셀카
"Selfie" in Korean — short for 셀프카메라 ("self camera"). The default word for self-portrait photos.
- Meaning: "Selfie" in Korean — short for 셀프카메라 ("self camera"). The default word for self-portrait photos.
- Pronunciation: /sel.kʰa/ (selka)
- Part of speech: noun
- Formality: Casual — for friends, family, and close peers.
- Literal: self camera
What does 셀카 mean?
셀카 (selka) is Korean for "selfie." It is an abbreviation of 셀프카메라 (selpeu kamera, "self camera") and predates the English word "selfie" — Koreans coined the term in the early 2000s when front-facing cell phone cameras first appeared. K-pop idols, K-drama actors, and everyday Koreans use 셀카 constantly: posting on social media, taking fan photos, and capturing memories. There is even a verb form: 셀카 찍다 (selka jjikda, "to take a selfie").
Examples in context
When to use 셀카
- Social media captions and chats
- Asking friends for or to take photos
- K-pop fan-meet and concert contexts
- Casual everyday conversation
When NOT to use 셀카
- Professional photography contexts — say 자가 촬영 (jaga chwaryeong, "self-photography") for formal use
- Formal writing or news — 셀프 사진 ("self photo") is more neutral
- When emphasizing a posed group photo — that is 단체 사진 (danche sajin)
Related terms
More in Konglish & loanwords
Everyday Korean words coined from English roots — daily-life vocab that surprises learners.
"Cell phone" in Korean — Konglish "hand phone." The everyday word Koreans actually use, more common than the textbook term 휴대폰.
"Laptop" in Korean — from English "notebook." The everyday word for laptop computers, NOT for paper notebooks.
"Iced americano" — Korea's most-consumed coffee drink, the cultural-meme staple even Koreans drink in the dead of winter.
"Mental breakdown" — Korean slang for being completely overwhelmed, frozen, or short-circuiting from shock.
Frequently asked questions
What does 셀카 mean in Korean?
셀카 (selka) means "selfie" in Korean. It is an abbreviation of 셀프카메라 (selpeu kamera, "self camera") and is the default word Koreans use for self-portrait photos. Verb form: 셀카 찍다 (selka jjikda, "to take a selfie").
Is 셀카 older than the English "selfie"?
Yes. Koreans coined 셀카 in the early 2000s when phones first got front-facing cameras. The English word "selfie" did not become widespread until around 2013 (Oxford named it "word of the year"). For about a decade, Korean had a word for the concept that English did not.
How do you say "let's take a selfie" in Korean?
"Let's take a selfie" is 셀카 찍자 (selka jjikja) in casual Korean, or 셀카 한 장 찍어요 (selka han jang jjigeoyo) in polite Korean. The verb 찍다 (jjikda) means "to take/snap a photo."
How is 셀카 pronounced?
셀카 is pronounced [sel.kʰa] — "sel-ka," two syllables. The "셀" rhymes with English "sell"; the "카" has an aspirated K sound (a strong "kʰa" with breath). Romanization: selka (Revised), with the spelling matching how an English speaker would naturally say it.
Further reading
External references for cross-checking the information on this page.
- Selfie — Wikipedia
History of the self-portrait photo and its global naming.
- Konglish — Wikipedia
The category of Korean-coined English-derived words that 셀카 belongs to.
More Korean slang?
Browse the full Korean Slang Dictionary or read the deep-dive: Korean Slang Ultimate Guide.