Learn Korean School Vocabulary 🇰🇷
Are you learning Korean for school, studying in Korea, or trying to understand Korean dramas and everyday conversations?
School-related words appear everywhere in Korean. You may hear people talking about 학교 (school), 선생님 (teacher), 숙제 (homework), or 시험 (exam) even outside the classroom.
In this lesson, you will learn 20 essential Korean school vocabulary words for beginners.
For every word, you will get:
- Korean spelling
- Romanized pronunciation
- English meaning
- Audio pronunciation
- A simple Korean example sentence
Listen to each word, repeat it aloud, and then try reading the example sentence.
Table of Contents
Korean Words for Schools and Classrooms
Let’s start with the places and people you will encounter most often.
1. 학교
🔊 Listen: 학교
hakgyo
school
학교 is the general Korean word for “school.”
Example:
저는 학교에 가요.
I go to school.
A very useful phrase:
학교에 가요.
I go to school.
2. 초등학교
🔊 Listen: 초등학교
chodeunghakgyo
elementary school
초등학교 is an elementary school.
Example:
제 동생은 초등학교에 다녀요.
My younger sibling goes to elementary school.
3. 중학교
🔊 Listen: 중학교
junghakgyo
middle school
중학교 means “middle school.”
Example:
저 학교는 중학교예요.
That school is a middle school.
4. 고등학교
🔊 Listen: 고등학교
godeunghakgyo
high school
고등학교 means “high school.”
Example:
제 친구는 고등학생이에요.
My friend is a high school student.
Notice that:
고등학교 = high school
고등학생 = high school student
5. 대학교
🔊 Listen: 대학교
daehakgyo
university
대학교 means “university.”
In everyday conversation, Koreans also often shorten it to:
대학
Example:
서울에서 대학교에 다녀요.
I attend university in Seoul.
6. 교실
🔊 Listen: 교실
gyosil
classroom
교실 is the room where classes take place.
Example:
학생들이 교실에 있어요.
The students are in the classroom.
Korean Words for People at School
7. 선생님
🔊 Listen: 선생님
seonsaengnim
teacher
선생님 is the respectful Korean word for “teacher.”
Example:
선생님이 친절해요.
The teacher is kind.
You can also call a teacher directly:
선생님!
This is similar to saying “Teacher!” or addressing your teacher respectfully.
8. 학생
🔊 Listen: 학생
haksaeng
student
학생 means “student.”
Example:
저는 학생이에요.
I am a student.
You will often see 학생 combined with school levels:
초등학생 = elementary school student
중학생 = middle school student
고등학생 = high school student
대학생 = university student
This is a useful Korean word pattern to remember.
9. 친구
🔊 Listen: 친구
chingu
friend
친구 means “friend.”
It is one of the most useful Korean words for beginners.
Example:
학교에 친구가 많아요.
I have many friends at school.
Korean School Supplies
Now let’s learn some objects you may use every day at school.
10. 책
🔊 Listen: 책
chaek
book
책 means “book.”
Example:
책을 읽어요.
I read a book.
Useful combination:
책 + 상 → 책상
책상 means “desk.”
11. 연필
🔊 Listen: 연필
yeonpil
pencil
연필 means “pencil.”
Example:
연필로 써요.
I write with a pencil.
12. 공책
🔊 Listen: 공책
gongchaek
notebook
공책 is a notebook used for writing notes or doing schoolwork.
Example:
공책에 이름을 써요.
I write my name in the notebook.
13. 지우개
🔊 Listen: 지우개
jiugae
eraser
지우개 means “eraser.”
Example:
지우개가 필요해요.
I need an eraser.
A useful word connection:
지우다 = to erase
지우개 = eraser
Studying and School Life in Korean
14. 숙제
🔊 Listen: 숙제
sukje
homework
숙제 is an essential word for students.
Example:
숙제를 해요.
I do my homework.
The natural Korean expression is:
숙제를 하다
literally “to do homework.”
15. 입학
🔊 Listen: 입학
iphak
admission / entering school
입학 refers to entering or being admitted to a school.
Example:
올해 대학교에 입학했어요.
I entered university this year.
Useful verb:
입학하다
to enter a school / enroll
16. 졸업
🔊 Listen: 졸업
joreop
graduation
졸업 means “graduation.”
Example:
내년에 대학교를 졸업해요.
I graduate from university next year.
Useful verb:
졸업하다
to graduate
입학 vs 졸업
These are useful opposites to learn together:
입학 → entering school
졸업 → graduating from school
Learning related words together can make Korean vocabulary easier to remember.
17. 방학
🔊 Listen: 방학
banghak
school vacation / break
방학 refers specifically to a vacation period from school.
Example:
여름 방학이 좋아요.
I like summer vacation.
Useful expressions:
여름 방학 = summer vacation
겨울 방학 = winter vacation
18. 도서관
🔊 Listen: 도서관
doseogwan
library
도서관 means “library.”
