How to say tourist in Korean?
In Korean, the term “tourist” can be expressed as “관광객”(gwan-gwang-gaek) or “여행객”(yeo-haeng-gaek). Both terms are commonly used to refer to individuals who are traveling for leisure or sightseeing purposes. Let’s break down each term
관광객(gwan-gwang-gaek)
- 관광(gwan-gwang): This part of the term means “sightseeing” or “tourism”. It is derived from the Chinese characters 觀光.
- 객(gaek): This suffix is often added to words to indicate a person or a guest. In this context, it refers to the person engaging in tourism or sightseeing.
Therefore, “관광객” literally translates to “sightseeing person” or “tourist”
여행객(yeo-haeng-gaek)
- 여행(yeo-haeng): This part of the term means “travel” or “journey”. It is a more general term for travel, encompassing both leisure and business trips.
- 객(gaek): As mentioned earlier, this suffix denotes a person or a guest. Hence,”여행객” can be translated as “traveling person” or “traveler”
When communicating in Korean, you can use either of these terms based on the context and personal preference. If you want to say, “I am tourist” you can use the following phrases
- “저는 관광객이에요”(jeo-neun gwan-gwang-gaek-i-e-yo) – “I am tourist”
- “저는 여행객이에요”(jeo-neun yeo-haeng-gaek-i-e-yo) – “I am a traveler”