Water in Korean: 물
물 (mul) is the Korean word for water. Hear it, see how it changes in real speech, build it letter by letter and trace each block stroke by stroke.
How do you say 'water' in Korean?
Water in Korean is 물 (mul). To ask for it, say 물 주세요 (mul juseyo), "water, please"; cold water is 찬물 and hot water is 뜨거운 물.
Water in Korean 물: sound, letters and strokes
물 Water in KoreanKorean word · noun
물 is read mul.
How 물 is used
Drinking or washing.
For tea, instant noodles or washing.
At a convenience store.
물 is water, for drinking or in nature: 물 주세요 (water, please), 물이 차가워요 (the water is cold). It also means a body of water such as a river or the sea. For hot water, the usual phrase is 뜨거운 물, and cold water is 찬물.
How to pronounce 물
물Say mul as one short beat, like "mool" with a light l. Before a vowel the ㄹ becomes a soft tap: 물이 sounds like "mu-ri".
Sound rule
One syllable, mul. The final ㄹ is a light [l]; before a vowel it flaps like a soft r, so 물이 sounds like [무리].
물 letter by letter
How to write 물 stroke by stroke
Write 물 one block at a time: 물. Inside every block go from the first consonant to the vowel and then the final consonant, following the numbered strokes.
Trace mul 물 with a finger, mouse or pen: start at the numbered dot, follow the dotted arrow, and press Clear to try again.
Print style 정자체
Follow the numbers and dotted arrows
Handwriting 필기체
Same stroke order as print style
When to say 물
물 in example sentences
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 물 한 잔 주세요. | A glass of water, please. |
| 물이 너무 차가워요. | The water is too cold. |
| 매일 물을 많이 마셔요. | I drink a lot of water every day. |
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 나는 운동 후에 목이 말라서 시원한 물을 마셨다. | I was thirsty after exercising, so I drank some cold water. |
| 엄마. 저 물 주세요. / 냉장고에 보면 물병이 있단다. | A: Mom, can I have some water? / B: Look in the fridge, there's a water bottle. |
물 in a short conversation
| Who | Korean | English |
|---|---|---|
| A | 목말라요. 물 있어요? | I am thirsty. Is there any water? |
| B | 네, 여기 있어요. | Yes, here you are. |
Words and phrases with 물
물 compared with other water words
| Korean | Meaning | When you use it |
|---|---|---|
| 물 | water | Any water, and drinking water in everyday talk. |
| 생수 | bottled water | Buying water at a shop or convenience store. |
| 수돗물 | tap water | Water from the tap at home. |
| 찬물 | cold water | Drinking on a hot day or washing your face. |
| 뜨거운 물 | hot water | Tea, instant noodles or a hot shower. |
| 얼음물 | ice water | Water with ice, often asked for in cafés. |
A common mistake with 물
Learners mishear 물 (water) and 불 (fire), which differ only in the first consonant. Practice the pair: 물을 마셔요, 불을 꺼요.
Culture note
Many restaurants in Korea serve drinking water for free, either brought to the table in a bottle or from a self-service water corner with cups.
How to practice
Particles with 물
물 ends in a consonant, so it takes 이 and 을: 물이 차가워요 (the water is cold), 물을 마셔요 (I drink water). With 에 it means "in the water": 물에 넣어요 (put it in water). With 로 it means "with water": 물로 씻어요 (wash it with water).
물 inside other words
Many food and home words start with 물: 물냉면 is cold noodles in a chilled broth, 물김치 is a mild kimchi in liquid, 물병 is a water bottle and 물티슈 is a wet wipe. Seeing 물 at the start tells you the thing is watery or holds water.
Ordering water by the glass or bottle
Korean counts drinks with counter words: 물 한 잔 is a glass of water and 물 한 병 is a bottle of water. Add 주세요 to order it: 물 한 잔 주세요. For two glasses say 물 두 잔, using the native number 두 before the counter.
The Sino-Korean word 수
Korean also has 수, the Sino-Korean reading of the character for water. It appears in 생수 and 수돗물, in 수영 (swimming) and in 수요일 (Wednesday), the day named after water. On its own, though, everyday Korean always says 물.
물 writing worksheet (free printable)
Worksheet · Level 3 · Words
Korean word tracing worksheet: 물 (water)
One A4 page for 물: trace its 1 block (8 strokes), write words that go with it, read three sentences and find 물.
- 1 page
- A4 · US Letter
- PDF · 83 KB
- Free · no sign-up
Want more? See all korean words
Worksheet information
- How to use
- Say 물 out loud, trace each block from dark to faint, then write it on the line.
Use of the worksheet:
© KoreanSheets.com · Free to print and share at home and in class. No commercial use — don’t sell it, add it to paid products or post it on other websites. The QR code on the sheet opens this page to listen and trace on screen.
What to learn next
Water in Korean — FAQ
How do you say 'water' in Korean?
물 (mul). 'Water, please' is 물 주세요.
How do you say 'cold water' and 'hot water'?
찬물 is cold water and 뜨거운 물 is hot water. 물 alone usually means drinking water.
How do you say bottled water in Korean?
생수 (saengsu). At a convenience store, ask 생수 하나 주세요.
How do you write water in Korean?
물 is one block: ㅁ + ㅜ + ㄹ, with ㅜ under ㅁ and ㄹ at the bottom.
How do you ask for water in a Korean restaurant?
물 좀 주세요 (water, please). In many restaurants the water is free and self-service, so staff may point you to the water corner.
How do you say I want water in Korean?
물 마시고 싶어요 (I want to drink water). To ask for it, 물 좀 주세요 is more natural.
Is 수 also a Korean word for water?
수 means water only inside Sino-Korean words such as 생수, 수돗물 and 수요일. Alone, the word for water is 물.
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