Example:
도서관에서 공부해요.
I study at the library.
Notice the location particle:
도서관에서
We use 에서 because studying is an action happening at the library.
19. 시험
🔊 Listen: 시험
siheom
exam / test
시험 is one of the most important Korean school vocabulary words.
Example:
내일 시험이 있어요.
I have an exam tomorrow.
A very common expression is:
시험을 보다
which means:
to take an exam
For example:
내일 시험을 봐요.
I take an exam tomorrow.
20. 운동장
🔊 Listen: 운동장
undongjang
playground / school field
운동장 usually refers to an outdoor field or playground where students exercise and play sports.
Example:
운동장에서 축구해요.
I play soccer on the school field.
Understanding Korean School Levels
Korean school names become easier when you notice that several of them end in:
학교 (hakgyo) = school
For example:
초등 + 학교 → 초등학교
elementary + school
중 + 학교 → 중학교
middle + school
고등 + 학교 → 고등학교
high + school
대 + 학교 → 대학교
university
You do not need to memorize them as completely unrelated words.
Look for the shared 학교 at the end.
School vs Student: A Useful Korean Pattern
There is another pattern that can save you a lot of memorization.
| School | Student |
|---|---|
| 초등학교 | 초등학생 |
| 중학교 | 중학생 |
| 고등학교 | 고등학생 |
| 대학교 | 대학생 |
The key word is:
학생 = student
So:
대학 + 생 → 대학생
means a university student.
Once you recognize patterns like this, your Korean vocabulary can grow much faster.
Useful Korean Sentences for Students
Knowing individual vocabulary is helpful, but you should also learn how to put the words into sentences.
Talking About Going to School
학교에 가요.
I go to school.
대학교에 다녀요.
I attend university.
교실에 있어요.
I am in the classroom.
Talking About Studying
도서관에서 공부해요.
I study at the library.
책을 읽어요.
I read a book.
공책에 써요.
I write in a notebook.
숙제를 해요.
I do my homework.
Talking About Exams
시험이 있어요.
I have an exam.
내일 시험을 봐요.
I take an exam tomorrow.
시험이 어려워요.
The exam is difficult.
These are short sentences, but they are expressions that Korean learners can actually use.
Korean School Vocabulary Mini Quiz
Let’s see how much you remember.
Try answering before looking at the answers.
What is “school” in Korean?
학교
What is “teacher”?
선생님
What is “student”?
학생
What is “homework”?
숙제
What is “library”?
도서관
What is “exam”?
시험
What is “graduation”?
졸업
What is “pencil”?
연필
If you remembered most of them, you’re doing well.
If not, go back and listen to the pronunciation once more.
How to Memorize Korean School Vocabulary
Instead of memorizing the English translation only, connect each word with something you actually do.
When you pick up a book, think:
책
When you write with a pencil:
연필
When you open your notebook:
공책
Before an exam:
시험
When you have homework:
숙제
This helps your brain connect Korean directly to an object or situation instead of translating everything through English first.
Try the 5-Word Challenge
Choose just five words today.
For example:
학교
학생
책
숙제
시험
Say each word three times.
Then return tomorrow and see whether you can remember all five before learning another five.
Small groups are often easier to remember than one long vocabulary list.
20 Korean School Vocabulary Words at a Glance
| No. | Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 학교 | hakgyo | school |
| 2 | 초등학교 | chodeunghakgyo | elementary school |
| 3 | 중학교 | junghakgyo | middle school |
| 4 | 고등학교 | godeunghakgyo | high school |
| 5 | 대학교 | daehakgyo | university |
| 6 | 교실 | gyosil | classroom |
| 7 | 선생님 | seonsaengnim | teacher |
| 8 | 학생 | haksaeng | student |
| 9 | 친구 | chingu | friend |
| 10 | 책 | chaek | book |
| 11 | 연필 | yeonpil | pencil |
| 12 | 공책 | gongchaek | notebook |
| 13 | 지우개 | jiugae | eraser |
| 14 | 숙제 | sukje | homework |
| 15 | 입학 | iphak | admission / entering school |
| 16 | 졸업 | joreop | graduation |
| 17 | 방학 | banghak | school vacation |
| 18 | 도서관 | doseogwan | library |
| 19 | 시험 | siheom | exam |
| 20 | 운동장 | undongjang | playground / school field |
Keep Learning Korean School Vocabulary 📚🇰🇷
You now know 20 essential Korean school vocabulary words for schools, students, school supplies, studying, and everyday school life.
Don’t worry about memorizing everything today.
Start with a few words you are likely to use:
학교 — school
학생 — student
선생님 — teacher
책 — book
숙제 — homework
시험 — exam
Listen to each pronunciation, repeat the word aloud, and practice using it in a short sentence.
Once these words become familiar, Korean conversations about studying and school will become much easier to understand.
One last challenge:
Look at your desk or school bag.
How many things can you name in Korean now?
