주
Ju[t͡ɕu]
In Korean, 'lord' is translated as 주 (Ju) or 주님.
Meaning: God (name)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 주 | Ju | [t͡ɕu] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 주님 | Junim | [t͡ɕunim] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
In a religious context, particularly within Christianity, 주님 is the standard way to refer to God as 'Lord' during prayer or worship. The word 주 can also be used to mean 'Lord', but it functions more broadly as a general noun meaning 'master' or 'owner' of something.
Which one should you use?
While 주 can be used to mean 'Lord' in religious settings, it is also a general term for a 'master' or 'ruler'. 주님 is specifically used as a respectful title for God.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The suffix –님 is added to 주 to create the more respectful and honorific form 주님.
How do you pronounce it?
Ju
Did you know?
- The word 주 is a homonym with many meanings in Korean. Depending on the character used, it can mean 'lord', 'week', 'state', 'island' or 'stock share'.
- In Korean, 주님 is a clipping of 천주님, where 천주 means 'Lord of Heaven'. The term 천주교 is the specific name for Catholicism in Korea, literally meaning 'the religion of the Lord of Heaven'.
- Using 주 in a non-religious setting can be risky because it refers to an 'owner', which might make it sound like you are claiming ownership of a person.
Examples in context
- 그는 자신을 악마의 지배자라고 주장합니다.He claims to be the lord of demons.
- 우리들의 모든 기원과 희망이 주님과 함께 하기를!May all our prayers and hopes be with the Lord!
- 마음이 약하면 자신을 주님께 맡겨 보자.If your heart is weak, entrust yourself to the Lord.
- 주님은 독립을 위한 투쟁을 인도하셨다.The Lord guided the struggle for independence.
- 주께서 길을 인도하십니다.jukkeseo gireul indohasimnida.The Lord guides the way.
- 오직 주만이 나의 힘입니다.ojik jumani naui himimnida.Only the Lord is my strength.
- 주께 모든 것을 맡깁니다.jukke modeun geoseul matgimnida.I entrust everything to the Lord.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their faith in a park.
- 민준 Min-jun수빈 씨는 주를 믿으시나요?Subin ssineun jure mideusinayo?Subin, do you believe in the Lord?
- 수빈 Su-bin네, 저는 주를 믿어요.ne, jeoneun jure mideoyo.Yes, I believe in the Lord.
- 민준 Min-jun저도 주께 감사하며 살고 있어요.jeodo jukke gamsahamyeo salgo isseoyo.I am also living with gratitude to the Lord.
- 수빈 Su-bin함께 기도하면 좋겠네요.hamkke gidohamyeon jokenneyo.It would be nice to pray together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lord” translations and entries 주, 주님, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 주, CC BY-SA 4.0.
