Dictionary — Entry No. 0669
물
mul · noun
물
mul
[mool]
nounbeginner
Meaning
Water — one of the first words any Korean learner encounters, used across countless everyday contexts from ordering drinks to describing nature. Its simplicity makes it a gateway word into the Korean language.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
Water imagery flows through K-Pop metaphorically: BTS’s ‘Spring Day (봄날)’ uses the image of water and seasons thawing as a metaphor for longing and reunion. In K-Dramas like ‘Crash Landing on You,’ the act of offering 물 to someone is a quietly tender gesture of care between characters.
Example Sentences
물 좀 주세요.
Mul jom juseyo.
Please give me some water. (polite restaurant request)
물이 없어요.
Muri eopseoyo.
There’s no water. (practical complaint or dramatic statement)
나 물 마시고 싶어.
Na mul masigo sipeo.
I want to drink water. (casual everyday speech)
⚠️ Don’t use mul when…
Don’t confuse 물 (mul/water) with 불 (bul/fire) — a single consonant swap (ㅁ vs ㅂ) reverses the meaning entirely, which can cause awkward moments. Second, 물 can sometimes refer to liquid in general depending on context (e.g., 눈물 means tears, literally ‘eye water’), so beginners assume it only means drinking water.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: Crash Landing on You — Ri Jeong-hyeok silently brings Se-ri a glass of 물 after she collapses from exhaustion, one of the drama’s most understated acts of devotion.
- K-Pop: BTS — Spring Day (봄날)
ℹ️ Editorial Note: The cultural context and example usage are for educational reference only. Artist names, song titles, and drama references are used descriptively to illustrate vocabulary in context. This content is AI-assisted and reviewed for accuracy. For official information, please refer to the respective artists’ or studios’ official channels.