Korean Word of the Day
열쇠
YEOL-sweh • noun — 15th of Jun, 2026
Listen to pronunciation
Meaning: a key (for a lock); also used metaphorically as 'the key' to something important
Examples
- 집 열쇠를 잃어버렸어요.
(I lost my house key.) - 열쇠를 어디에 뒀는지 기억이 안 나요.
(I can't remember where I put the key.) - 성공의 열쇠는 꾸준한 연습이에요.
(The key to success is consistent practice.)
Synonyms
Click a synonym to see how it compares to 열쇠.
Use 열쇠 for physical keys (house, car, cabinet) and in idiomatic expressions (e.g., 성공의 열쇠 = 'the key to success'). '키' is a common loanword synonym in casual speech. Common verbs with 열쇠: 열쇠를 잃다 (lose a key), 열쇠를 꽂다 (insert a key), 열쇠로 잠그다/열다 (lock/unlock with a key). Pronunciation tip: 'yeol' sounds like 'yuhl' and 'sweh' like 'sweh'.
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