A native Korean word (고유어, *goyueo*) of ancient origin, used unchanged for centuries in both spoken and written Korean. It covers both the living plant ("tree") and the raw material ("wood"), much as Old English *trēow* did before "tree" and "wood" split into separate words in English.

Trees hold deep symbolic weight in Korean culture. The *무궁화* (hibiscus), Korea's national flower, grows on a shrub-like tree; ancient villages were often built around a guardian tree called a *당산나무*, believed to protect the community. The word 나무 also appears in the Buddhist chant *나무아미타불* (Namu Amitabha), though that 나무 is a loanword from Sanskrit *namas* ("homage") — a notable false friend within Korean itself.