왕태자
wangtaeja[wa̠ŋtʰɛd͡ʑa̠]
The English phrase "crown prince" in Korean is translated as 왕태자 (wangtaeja). Wiktionary also lists 태자 (taeja).
Meaning: next king (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 왕태자 | wangtaeja | [wa̠ŋtʰɛd͡ʑa̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [wa̠ŋtʰe̞d͡ʑa̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 태자 | taeja | [tʰɛd͡ʑa̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [tʰe̞d͡ʑa̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term refers to the next king. 왕세자 is generally used when referring to the eldest son of the current king. The addition of 님 after 왕세자 indicates respect toward the person being referred to.
Which one should you use?
The term 태자 is a shorter form of the word.
How do you pronounce it?
wangtaeja
Did you know?
- Because the sun rises in the east, the crown prince's residence was historically called the 동궁, or 'East Palace', to symbolize a new dawn for the nation.
- In historical Korean dramas, you will often hear the term 저하 used immediately after 왕세자 as a specific honorific title. While it translates to 'Your Highness', it is used as a suffix to address the crown prince directly rather than just as a general noun.
- In historical contexts, a crown prince was not always the eldest son, but was often the son deemed most 'capable' by the king.
Examples in context
- 이 나라에서 왕세자를 누가 존경합니까?Who respects the Crown Prince in this country?
- 왕세자님, 오늘은 어떤 계획이 있으신가요?Crown Prince, do you have any plans for today?
- 세자님, 우리 나라의 미래는 매우 밝습니다.Your Highness, the future of our country is very bright.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a historical drama.
- 서연 Seo-yeon이 드라마의 왕태자 캐릭터가 정말 멋있어요.i deurama-ui wangtae-ja kerikteoga jeongmal meoshisseoyo.The crown prince character in this drama is really cool.
- 도현 Do-hyeon맞아요, 연기를 아주 잘하시더라고요.majayo, yeongireul aju jal-hashideragoyo.You're right, he acts very well.
- 서연 Seo-yeon왕태자가 나중에 왕이 될까요?wangtae-jaga najunge wangi doelkayo?Will the crown prince become king later?
- 도현 Do-hyeon아마 그럴 것 같아요.ama geureol geot gatayo.I think he probably will.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crown prince” translations and entries 왕태자, 태자, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
