Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 장마 | jangma | [t͡ɕa̠ŋma̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 우기 | ugi | [ˈu(ː)ɡi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 우계 | ugye |
The term for the rainy season depends on whether you are discussing the specific seasonal patterns in Korea or a general climatic period elsewhere. In daily conversation in Korea, 장마 is the standard way to refer to the annual period of heavy seasonal rain.
What does it mean word for word?
When you see the word 장마철, it is formed by adding the suffix 철 to 장마. The suffix 철 indicates a specific period or season, and combining them emphasizes the duration or the 'season' aspect of the rainy period.
Which one should you use?
장마 refers specifically to the seasonal monsoon-like rainy period characteristic of the Korean peninsula. In contrast, 우기 is a more general, technical or geographical term used to describe a rainy season in many parts of the world, such as in tropical regions. 우계 is also a term for the rainy season.
How do you pronounce it?
jangma
Did you know?
- The word 장마 is actually a linguistic fossil. Its historical root, the Middle Korean word 맣, disappeared from common usage but survives today as the first part of the word 마파람, which means 'south wind'.
- Korean culture has traditionally associated the timing of 장마 with the critical period for rice cultivation, as the heavy rains provide essential water for the crop.
- In Korea, the feeling of 장마 is often associated with high humidity and 'sticky' air, leading to the use of specialized dehumidifying appliances that are rarely used in other seasons.
Examples in context
- 장마철이 시작되었어요.The rainy season has set in.This sentence is useful for saying that the rainy season (using 장마) has set in.Tatoeba #13105982 by enchanted, translation #26682 by CK
- 장마철에는 항상 우산을 가지고 다녀야 합니다.During the rainy season, we should carry an umbrella at all times.
- 장마시즌 끝나고 만나자!Let's meet after the rainy season is over.
- 장마 때문에 빨래를 못 했어요.jangma ttaemune ppallaereul mot haesseoyo.I couldn't do the laundry because of the rainy season.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about the weather while holding umbrellas.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo수빈 씨, 벌써 장마가 시작됐나 봐요.subin ssi, beolsseo jangmaga sijakdwaenna bwayo.Subin, it looks like the rainy season has already started.
- 수빈 Su-bin네, 매일 비가 오네요.ne, maeil biga oneyo.Yes, it rains every day.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo습해서 기분이 안 좋아요.seuphaeseo gibuni an joayo.I feel bad because it is so humid.
- 수빈 Su-bin맞아요. 제습기가 필요해요.majayo. jeseupgiga piryohaeyo.You're right. I need a dehumidifier.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rainy season” translations and entries 장마, 우기, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 우기, 장마, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
