장
jang[t͡ɕa̠(ː)ŋ]
The English phrase "chapter" translates to Korean as 장 (jang). Wiktionary also lists 장절 (jangjeol).
Meaning: section in a book (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 장 | jang | [t͡ɕa̠(ː)ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 장절 | jangjeol |
The term is used to denote a section in a book. In some contexts, people may also use the term 편 to denote chapters.
Which one should you use?
While 장 refers to a chapter, the form 장절 refers to both the chapter and the verse. This is often used when citing specific parts of a text, such as legal codes or the Bible.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you are specifying a particular chapter number in a formal way, the prefix 제 is often added to the number before the word 장, such as 제1장 for "Chapter 1".
How do you pronounce it?
jang
Did you know?
- If you see the word 장 in a culinary context, it might not mean 'chapter' at all, but instead refers to 'soy sauce' or 'paste' from the Hanja 醬.
- The word 장 used for a book chapter comes from the Hanja 章, which originally referred to a 'pattern' or 'decoration'.
- The prefix 제 in 제1장 is a Sino-Korean character meaning 'ordinal number', which is used to transform a cardinal number into a ranked sequence.
Examples in context
- 이 소설은 20장으로 구성되어 있어요.The novel consists of 20 chapters.
- 다음 장을 읽어 보세요.daeum jang-eul ilg-eo bo-se-yo.Please read the next chapter.
- 첫 번째 장이 제일 재미있어요.cheot beon-jjae jang-i jeil jaemi-isseoyo.The first chapter is the most interesting.
Example conversation
Subin and Dohyun are discussing a textbook in a library.
- 수빈 Su-bin도현 씨, 몇 장까지 공부했어요?Dohyun-ssi, myeot jang-kkaji gongbu-haesseoyo?Dohyun, up to which chapter did you study?
- 도현 Do-hyeon저는 3장까지 다 읽었어요.jeo-neun sam-jang-kkaji da ilg-eosseoyo.I read all the way up to chapter 3.
- 수빈 Su-bin그럼 4장도 같이 볼까요?geureom sa-jang-do gat-i bol-kka-yo?Then shall we look at chapter 4 together?
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 좋아요.ne, jo-ayo.Yes, that sounds good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chapter” translations and entries 장, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 장, CC BY-SA 4.0.
