Korean tongue twisters, although weird and funny, most follow the grammar and sentence structure rules of the language.
Korean tongue twisters are a popular way for native speakers to make each other laugh. They participate in humorous word marathons and make fun of the group's slowpokes.
However, tongue twisters serve a purpose other than revealing colossal failures. They are more complex than they appear.
One of the benefits of learning tongue twisters is that you will pick up some new vocabulary words. And you'll almost certainly remember the ones you learn through tongue twisters!
They are actually rather useful.
Today we'll be looking at the 15 most famous Korean tongue twisters and the meaning behind them. So let's get started.
1. 네가 그린 기린 그림은 못 그린 기린 그림이고 내가 그린 기린 그림은 잘 그린 기린 그림이다.
Romanization: Nega geurin girin geurimeun mot geurin girin geurimigo naega geurin girin geurimeun jal geurin girin geurimida
그림 - drawing, painting
기린 - giraffe
Translation: Your giraffe painting is a poor giraffe painting, and my giraffe painting is a well-drawn giraffe painting.
2. 간장 공장 공장장은 장 공장장이고 된장 공장 공장장은 강 공장장이다.
Romanization : Ganjang gongjang gongjangjangeun jang gongjangjangigo dwenjang gongjang gongjangjangeun gang gongjangjangida
장— manager
간장— soy sauce
공장 — factory
공장장 - factory manager
된장— soy bean paste
Translation: The factory manager of the soy sauce factory is Factory Manager Jang, and the factory manager of the bean paste factory is Factory Manager Kang.
3. 서울특별시 특허허가과 허가과장 허 과장.
Romanization: Soulteukppyolsi teukohogagwa hogagwajang ho gwajang
특별시 - metropolitan city
특허 - patent
허가 - permission
과장 - department/ section chief
Translation: Seoul Metropolitan City’s patent granting section permission section chief, Chief Heo
4. 경찰청 철창살은 외철창살이고 검찰청 철창살은 쌍철창살이다.
Romanization : Gyongchalchong cholchangsareun wecholchangsarigo gomchalchong cholchangsareun ssangcholchangsarida
경찰청— police headquarters
철창살 — iron bar windows
검찰청 — prosecutor’s office
Translation: The police headquarters’ iron bar windows are single-layer iron bars, and the prosecutor’s office’s iron bar windows are double-layer iron bars.
5. 고려고 교복은 고급 교복이고 고려고 교복은 고급 원단을 사용했다.
Romanization : Goryogo gyobogeun gogeup gyobogigo goryogo gyobogeun gogeup wondaneul sayonghaettta
교복 — uniform
고급 — high-quality
Translation: Gohryeogoh uniforms are high-quality uniforms and Gohryeogoh uniforms are high-quality materials.
6. 체다치즈를 최고 많이 먹은 최다은이 체다치즈 먹기 대회 최다 우승자이다.
Romanization: Chedachijeureul choego mani meogeun choedaeuni chedachijeu meokgi daehoe choeda useungjaida
체다치즈 — cheddar cheese
최고 — best
대회 - meeting
최다 - largest, maximum
우승자 - champion, winner
Translation: Translation: Choi-Da-Eun who has eaten most of the cheddar cheese is the winner of the cheddar cheese eating competition.
7. 저분은 백 법학박사이고 이분은 박 법학박사이다.
Romanization: Jobuneun baek bopakppakssaigo ibuneun bak bopakppakssaida
법학 박사 — doctor of law
Translation: That is Mr. Baek, a doctor of law, and this is Mr. Park, also a doctor of law.
8. 민주주의의 의의
Romanization: Minjujueeeh oiee
민주주의 - demcracy
의의 - significance
Translation: Democracy's significance
9. 육통 통장 적금 통장은 황색 적금 통장이고 팔통 통장 적금 통장은 녹색 적금 통장이다.
Romanization: Yuktong tongjang jokkkeum tongjangeun hwangsaek jokkkeum tongjangigo paltong tongjang jokkkeum tongjangeun nokssaek jokkkeum tongjangida
육 - six
팔 - eight
황 - yellow
녹 - green
통장 - bank passbook
적금 - installments savings
Translation: Six dong bank book savings book is the yellow bank savings book and eight dong bank book savings book is the green bank savings book.
10. 목동 로얄 뉴로얄 레스토랑 뉴메뉴 미트소시지소스스파게티 크림소시지소스스테이크.
Romanization: Mokttong royal nyuroyal reseutorang nyumenyu miteusosijisoseuseupageti keurimsosijisoseuseuteikeu
레스토랑 - restaurant
메뉴 - menu
미트소시지 - meat sausage
소스스파게티 - sauce spaghetti
크림소시지 - cream Sausage
Translation: Mokdong royal new royal restaurant new menu, meat sausage sauce spaghetti, cream sausage sauce steak.
11. 박범복군은 밤벚꽃놀이를 가고 방범복양은 낮벚꽃놀이를 간다.
Romanization: Bakppombokkkuneun bambotkkonnorireul gago bangbombongnyangeun natppotkkonnorireul ganda.
벚꽃 — cherry blossoms
밤 — night
낮 — day
밤벚꽃놀이 - cherry blossom viewing at night
낮벚꽃놀이 - cherry blossom viewing at day
Translation: Park Beom-bok goes to the night cherry blossoms, and Bang Bum-bok goes to the day cherry blossoms.
