일
il[i(ː)ɭ]
The English word 'work' can be translated into Korean as 일 (il), 로동 or 직업 depending on the context.
Meaning: labour, employment, occupation, job (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 일 | il | [i(ː)ɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [iɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
|
| 직업 | jigeop | [t͡ɕiɡʌ̹p̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 로동 | rodong | [ɾo̞do̞ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | North Korea |
일 is a broad, common term used to refer to physical labor, a specific task or even a particular matter or affair, such as personal matters. You can use it to say you are busy with work by saying 일이 바빠요. To ask someone where they work, you can say 어디에서 일하세요? and the phrase 근무 시간 is used to refer specifically to working hours.
Which one should you use?
While 일 refers to the general act of working or a specific task, 직업 refers specifically to one's professional occupation or career.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In North Korea, the term 로동 is used for 'labor' or 'work', whereas in South Korea, the spelling 노동 is used.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To turn the noun 일 (work) into the verb 'to work', you can add the verb 하다 (to do) to form 일하다.
How do you pronounce it?
il
Did you know?
- In traditional Korean corporate culture, the concept of 'work' often extends beyond official 근무 시간 through mandatory team dinners called 회식, which are treated as an extension of the job.
- Korean has a specific word 퇴근 to describe the act of leaving work for the day. There is no single English verb that captures this specific transition from 'work mode' to 'home mode'.
- While 일 means 'work', it is also the word for 'one' and 'day' in Korean. You can tell them apart by the context of the sentence and a slight difference in vowel length.
Examples in context
- 또 누가 톰이랑 일해?Who else does Tom work with?This sentence shows how to ask who someone else works with using 일.Tatoeba #8361464 by Eunhee, translation #3403138 by CK
- 오늘 밤에 일해야 하니?Do you have to work tonight?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has to work at a certain time using 일.Tatoeba #5526114 by raining211, translation #1839453 by CK
- 너는 열심히 일을 한다.You work hard.This sentence demonstrates how to say someone works hard using 일.Tatoeba #8377430 by baehyunsol, translation #15993 by CK
- 우리 아빠 직장은 은행이야.My dad's job is at a bank.
- 51 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Subin and Dohyun are talking about their daily routines.
- 수빈 Su-bin도현 씨는 일이 많아요?Dohyun ssineun iri manhayo?Dohyun, do you have a lot of work?
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 요즘 일이 정말 많아요.Ne, yojeum iri jeongmal manhayo.Yes, I have really a lot of work these days.
- 수빈 Su-bin힘드시겠어요. 언제 끝나요?Himdeusigesseoyo. Eonje kkeunnanayo?That must be hard. When does it end?
- 도현 Do-hyeon내일이면 일이 다 끝나요.Naerimyeon iri da kkeunnanayo.The work will be all finished by tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “work” translations and entries 일, 직업, 로동, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
