Workplace Korean 100

Getting startedNot yet checkedLast checked 2026-09

The figures here have not yet been checked against the government source. For anything that needs a decision, call 1350.

These are 100 words you hear and use every day at work in Korea. Words 1–30 protect your rights. Words 31–100 are about time, people, work, instructions, safety, your body, and papers and money.

Not for the exam

This list is not copied from EPS-TOPIK exam questions or textbooks. We chose words you use right away at work and in daily life, and we wrote the meanings ourselves. For the exam, study with the official materials.

Each meaning is one short line. Amounts, deadlines and conditions can change, so check them in the other guides in this app.

CautionLearn 멈춰! (Stop!), 불이야! (Fire!) and 119 first. In a dangerous moment there is no time to think.

Words that protect you (1–30)

Word · reading	Meaning
근로계약서 geun-ro-gye-yak-seo	Employment contract — A document that sets out your working conditions. Read it before you sign.
외국인등록증 oe-guk-in-deung-rok-jeung	Alien registration card — The card that proves who you are in Korea.
월급 wol-geup	Monthly pay — The money you earn for a month of work.
시급 si-geup	Hourly wage — The money you earn for one hour of work.
최저임금 choe-jeo-im-geum	Minimum wage — The lowest hourly wage set by law. It changes every year.
기본급 gi-bon-geup	Base pay — Your pay for the set hours only, without allowances.
급여명세서 geup-yeo-myeong-se-seo	Pay slip — A paper showing how your pay was calculated. Your company must give it to you.
근로시간 geun-ro-si-gan	Working hours — The hours you actually worked.
휴게시간 hyu-ge-si-gan	Break time — Rest time in the middle of work.
연장근로(잔업) yeon-jang-geun-ro	Overtime — Working more than your set hours.
야간근로 ya-gan-geun-ro	Night work — Working at night.
휴일근로 hyu-il-geun-ro	Holiday work — Working on your day off.
수당 su-dang	Allowance — Money paid on top of your base pay.
주휴수당 ju-hyu-su-dang	Weekly holiday pay — If you meet the hours, full-attendance and industry conditions, you also get paid for one day you don't work.
연차 yeon-cha	Annual leave — Days you can rest and still get paid.
공제 gong-je	Deduction — Money taken out of your pay.
기숙사 gi-suk-sa	Dormitory — Housing your company provides.
서면동의 seo-myeon-dong-ui	Written consent — Agreement you sign on paper.
4대보험 sa-dae-bo-heom	Four social insurances — Health, pension, employment and industrial accident insurance.
건강보험 geon-gang-bo-heom	Health insurance — Insurance that shares the cost of medical bills.
국민연금 guk-min-yeon-geum	National pension — A pension paid out of your wages.
산재 san-jae	Industrial accident — Getting hurt at work.
체불 che-bul	Unpaid wages — Money you are owed but were not paid.
진정(신고) jin-jeong	Complaint (to labor office) — Telling the labor ministry about a problem.
1350 il-sam-o-gong	1350 (labor hotline) — The Ministry of Employment and Labor helpline. Advice is free and interpreters are available.
통역 tong-yeok	Interpreter — A person who puts what is said into another language.
사업장 변경 sa-eop-jang-byeon-gyeong	Workplace change — Moving to another company.
귀책사유 gwi-chaek-sa-yu	Employer's fault — When you move because the company did something wrong.
퇴직금 toe-jik-geum	Severance pay — Money you get when you leave after working 1 year or more.
출국만기보험 chul-guk-man-gi-bo-heom	Departure guarantee insurance — Insurance that takes the place of severance pay for E-9 workers.

Time (31–43)

Word · reading	Meaning
출근 chul-geun	Going to work — Going to your workplace to work.
퇴근 toe-geun	Leaving work — Finishing work and heading out.
잔업 jan-eop	Overtime — Extra work after your set hours. You get paid more for it.
야근 ya-geun	Night shift — Work done at night.
주간·야간 ju-gan · ya-gan	Day · night shift — Working in the daytime, working at night.
교대 gyo-dae	Shift change — Taking over the work from the previous shift.
휴무 hyu-mu	Day off — A day you don't work.
쉬는 시간 swi-neun si-gan	Break — Rest time in the middle of work.
점심시간 jeom-sim-si-gan	Lunch break — Time to eat lunch.
지각 ji-gak	Late — Arriving late.
조퇴 jo-toe	Leaving early — Leaving before your work ends.
결근 gyeol-geun	Absence — Not coming to work. It affects your weekly holiday pay.
월급날 wol-geup-nal	Payday — The day your pay comes in.

