개
gae · TOPIK 1
dog
🐕 gae sounds like gay: a gay (old sense: merry) dog wagging its tail
개 is pronounced close to English geh/gay. Tie the sound to the old meaning of gay, merry, which fits a happy dog. Note 개 is also the general counter for things, so you will hear it constantly: 한 개, 두 개.