Korean Dictionary
How to say "Turkey" in Korean
“Turkey” in Korean is 칠면조 (pronounced "chilmyeonjjo").
칠면조
chilmyeonjjo
Usage & Context
A large poultry bird introduced to Korea from the West. Turkeys are less common than chickens but are raised on some Korean farms. They are associated with Western holiday celebrations.
Example Sentence
칠면조는 크고 무거워요.
The turkey is large and heavy.
How to use 칠면조 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Turkey” is 칠면조, romanized as chilmyeonjjo.
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 칠면조.
Pronunciation Guide
Three syllables: 'chil-myeon-jo.' 'Chil' rhymes with 'cheel,' 'myeon' sounds like 'myuhn,' and 'jo' like 'joh.' Together: 'CHEEL-myuhn-joh.' Literally '7-faced bird,' from the way its head changes color.
More Example Sentences
Explaining American holidays to a Korean friend
추수감사절에는 칠면조를 많이 먹어요.
People eat a lot of turkey on Thanksgiving.
Answering a child's question
칠면조는 닭보다 훨씬 커요.
Turkeys are much bigger than chickens.
Talking about holiday grocery shopping
마트에서 칠면조를 파는 곳이 별로 없어요.
There aren't many stores that sell turkey.
Cultural Context
Turkey is not a native Korean food and isn't commonly eaten — Koreans rarely cook a whole 칠면조 even for big gatherings, preferring 삼계탕 or 찜닭 (braised chicken dishes). The word 칠면조 literally means '7-faced bird,' referring to the color-shifting skin of a turkey's head. When the bird does appear, it's usually in Thanksgiving imagery tied to Western culture, and some upscale hotels advertise 칠면조 요리 around November for expat diners.
Editorial note
We review entries like 칠면조 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
칠면조 먹어봤어요?
Have you ever tried turkey?
칠면조가 커요.
Turkey is big.
칠면조 요리 어려워요.
Cooking turkey is hard.
Related Expressions
추수감사절
chususamsajeol
Thanksgiving Day
닭
dak
Chicken
가금류
gageumnyu
Poultry
구이
gui
Roast / grilled dish
More Animals Words
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