참치
chamchi[t͡ɕʰa̠mt͡ɕʰi]
In Korean, tuna can be expressed as 참치 (chamchi), 다랑어 or 참다랑어.
Meaning: fish (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 참치 | chamchi | [t͡ɕʰa̠mt͡ɕʰi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 다랑어 | darang'eo | [ta̠ɾa̠ŋʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 참다랑어 | chamdarang'eo | [t͡ɕʰa̠mda̠ɾa̠ŋʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The word refers to the fish known as tuna. In a culinary context, such as when referring to canned tuna, the standard phrase is 참치 통조림.
Which one should you use?
다랑어 is the biological term for tuna, while 참치 is the much more common word used in daily conversation and when talking about food. 참다랑어 specifically refers to bluefin tuna, whereas 참치 acts as a general term used for various types of tuna in a culinary context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Jeju Island dialect, the word for tuna is 촘치.
How do you pronounce it?
chamchi
Did you know?
- The word 참치 can be traced back to the Sino-Korean words 參差, which originally meant 'uneven' or 'discrepant'.
- The suffix -치 in 참치 is an ancient way to denote fish, often appearing in traditional names like 멸치 for anchovies.
- In Korean culinary culture, the word 참치 is so synonymous with canned goods that many people instinctively think of 'canned tuna' before the fresh fish itself.
Examples in context
- 톰은 참치통조림 이외의 생선류는 절대 먹지 않아.Tom doesn't eat any fish except canned tuna.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the word 참치 when discussing canned tuna.Tatoeba #8360727 by Eunhee, translation #6240447 by CK
- 제 참치는 맛있습니다.My tuna is delicious.
- 참치는 정말 맛있어요.chamchineun jeongmal masisseoyo.Tuna is really delicious.
- 마트에서 참치를 샀어요.mateseo chamchireul sasseoyo.I bought tuna at the mart.
Example conversation
Minji and Jihun are discussing what to eat for dinner.
- 민지 Min-ji지훈 씨, 저녁으로 참치 먹을까요?Jihun ssi, jeonyeogeuro chamchi meogeulkkayo?Jihun, shall we eat tuna for dinner?
- 지훈 Ji-hun좋아요. 참치 초밥 어때요?Joayo. Chamchi chobap eottaeyo?Sounds good. How about tuna sushi?
- 민지 Min-ji정말 좋은 생각이에요!Jeongmal joeun saenggagieyo!That is a really great idea!
- 지훈 Ji-hun그럼 지금 바로 식당에 가요.Geureom jigeum baro sikdange gayo.Then let's go to the restaurant right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tuna” translations and entries 참치, 다랑어, 참다랑어, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 참다랑어, 참치, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
