가지
gaji[ka̠d͡ʑi]
The Korean word for eggplant is 가지 (gaji).
The term 가지 refers to the edible fruit known as eggplant. You can use this word when referring to specific dishes made from it, such as the stir-fried dish 가지볶음 or the seasoned dish 가지나물.
Meaning: edible fruit (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
gaji
Did you know?
- Traditional Korean medicine classifies 가지 as a 'cold' food, meaning it is eaten specifically to lower the body temperature during summer.
- In Korean, the word 가지 is a homonym that also means 'branch' or 'stem' of a plant. Depending on the context, you might be talking about the vegetable or the part of the tree it grew on.
- The word 가지 is also used as a verb stem in Korean to mean 'to have' or 'to possess' in certain grammatical forms. This can lead to confusing sentences if the listener does not distinguish between the noun and the verb.
Examples in context
- 호텔에서 가지를 주문했어요.I ordered eggplant at the hotel.
- 가지가 아주 맛있어요.gajiga aju masisseoyo.The eggplant is very delicious.
- 시장에서 가지를 샀어요.sijang-eseo gajireul sasseoyo.I bought some eggplants at the market.
- 가지 요리를 좋아하세요?gaji yorireul joahaseyo?Do you like eggplant dishes?
Example conversation
A couple is discussing what to cook for dinner.
- 민준 Min-jun저녁으로 뭐 먹을까요?jeonyeogeuro mwo meogeulkkayo?What shall we eat for dinner?
- 서연 Seo-yeon민준 씨, 가지볶음 어때요?Minjun ssi, gajibokkeum eottaeyo?Minjun, how about stir-fried eggplant?
- 민준 Min-jun좋아요, 가지를 좋아하거든요.joayo, gajireul joahageodeunyo.That sounds good, because I like eggplant.
- 서연 Seo-yeon그럼 제가 재료를 사올게요.geureom jega jaeryoreul saolgeyo.Then I will go buy the ingredients.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eggplant” translations and entries 가지, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
