서울

Jeju

Etymology

Cognate with Korean 서울 (seoul), from Sillan 徐羅伐 (서라벌 (Seorabeol)).

Noun

서울 (seoul)

1. capital

Proper noun

서울 (Seoul)

1. Seoul (the capital city of South Korea)

References

• “서울” in Jeju's culture and language, Digital museum.

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Korean

Etymology

First attested in the Yongbi eocheon'ga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가), 1447, as Middle Korean 셔ᄫᅳᆯ (Yale: syew'ul).

Also attested in the Worin seokbo (月印釋譜 / 월인석보), 1459, as Middle Korean 셔울 (Yale: syewul).

Perhaps derived from Sillan 徐羅伐 (서라벌 (Seorabeol)). Compare also North Gyeongsang 서월 (Seowol).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [sʰʌ̹uɭ]
• Phonetic hangul: [서울]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	Seoul
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	Seoul
McCune–Reischauer?	Sŏul
Yale Romanization?	sewul

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

서울 • (seoul)

1. capital; large city

   파리는 프랑스의 서울이다.

   Pari-neun Peurangseu-ui seour-ida.

   Paris is the capital of France.

   우리나라의 서울은 서울이다.

   urinara-ui seour-eun Seour-ida.

   The capital of our country (i.e. Korea) is Seoul.

Synonyms

• 수도 (首都, sudo)

See also

• 경 (京, gyeong)

Proper noun

서울 • (Seoul)

1. Seoul (the capital city of South Korea)

   서울에 가요.

   seour-e gayo.

   (I am, you are, he is, etc.) going to Seoul.

   Audio (South Korea):

   (file)

Usage notes

• Unlike the majority of Korean place names, 서울 doesn't have a hanja form and is only written in hangeul.

See also

• 경 (京, gyeong)
• 한성 (漢城, Hanseong)
• 경성 (京城, Gyeongseong)