전기
jeon'gi[ˈt͡ɕɘ(ː)nɡi]
The Korean word for biography is 전기 (jeon'gi).
전기 is a noun used to refer to the story of a person's life.
Meaning: personal life story (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
jeon'gi
Did you know?
- The word 전기 can also mean 'electricity' if written with different Hanja characters. A learner might be confused if they see a sentence discussing the 'electricity' of a person's life.
- In Korean history, the tradition of writing 전기 was deeply tied to Confucianism, focusing on the moral virtues of the subject to provide a lesson for others.
- The word 전기 can also refer to a 'turning point' in one's life, though it uses different Hanja characters 轉機.
Examples in context
- 그 배우의 전기를 읽었는데 정말 흥미로웠어.I read the biography of that actor, and it was really interesting.
- 그의 전기를 읽고 있어요.geu-ui jeon-gi-reul il-go is-seo-yo.I am reading his biography.
- 위인 전기는 정말 재미있어요.wi-in jeon-gi-neun jeong-mal jae-mi-it-seo-yo.Biographies of great figures are really interesting.
- 이 책은 작가의 전기입니다.i chaek-eun jak-ga-ui jeon-gi-im-ni-da.This book is the author's biography.
Example conversation
Minjun and Jieun are talking about a book in a library.
- 민준 Min-jun지은 씨, 이 전기를 읽어 봤어요?Ji-eun ssi, i jeon-gi-reul il-geo bwas-seo-yo?Jieun, have you read this biography?
- 지은 Ji-eun아니요, 누구의 전기인가요?a-ni-yo, nu-gu-ui jeon-gi-in-ga-yo?No, whose biography is it?
- 민준 Min-jun제가 존경하는 예술가의 전기예요.je-ga jon-gyeong-ha-neun ye-sul-ga-ui jeon-gi-ye-yo.It is a biography of an artist I admire.
- 지은 Ji-eun와, 저도 나중에 읽어 볼게요.wa, jeo-do na-jung-e il-geo bol-ge-yo.Wow, I will read it later too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “biography” translations and entries 전기, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 전기, CC BY-SA 4.0.