People and places (44–53)

Word · reading	Meaning
사장님 sa-jang-nim	Boss / owner — The owner of the company.
반장 ban-jang	Team leader — The person who gives instructions on the work floor.
관리자 gwal-li-ja	Manager — A person in charge.
동료 dong-nyo	Coworker — Someone you work with.
사무실 sa-mu-sil	Office — Where the paperwork is done.
현장 hyeon-jang	Work site — Where the work is done.
창고 chang-go	Warehouse — Where goods are stored.
식당 sik-dang	Cafeteria — Where you eat.
휴게실 hyu-ge-sil	Break room — A room for resting. It is what BREAKROOM means.
화장실 hwa-jang-sil	Restroom

Work (54–65)

Word · reading	Meaning
조립 jo-rip	Assembly — Fitting parts together.
포장 po-jang	Packing — Wrapping up goods.
용접 yong-jeop	Welding — Joining metal by melting it.
검사 geom-sa	Inspection — Checking that the work came out right.
불량 bul-lyang	Defect — Something made wrong.
운반 un-ban	Carrying — Moving goods from place to place.
기계 gi-gye	Machine
지게차 ji-ge-cha	Forklift — A vehicle that lifts heavy things. You need a license to drive one.
재료 jae-ryo	Material — What is used to make things.
수확 su-hwak	Harvest — Gathering crops.
비닐하우스 bi-nil-ha-u-seu	Greenhouse — A farm covered with plastic sheets.
축사 chuk-sa	Livestock barn — Where cattle and pigs are raised.

Instructions (66–73)

Word · reading	Meaning
켜다 · 끄다 kyeo-da · kkeu-da	Turn on · off
멈춰! meom-chwo	Stop! — It means: stop the machine right now.
조심해! jo-sim-hae	Be careful!
빨리 ppal-li	Quickly
천천히 cheon-cheon-hi	Slowly
다시 da-si	Again
끝났어요 kkeun-na-sseo-yo	It's done
모르겠어요 mo-reu-ge-sseo-yo	I don't understand — Say this when you don't understand. It asks them to explain again.

Safety (74–84)

Word · reading	Meaning
위험 wi-heom	Danger
안전모 an-jeon-mo	Hard hat — A helmet that protects your head.
안전화 an-jeon-hwa	Safety shoes
장갑 jang-gap	Gloves
보안경 bo-an-gyeong	Safety glasses
귀마개 gwi-ma-gae	Earplugs
마스크 ma-seu-keu	Mask — Wear it where there is dust or chemicals.
비상구 bi-sang-gu	Emergency exit
소화기 so-hwa-gi	Fire extinguisher
불이야! bu-ri-ya	Fire!
119 il-il-gu	119 (fire·ambulance) — Fire, accidents, ambulance.

Your body (85–90)

Word · reading	Meaning
다쳤어요 da-chyeo-sseo-yo	I'm hurt — Say it right away if you get hurt. It is the first step of an industrial accident claim.
아파요 a-pa-yo	It hurts / I'm sick
병원 byeong-won	Hospital
약국 yak-guk	Pharmacy
병가 byeong-ga	Sick leave — Taking time off because you are sick.
구급차 gu-geup-cha	Ambulance — Call 119 for one.

Papers and money (91–100)

Word · reading	Meaning
통장 tong-jang	Bankbook — Get your pay into a bank account in your own name.
계좌 gye-jwa	Bank account
이체 i-che	Transfer — Sending money to another account.
송금 song-geum	Remittance — Sending money home.
여권 yeo-gwon	Passport — Don't hand it over to anyone else.
체류기간 che-ryu-gi-gan	Period of stay — How long you are allowed to stay in Korea.
연장 yeon-jang	Extension — Making a period longer.
고용센터 go-yong-sen-teo	Job center — A government office that handles workplace changes and other procedures.
출입국 chu-rip-guk	Immigration office — Where visas and stays are handled.
서명 seo-myeong	Signature — Sign only after you have read and understood.

If something needs a judgment beyond the meaning of a word, ask the Ministry of Employment and Labor counseling center (고용노동부 상담센터) 1350. 1350 offers counseling in English and Chinese; for other languages, ask 1345. Counseling is free, but you pay the phone charge.

