잘 자
jal ja
The English phrase 'sleep tight' can be translated into Korean as 잘 자 (jal ja).
This phrase is used as a farewell to wish someone a good night's sleep.
Meaning: farewell (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 잘 (well) and 자 (sleep).
Which one should you use?
While 잘 자 is a casual way to say 'sleep well', 안녕히 주무세요 is the formal/honorific way to say good night to someone of higher social status or an elder.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form 잘 자 is informal and should only be used with friends, siblings or people younger than you. For a polite way to say 'sleep tight' or 'sleep well', use 잘 주무세요. Additionally, 푹 자 is an informal and affectionate way to say 'sleep well'.
How do you pronounce it?
jal ja
Did you know?
- In many Korean households, instead of saying 'sleep tight', parents might say 꿈속에서 맛있는 거 많이 먹어, which means 'eat lots of delicious things in your dreams'.
- In modern digital slang, Koreans often shorten the phrase 잘 자 to just ㅈㅈ when texting friends.
- While 잘 자 means 'sleep well', the alternative 푹 자 uses the word 푹, which describes the feeling of sinking deeply into something soft like a pillow or a thick cushion.
Examples in context
- 국장님, 잘 주무세요.Director, sleep tight.
- 잘 자, 내일 봐.jal ja, naeil bwa.Sleep tight, see you tomorrow.
- 이제 그만 자, 잘 자.ije geuman ja, jal ja.Go to sleep now, sleep tight.
- 꿈도 꾸지 말고 잘 자.kkumdo kkuji malgo jal ja.Sleep tight without even dreaming.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Minji are finishing a phone call late at night.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo민지야, 이제 자야겠다.Minji-ya, ije jayagetda.Minji, I should go to sleep now.
- 민지 Min-ji응, 현우도 잘 자.eung, Hyunwoo-do jal ja.Yeah, sleep tight too, Hyunwoo.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo그래, 잘 자.geurae, jal ja.Okay, sleep tight.
- 민지 Min-ji내일 연락할게.naeil yeonrakhalge.I'll contact you tomorrow.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 잘 자, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
