Native Korean (고유어). Derived from the verb 사랑하다 (to love), which itself traces back to Middle Korean 괴다 (to cherish/favor), with 사랑 emerging as a standalone noun in the Joseon period. The modern form solidified by the 16th–17th century.

사랑 is one of the most culturally loaded words in Korean. It appears everywhere — in K-pop ballads, drama confessions (사랑해, "I love you"), and everyday speech. Unlike English, Koreans often reserve 사랑해 for romantic or deeply familial contexts; casual fondness is more often expressed as 좋아해 ("I like you"). 사랑방 (sarangbang) — a traditional reception room in a Korean house — shares the same syllable but is unrelated etymologically.