Workplace Korean 100

Getting startedNot yet checkedLast checked 2026-09

The figures here have not yet been checked against the government source. For anything that needs a decision, call 1350.

These are 100 words you hear and use every day at work in Korea. Words 1–30 protect your rights. Words 31–100 are about time, people, work, instructions, safety, your body, and papers and money.

Not for the exam

Each meaning is one short line. Amounts, deadlines and conditions can change, so check them in the other guides in this app.

CautionLearn 멈춰! (Stop!), 불이야! (Fire!) and 119 first. In a dangerous moment there is no time to think.

Words that protect you (1–30)

Word · reading	Meaning
근로계약서 geun-ro-gye-yak-seo	Employment contract — A document that sets out your working conditions. Read it before you sign.
외국인등록증 oe-guk-in-deung-rok-jeung	Alien registration card — The card that proves who you are in Korea.
월급 wol-geup	Monthly pay — The money you earn for a month of work.
시급 si-geup	Hourly wage — The money you earn for one hour of work.
최저임금 choe-jeo-im-geum	Minimum wage — The lowest hourly wage set by law. It changes every year.
기본급 gi-bon-geup	Base pay — Your pay for the set hours only, without allowances.
급여명세서 geup-yeo-myeong-se-seo	Pay slip — A paper showing how your pay was calculated. Your company must give it to you.
근로시간 geun-ro-si-gan	Working hours — The hours you actually worked.
휴게시간 hyu-ge-si-gan	Break time — Rest time in the middle of work.
연장근로(잔업) yeon-jang-geun-ro	Overtime — Working more than your set hours.
야간근로 ya-gan-geun-ro	Night work — Working at night.
휴일근로 hyu-il-geun-ro	Holiday work — Working on your day off.
수당 su-dang	Allowance — Money paid on top of your base pay.
주휴수당 ju-hyu-su-dang	Weekly holiday pay — If you meet the hours, full-attendance and industry conditions, you also get paid for one day you don't work.
연차 yeon-cha	Annual leave — Days you can rest and still get paid.
공제 gong-je	Deduction — Money taken out of your pay.
기숙사 gi-suk-sa	Dormitory — Housing your company provides.
서면동의 seo-myeon-dong-ui	Written consent — Agreement you sign on paper.
4대보험 sa-dae-bo-heom	Four social insurances — Health, pension, employment and industrial accident insurance.
건강보험 geon-gang-bo-heom	Health insurance — Insurance that shares the cost of medical bills.
국민연금 guk-min-yeon-geum	National pension — A pension paid out of your wages.
산재 san-jae	Industrial accident — Getting hurt at work.
체불 che-bul	Unpaid wages — Money you are owed but were not paid.
진정(신고) jin-jeong	Complaint (to labor office) — Telling the labor ministry about a problem.
1350 il-sam-o-gong	1350 (labor hotline) — The Ministry of Employment and Labor helpline. Advice is free and interpreters are available.
통역 tong-yeok	Interpreter — A person who puts what is said into another language.
사업장 변경 sa-eop-jang-byeon-gyeong	Workplace change — Moving to another company.
귀책사유 gwi-chaek-sa-yu	Employer's fault — When you move because the company did something wrong.
퇴직금 toe-jik-geum	Severance pay — Money you get when you leave after working 1 year or more.
출국만기보험 chul-guk-man-gi-bo-heom	Departure guarantee insurance — Insurance that takes the place of severance pay for E-9 workers.

Time (31–43)

Word · reading	Meaning
출근 chul-geun	Going to work — Going to your workplace to work.
퇴근 toe-geun	Leaving work — Finishing work and heading out.
잔업 jan-eop	Overtime — Extra work after your set hours. You get paid more for it.
야근 ya-geun	Night shift — Work done at night.
주간·야간 ju-gan · ya-gan	Day · night shift — Working in the daytime, working at night.
교대 gyo-dae	Shift change — Taking over the work from the previous shift.
휴무 hyu-mu	Day off — A day you don't work.
쉬는 시간 swi-neun si-gan	Break — Rest time in the middle of work.
점심시간 jeom-sim-si-gan	Lunch break — Time to eat lunch.
지각 ji-gak	Late — Arriving late.
조퇴 jo-toe	Leaving early — Leaving before your work ends.
결근 gyeol-geun	Absence — Not coming to work. It affects your weekly holiday pay.
월급날 wol-geup-nal	Payday — The day your pay comes in.

