주장
jujang[t͡ɕud͡ʑa̠ŋ]
The English word 'captain' can be translated into Korean as 주장 (jujang).
주장 refers to the person lawfully in command of a sea-going vessel.
Meaning: the person lawfully in command of a sea-going vessel (noun)
Which one should you use?
대장 is a formal way to say 'captain' in Korean.
How do you pronounce it?
jujang
Did you know?
- The word 주장 for 'captain' is a homonym for 'assertion' or 'argument'. In modern conversation, using it to mean a ship's commander might lead a listener to believe you are discussing someone's opinion.
- While 주장 is the standard term for a captain in Korean sports, it is rarely used for the captain of a flight or a ship.
- Among friends, the formal word 대장 is often used playfully to call someone 'the boss' or 'captain'.
Example conversation
Jihoon and Subin are looking at a large ship in the harbor.
- 지훈 Ji-hun저 사람이 이 배의 주장일까?jeo sarami i bae-ui jujang-ilkka?Do you think that person is the captain of this ship?
- 수빈 Su-bin아니요, 주장은 따로 계실 거예요.aniyo, jujang-eun ttaro gyesil geoyeyo.No, the captain is probably somewhere else.
- 지훈 Ji-hun주장을 직접 만나보고 싶어.jujang-eul jikjeop mann-abogo sipeo.I want to meet the captain in person.
- 수빈 Su-bin그럼 같이 가서 여쭤보자.geureom gachi gaseo yeojjwoboja.Then let's go and ask together.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 주장, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
