장군
janggun[t͡ɕa̠ŋɡun]
The English phrase 'military general' is translated into Korean as 장군 (janggun).
장군 refers to a high-ranking officer in the army. While it is primarily used to denote a specific military rank, it can also be used in historical contexts or as a respectful, somewhat archaic way to address a man of great authority or a leader. Note that the term 사령관 is used specifically to mean 'commander'.
How do you pronounce it?
janggun
Did you know?
- In the traditional Korean board game 장기, calling 장군 is the equivalent of saying 'check' in chess.
- In Korean folklore, 장군 is often used to describe figures with supernatural strength, even if they were never officially commissioned as officers.
- While it is a formal title, parents sometimes use 장군 as a playful, exaggerated nickname for a young child who displays a particularly bossy or commanding personality.
Examples in context
- 장군님, 저희 부대의 상황을 보고하려고 합니다.General, I would like to report the situation of our unit.
- 우리 부대의 사령관은 장군이세요?Is the commander of our unit a general?
- 그분은 육군 장군이십니다.geubun-eun yukgun janggun-isimsida.He is an army general.
- 장군이 되려면 노력이 필요해요.janggun-i doeryeomyeon noryeogi piryohaeyo.It takes effort to become a general.
- 전쟁 영웅인 장군을 만났어요.jeonjaeng yeong-ung-in janggun-eul mannasseoyo.I met a general who is a war hero.
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Hyun-woo are visiting a history museum.
- 지은 Ji-eun이 그림 속의 장군은 누구예요?i geurim sogui janggun-eun nuguyeyo?Who is the general in this painting?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo조선 시대의 유명한 장군이에요.joseon sidae-ui yumyeonghan janggun-ieyo.He is a famous general from the Joseon Dynasty.
- 지은 Ji-eun정말 용감해 보여요.jeongmal yonggamhae boyeoyo.He looks really brave.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo맞아요, 역사책에도 많이 나와요.majayo, yeoksacheg-edo mani nawayo.Right, he appears a lot in history books.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 장군, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
