상아탑

Korean

Sino-Korean word from 象牙塔, from 象牙 (“ivory”) + 塔 (“tower”), probably a calque of English ivory tower.

Revised Romanization^?	sang-atap
Revised Romanization (translit.)^?	sang-atab
McCune–Reischauer^?	sangat'ap
Yale Romanization^?	sang.athap

상아탑 • (sang-atap) (hanja 象牙塔)

(idiomatic) university (especially as an abode of learning and wisdom)
학문의 상아탑이 취업 기관으로 전락한 모습을 보니 씁쓸하다.
Hangmunui sang-atabi chwieop gigwaneuro jeollakhan moseubeul boni sseupsseulhada.
It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth to see these sacred abodes of knowledge degenerate into institutions for employment.
Synonym: 대학(大學) (daehak, “university”, non-idiomatic)
(original meaning, less common) ivory tower

Unlike in English, the word in its more common "university" sense is generally positive.