What does 공주 mean?
공주 (gong-ju) means: Princess.
Speakers use this term to refer to the daughter born to a king and queen, or a royal princess appearing in stories and kingdoms. It pairs with verbs and nouns describing birth, marriage, and royal succession, such as 태어나다, 결혼하다, and 왕국. It also appears in contexts involving historical accounts or traditional narratives about royalty.
Other sides of 공주
◆ Parental endearment — Speakers reach for this when addressing or referring to their young daughters with affection. It appears in contexts where parents express care, celebrate milestones like birthdays, or converse directly with their children. A parent speaking to a daughter leaving for school uses it alongside everyday affectionate dialogue, pairing it with direct address words like 엄마 and terms of well-wishing.
This can feel warmly protective, framing the child as the cherished center of the household.
This can feel warmly protective, framing the child as the cherished center of the household.
How it's actually used
- 왕비는 자신을 꼭 닮은 공주를 낳았다.
wang-bi-neun ja-sin-eul kkok dal-eun gong-ju-reul nah-at-da.
The queen gave birth to a princess who looked just like her.
💡 Describes a royal birth within a narrative context. - 왕자는 이웃 나라 공주와 결혼하고 싶다고 왕에게 말했다.
wang-ja-neun i-ut na-ra gong-ju-wa gyeol-hon-ha-go sip-da-go wang-e-ge mal-ha-et-da.
The prince told the king that he wanted to marry the princess of a neighboring country.
💡 Describes a royal marriage arrangement in a story. - 왕은 왕자가 아닌 공주에게 자신의 왕국을 물려주겠다고 선언했다.
wang-eun wang-ja-ga an-in gong-ju-e-ge ja-sin-ui wang-guk-eul mul-ryeo-ju-get-da-go seon-eon-haet-da.
The king declared that he would hand over his kingdom to the princess rather than the prince.
💡 Describes royal succession involving a princess.