People and places (44–53)

Word · reading	Meaning
사장님 sa-jang-nim	Boss / owner — The owner of the company.
반장 ban-jang	Team leader — The person who gives instructions on the work floor.
관리자 gwal-li-ja	Manager — A person in charge.
동료 dong-nyo	Coworker — Someone you work with.
사무실 sa-mu-sil	Office — Where the paperwork is done.
현장 hyeon-jang	Work site — Where the work is done.
창고 chang-go	Warehouse — Where goods are stored.
식당 sik-dang	Cafeteria — Where you eat.
휴게실 hyu-ge-sil	Break room — A room for resting. It is what BREAKROOM means.
화장실 hwa-jang-sil	Restroom

Work (54–65)

Word · reading	Meaning
조립 jo-rip	Assembly — Fitting parts together.
포장 po-jang	Packing — Wrapping up goods.
용접 yong-jeop	Welding — Joining metal by melting it.
검사 geom-sa	Inspection — Checking that the work came out right.
불량 bul-lyang	Defect — Something made wrong.
운반 un-ban	Carrying — Moving goods from place to place.
기계 gi-gye	Machine
지게차 ji-ge-cha	Forklift — A vehicle that lifts heavy things. You need a license to drive one.
재료 jae-ryo	Material — What is used to make things.
수확 su-hwak	Harvest — Gathering crops.
비닐하우스 bi-nil-ha-u-seu	Greenhouse — A farm covered with plastic sheets.
축사 chuk-sa	Livestock barn — Where cattle and pigs are raised.

Instructions (66–73)

Word · reading	Meaning
켜다 · 끄다 kyeo-da · kkeu-da	Turn on · off
멈춰! meom-chwo	Stop! — It means: stop the machine right now.
조심해! jo-sim-hae	Be careful!
빨리 ppal-li	Quickly
천천히 cheon-cheon-hi	Slowly
다시 da-si	Again
끝났어요 kkeun-na-sseo-yo	It's done
모르겠어요 mo-reu-ge-sseo-yo	I don't understand — Say this when you don't understand. It asks them to explain again.

Safety (74–84)

Word · reading	Meaning
위험 wi-heom	Danger
안전모 an-jeon-mo	Hard hat — A helmet that protects your head.
안전화 an-jeon-hwa	Safety shoes
장갑 jang-gap	Gloves
보안경 bo-an-gyeong	Safety glasses
귀마개 gwi-ma-gae	Earplugs
마스크 ma-seu-keu	Mask — Wear it where there is dust or chemicals.
비상구 bi-sang-gu	Emergency exit
소화기 so-hwa-gi	Fire extinguisher
불이야! bu-ri-ya	Fire!
119 il-il-gu	119 (fire·ambulance) — Fire, accidents, ambulance.

Your body (85–90)

Word · reading	Meaning
다쳤어요 da-chyeo-sseo-yo	I'm hurt — Say it right away if you get hurt. It is the first step of an industrial accident claim.
아파요 a-pa-yo	It hurts / I'm sick
병원 byeong-won	Hospital
약국 yak-guk	Pharmacy
병가 byeong-ga	Sick leave — Taking time off because you are sick.
구급차 gu-geup-cha	Ambulance — Call 119 for one.

Papers and money (91–100)

Word · reading	Meaning
통장 tong-jang	Bankbook — Get your pay into a bank account in your own name.
계좌 gye-jwa	Bank account
이체 i-che	Transfer — Sending money to another account.
송금 song-geum	Remittance — Sending money home.
여권 yeo-gwon	Passport — Don't hand it over to anyone else.
체류기간 che-ryu-gi-gan	Period of stay — How long you are allowed to stay in Korea.
연장 yeon-jang	Extension — Making a period longer.
고용센터 go-yong-sen-teo	Job center — A government office that handles workplace changes and other procedures.
출입국 chu-rip-guk	Immigration office — Where visas and stays are handled.
서명 seo-myeong	Signature — Sign only after you have read and understood.

Workplace Korean 100

Words that protect you (1–30)

Time (31–43)

People and places (44–53)

Work (54–65)

Instructions (66–73)

Safety (74–84)

Your body (85–90)

Papers and money (91–100)

Read next

Workplace Korean 100

Words that protect you (1–30)

Time (31–43)

People and places (44–53)

Work (54–65)

Instructions (66–73)

Safety (74–84)

Your body (85–90)

Papers and money (91–100)

Read next