12. 안 촉촉한 초코칩 나라에 살던 안 촉촉한 초코칩이 촉촉한 초코칩 나라의 촉촉한 초코칩을 보고 촉촉한 초코칩이 되고 싶어서 촉촉한 초코칩 나라에 갔는데 촉촉한 초코칩 나라의 문지기가 “넌 촉촉한 초코칩이 아니고 안 촉촉한 초코칩이니까 안 촉촉한 초코칩 나라에서 살아”라고 해서 안 촉촉한 초코칩은 촉촉한 초코칩이 되는 것을 포기하고 안 촉촉한 초코칩 나라로 돌아갔다.
Romanization: An chokchokan chokochip narae saldon an chokchokan chokochibi chokchokan chokochip narae chokchokan chokochibeul bogo chokchokan chokochibi dwego siposo chokchokan chokochip narae ganneunde chokchokan chokochip narae munjigiga non chokchokan chokochibi anigo an chokchokan chokochibinikka an chokchokan chokochip naraeso sararago haeso an chokchokan chokochibeun chokchokan chokochibi dweneun goseul pogihago an chokchokan chokochip nararo doragattta
초코칩 — chocolate chip
촉촉한 — moist
Translation: A non-moist chocolate chip cookie that lived in non-moist chocolate chip cookie land saw a moist chocolate chip cookie from moist chocolate chip cookie land and wanted to become a moist chocolate chip cookie and so went to moist chocolate chip cookie land, but the gate-keeper of moist chocolate chip cookie land said, “You are not a moist chocolate chip cookie, but a non-moist chocolate chip cookie, so live in non-moist chocolate chip cookie land,” so the non-moist chocolate chip cookie gave up on becoming a moist chocolate chip cookie and went back to non-moist chocolate chip cookie land.
13. 저 철창의 쇠창살은 새 쇠창살이다.
Romanization: Jo cholchange swechangsareun sae swechangsarida
철창 - prison, jail
쇠창살 - grating
새 - new
Translation: The steel bars of that prison room are new steel bars.
14. 들의 콩깍지는 깐 콩깍지인가 안깐 콩깍지인가. 깐 콩깍지면 어떻고 안 깐 콩각지면어떠냐. 깐 콩깍지나 안 깐 콩깍지나 콩깍지는 다 콩깍지인데.
Romanization: Deure kongkkakjjineun kkan kongkkakjjiinga ankkan kongkkakjjiinga kkan kongkkakjjimyon ottoko an kkan konggakjjimyonottonya kkan kongkkakjjina an kkan kongkkakjjina kongkkakjjineun da kongkkakjjiinde
콩깍지 - bean pod
깐 콩깍지 - peeled pod
Translation: Are their pods peeled or unpeeled pods? What's wrong with peeled beans? What's wrong with not peeled beans? Pea pods, whether they're peeled or not, are pea pods.
15. 앞 집 팥죽은 붉은 팥 풋팥죽이고 , 뒷집 콩죽은 햇콩단콩 콩죽,우리집 깨죽은 검은깨 깨죽인데 사람들은 햇콩 단콩 콩죽 깨죽 죽먹기를 싫어하더라.
Romanization: Ap jip patjjugeun bulgeun pat putpatjjugigo dwitjjip kongjugeun haetkongdankong kongjukurijip kkaejugeun gomeunkkae kkaejuginde saramdeureun haetkong dankong kongjuk kkaejuk jungmokkkireul sirohadora
집 - house
콩 - soybean
죽 - porridge
Translation: The red bean porridge in the front house is red bean porridge, the bean porridge in the back house is red bean porridge, and the sesame porridge in our house is black sesame porridge, but people don't like to eat it.
To understand TOPIK Test structure, application process, Levels and Passing scores etc. check these pages:
- TOPIK – The Complete Guide & 2. TOPIK Levels and Passing Marks. You can also Practice Online with TOPIK GUIDE Mock Tests.
If you are going to take the TOPIK Test for the first time, or if you want to give your score a boost so that you can pass a higher level, we would strongly advise you to get the Complete Guide to TOPIK – Self-Study Package. It is a digital study package that has everything you need to get a great score in the TOPIK test – all the past TOPIK papers with answer sheets, grammar and vocabulary study material, video tutorials explaining the test structure, strategies to solve them and much more. You can check out more details about this study package HERE.
Thank you.
If you have any suggestions or questions. Comment down below.
I love Korean tongue twisters! My close friend from Korea, Jungwon told me that my pronunciation is great. I told him, “Thanks to TOPIK GUIDE!” He laughed and told me that I should live in Korea with him.
“Explore the most popular Korean tongue twisters and challenge your language skills! After a fun practice session, relax and unwind with frecine—your go-to app for seamless entertainment. Perfect balance of learning and leisure!”
“Most Popular Korean Tongue Twisters are a fun way to challenge your speaking skills and bring out your playful side. Just like Attitude Shayari 2 Line says—’I don’t fear challenges, I rise to them’—these tongue twisters are a perfect way to test your limits and keep improving. Embrace the challenge with confidence, and let your words flow effortlessly!”
Schoology CSISD Login is the customized version of the Schoology learning management system used by the College Station Independent School District. It serves as a central hub for students, teachers, and parents to connect, collaborate, and stay on top of learning activities.