Korean Dictionary
How to say "Time is Money" in Korean
“Time is Money” in Korean is 시간은 금이다 (pronounced "Siganeun Geumida").
시간은 금이다
Siganeun Geumida
Usage & Context
Time is money is a universal proverb that also exists in Korean. It emphasizes the value of time and the importance of not wasting it.
Example Sentence
시간은 금이라는 말처럼 시간을 낭비하지 마세요.
As they say time is money, do not waste time.
How to use 시간은 금이다 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Time is Money” is 시간은 금이다, romanized as Siganeun Geumida.
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 시간은 금이다.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'shi-ga-neun geum-i-da'. '시간은' links as 'shi-ga-neun'. '금이다' is 'geum-ee-da' with a closed 'eu' vowel.
More Example Sentences
work meeting
시간은 금이니까 회의 빨리 끝내자.
Time is money, so let's wrap up the meeting fast.
office conversation
사장님이 늘 시간은 금이라고 하세요.
The boss always says time is money.
freelancer's perspective
시간은 금이라는 말, 정말 공감돼요.
The saying 'time is money' really resonates with me.
Cultural Context
A direct borrowing that's now fully domesticated in Korean. Used commonly in business contexts and by older generations lecturing younger ones about efficiency. A more traditional Korean expression with similar meaning is 일각이 여삼추 (a brief moment feels like three autumns) — emphasizing how precious each moment is.
Editorial note
We review entries like 시간은 금이다 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
시간 낭비하지 마.
Don't waste time.
시간이 없어요.
I don't have time.
시간이 제일 아까워요.
Time is the most precious thing.
Related Expressions
시간
sigan
time
금
geum
gold
낭비
nangbi
waste
효율
hyoyul
efficiency
More Idioms & Proverbs Words
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