Korean Dictionary
How to say "Turtle Ship" in Korean
“Turtle Ship” in Korean is 거북선 (pronounced "geobukseon").
거북선
geobukseon
Usage & Context
The turtle ship (거북선) was an iron-clad warship developed by Admiral Yi Sun-sin. It was used to defeat Japanese naval forces during the Imjin War (1592–1598). It is considered one of the world first ironclad warships.
Example Sentence
거북선은 조선 시대의 혁신적인 전함이에요.
The turtle ship is an innovative warship of the Joseon era.
How to use 거북선 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Turtle Ship” is 거북선, romanized as geobukseon.
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 거북선.
Pronunciation Guide
거 (geo) sounds like 'guh' in 'gull'. 북 (buk) rhymes with 'book'. 선 (seon) sounds like 'sun' in English, but with a slightly more open 'o' sound, similar to 'saw-n'. The stress is fairly even across the syllables.
More Example Sentences
Discussing historical naval technology.
거북선은 세계 최초의 철갑선 중 하나로 알려져 있어요.
The turtle ship is known as one of the world's first ironclad warships.
Planning a museum visit.
박물관에서 거북선 모형을 볼 수 있어요.
You can see a model of the turtle ship at the museum.
Talking about children's interests.
아이들이 거북선 이야기를 정말 좋아해요.
Children really love stories about the turtle ship.
Cultural Context
The 거북선 (geobukseon) is an iconic symbol of Korean ingenuity and military prowess, particularly associated with Admiral Yi Sun-sin. Its unique design, featuring a spiked, covered deck and cannon ports, made it formidable against Japanese invaders during the Imjin War. Replicas and models are popular tourist attractions and educational tools, often found in museums and historical sites. It represents a proud moment in Korean history where innovation led to victory against overwhelming odds.
Editorial note
We review entries like 거북선 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
거북선을 만들다.
To build a turtle ship.
거북선 모형.
Turtle ship model.
거북선 이야기.
Story of the turtle ship.
Related Expressions
이순신
i sunsin
Yi Sun-sin (the inventor)
전함
jeonham
Warship
임진왜란
imjin waeran
Imjin War (the war it was used in)
판옥선
panokseon
Panokseon (another type of Joseon warship)
More Korean History Words
Master Korean with AI-Powered Learning
Practice Turtle Ship and 10,000+ words with native pronunciation and AI conversation.
