잔
jan[t͡ɕa̠n]
In Korean, 잔 (jan) (jaan) means a small drinking vessel used for liquids such as tea or wine.
The term refers to a glass, cup or vessel used for drinking liquids.
How does it change in a sentence?
잔 functions as a counter used to count drinks or vessels of liquid. When counting the number of glasses, you place the number before the counter, such as in 한 잔, which means one glass or one cup.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is jan.
Did you know?
- In Korean dining etiquette, if you are drinking with someone much older or of higher status, you should turn your head away from them while lifting your 잔 to take a sip.
- When drinking with others, Koreans often use the phrase 원샷 (one shot) to encourage someone to empty their 잔 in a single gulp.
- The word 잔 is a Sino-Korean word derived from the Chinese character 盞, which specifically refers to a small vessel.
Examples in context
- 사랑해요I love you
- 너는 나의 애인이야You are my love
- 예쁜 잔을 하나 샀어요.yeppeun janeul hana sasseoyo.I bought a pretty cup.
- 차 잔을 식탁에 놓으세요.cha janeul siktage noeuseyo.Please put the tea cup on the table.
- 이 잔은 아주 작아요.i janeun aju jagayo.This cup is very small.
Example conversation
Minji and Minjun are having tea at a cafe.
- 민지 Min-ji민준 씨, 이 잔 좀 보세요.Minjun ssi, i jan jom boseyo.Minjun, look at this cup.
- 민준 Min-jun정말 예쁜 잔이네요.Jeongmal yeppeun janineyo.It is a really pretty cup.
- 민지 Min-ji그쵸? 디자인이 마음에 들어요.Geuchyo? dijaini maeume deureoyo.Right? I like the design.
- 민준 Min-jun민지 씨가 잘 골랐어요.Minji ssi-ga jal gollasseoyo.Minji, you chose well.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 잔, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 잔, CC BY-SA 4.0.
