakneungnyeoksiheom
College Scholastic Ability Test (full name of Suneung)
입시
ipsi
College entrance examination system
재수생
jaesusaeng
Student retaking Suneung (or college entrance exam)
고3
go-sam
High school senior (third year of high school)
More School Life Words
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