Merry Christmas in Korean
메리 크리스마스
Meri Keuriseumaseu
Say it like this: MEH-ree kuh-ree-suh-MAH-suh
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Korean, Merry Christmas is 메리 크리스마스 (Meri Keuriseumaseu), said like MEH-ree kuh-ree-suh-MAH-suh.
- Happy New Year is 새해 복 많이 받으세요 (Saehae bok mani badeuseyo).
- People say it in South Korea, North Korea.
What Meri Keuriseumaseu means
'Meri' (merry) plus 'Keuriseumaseu' (Christmas), both borrowed from English and written in Hangul.
Korean is written in Hangul, an alphabet made of blocks, each block standing for one syllable. It was created in the 1400s.
Other ways to say it in Korean
즐거운 성탄절
Jeulgeoun seongtanjeol
Say it like this: JEUL-guh-oon suhng-tahn-juhl
Means "joyful Nativity holiday". A more formal choice that uses a Sino-Korean word, often used in churches.
Happy New Year
새해 복 많이 받으세요
Saehae bok mani badeuseyo
Say it like this: seh-heh bohk mah-nee bah-deu-seh-yo
Please receive lots of good luck in the new year
Where people speak Korean
South KoreaNorth Korea
Korean (한국어) belongs to the Koreanic language family.
Hear it from Rally on Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve, Rally the corgi rides the Christmas Train around the world. He reaches Seoul at about 12:50 AM local time, and kids learn to say 메리 크리스마스 as he lands.
Watch Rally arrive in Seoul →Christmas traditions where people speak Korean
- A public holiday with church services: Christmas on December 25 has been a public holiday in South Korea since 1949. Christians attend special church services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and many other people enjoy the day as a fun, secular holiday.[3]
- Lights, dining out and gifts with friends: Shopping streets and public places in South Korea are decorated with Christmas trees and lights. Many people spend the day out with friends or partners, eating at restaurants and exchanging gifts, rather than at big family gatherings.[3]
- A Christmas tree at a Buddhist temple: At Jogyesa, the main temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in Seoul, a Christmas tree lighting is held to show friendship between religions. Buddhist monks and Christian leaders have joined the ceremony.[3]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Korean
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- CebuanoMalipayong Pasko
- Tamilகிறிஸ்துமஸ் வாழ்த்துக்கள்
- Thaiสุขสันต์วันคริสต์มาส
- Gujaratiનાતાલની શુભકામનાઓ
- Georgianშობას გილოცავთ
- Laoສຸກສັນ ວັນຄຣິດສະມາດ
- Tagalog (Filipino)Maligayang Pasko
- MalaySelamat Hari Krismas
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Korean?
The most common way is 메리 크리스마스, said "Meri Keuriseumaseu" (MEH-ree kuh-ree-suh-MAH-suh). It is borrowed from English. A more formal option is 즐거운 성탄절 (Jeulgeoun seongtanjeol), which uses a Sino-Korean word for Christmas and is often heard in churches.[1]
How do you pronounce Meri Keuriseumaseu?
Say "MEH-ree kuh-ree-suh-MAH-suh". The sound written eu is a flat vowel made with relaxed lips, a bit like the u in the word put without rounding. Korean syllables are roughly even, so give each one a similar beat and a short pause between words.[1]
What does 메리 크리스마스 mean?
It is borrowed straight from English: 메리 (meri) means merry and 크리스마스 (keuriseumaseu) means Christmas. The other greeting, 성탄절 (seongtanjeol), means Nativity holiday, from the Korean-Chinese words for holy birth and festival. Both are used to wish someone a happy Christmas.[1]
How do you write Merry Christmas in Korean?
Write it in Hangul as 메리 크리스마스, with a space between the two words. Hangul builds each syllable as a small block of letters. The block 크 is made of ㅋ and ㅡ. Korean cards often use English too, so you may see Merry Christmas written in Roman letters.[1]
How do you say Happy New Year in Korean?
The usual wish is "새해 복 많이 받으세요" (Saehae bok mani badeuseyo), which means please receive lots of good luck in the new year. Korea also has the lunar New Year, Seollal, which is a major family holiday and the time for big New Year greetings.[2][3]
Is there a formal way to say Merry Christmas in Korean?
Yes. 메리 크리스마스 is friendly for everyone, but 즐거운 성탄절 (Jeulgeoun seongtanjeol) is a bit more formal. People may add polite endings such as 보내세요 (bonaeseyo, have a good one) when writing to teachers and elders. With close friends, the English-style greeting is common.[1]
When do people say Merry Christmas in Korea?
People say it on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, December 25, and in the days before. Stores and streets show Christmas lights in December. Because Christmas is a public holiday in South Korea, schools and many workplaces are closed, so friends and families meet to celebrate.[3]
Is Christmas Eve or Christmas Day the main celebration in Korea?
Both matter. Churches hold special services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and December 25 is the public holiday. Many people go out on Christmas Eve to enjoy lights and dinner with friends or partners. Christmas is less of a big family reunion than Seollal and Chuseok.[3]
What is a popular Christmas tradition in Korea?
Many people spend time with friends or partners, dining out and exchanging gifts. Streets and shopping districts light up with trees and decorations. A special tradition is the Christmas tree lighting at Jogyesa, a Buddhist temple in Seoul, held to promote friendship between religions.[3]
How can I teach kids to say Meri Keuriseumaseu?
Say it slowly, one beat at a time: me-ri keu-ri-seu-ma-seu. Kids enjoy the flat eu sound. Show them how Hangul letters build blocks, then let them copy 메리 크리스마스 onto a card. They can also learn the New Year line to use in January.[1]
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor by Leslie Dunn. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on AmazonSources
We check every greeting against dictionaries, language institutes and cultural sources.
- merry Christmas (translations), Wiktionary
- happy New Year (translations), Wiktionary
- Observance of Christmas by country, Wikipedia
