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Learn Korean vocabulary for occupations, professions, workplace titles, and related roles. The table has 73 entries. Some name jobs, while others name an organization, status, or role; the usage notes explain the distinction. Latin spellings follow Revised Romanization, which does not mark every predictable pronunciation detail. Use dictionary recordings alongside it.
일 [il] has several meanings. It can mean “work,” the number “one,” or “day,” depending on context. It is not restricted to use as a day counter.
In today’s lesson we will see 일 [il] again as it means “work.”
일 [il] = work; 직업 [jigeop] = job / occupation
If you want to ask what someone does for a living it would be:
무슨 일을 하세요? [museun ireul haseyo] = What do you do?
While if you want to ask what someone’s job is, it would be:
직업이 뭐예요? [jigeobi mwoyeyo] = What is your job?
Now let’s check a list of professions and occupations you can add to your Korean vocabulary!
| Korean | Revised Romanization | English and usage |
|---|---|---|
| 회계사 | hoegyesa | Accountant |
| 배우 | baeu | Actor/Actress |
| 건축가 | geonchukga | Architect |
| 예술가 | yesulga | Artist |
| 운동선수 | undongseonsu | Athlete |
| 저자 | jeoja | Author |
| 은행원 | eunhaengwon | Bank clerk |
| 사업가 | saeopga | Business person/Entrepreneur |
| 정비사 | jeongbisa | Mechanic / maintenance technician |
| 출납원 | chullabwon | Cashier / staff member responsible for receiving and paying out funds |
| 사장 | sajang | Company president / business owner / boss (not always the CEO) |
| 요리사 | yorisa | Chef/Cook |
| 작곡가 | jakgokga | Composer |
| 치과의사 | chigwauisa | Dentist |
| 조사자 | josaja | Investigator / researcher; a police detective is 형사 |
| 영양학자 | yeongyanghakja | Nutrition scientist; a dietitian is 영양사 |
| 부장 | bujang | Department head / manager (title varies by organization) |
| 의사 | uisa | Doctor |
| 교육자 | gyoyukja | Educator |
| 회사원 | hoesawon | Employee/Office worker |
| 기술자 | gisulja | Engineer/Technician |
| 연예인 | yeonyein | Entertainer/Celebrity |
| 기업가 | gieopga | Entrepreneur |
| 농부 | nongbu | Farmer |
| 소방관 | sobanggwan | Firefighter |
| 승무원 | seungmuwon | Crew member; often a flight attendant in an airline context |
| 정부 공무원 | jeongbu gongmuwon | Government official |
| 미용사 | miyongsa | Hairdresser |
| 주부 | jubu | Homemaker |
| 통역사 | tongyeoksa | Interpreter (spoken or signed language) |
| 발명가 | balmyeongga | Inventor |
| 변호사 | byeonhosa | Lawyer |
| 구조원 | gujowon | Rescue worker; a lifeguard is 수상 안전요원 |
| 마술사 | masulsa | Magician |
| 우체부 | uchebu | Mail carrier/Postman |
| 매니저 | maenijeo | Manager |
| 군인 | gunin | Military personnel/Soldier |
| 영화 감독 | yeonghwa gamdok | Movie director/Filmmaker |
| 음악가 | eumakga | Musician |
| 모델 | model | Model |
| 보모 | bomo | Nanny |
| 간호사 | ganhosa | Nurse |
| 목사 | moksa | Pastor |
| 약사 | yaksa | Pharmacist |
| 사진사 | sajinsa | Photographer |
| 조종사 | jojongsa | Pilot |
| 경찰관 | gyeongchalgwan | Police officer |
| 정치가 | jeongchiga | Politician |
| 교사 | gyosa | Schoolteacher; a professor is 교수 |
| 프로그래머 | peurogeuraemeo | Programmer |
| 신부 | sinbu | Catholic priest (also means “bride” in a different context) |
| 교장 선생님 | gyojang seonsaengnim | Principal |
| 부동산업자 | budongsaneopja | Real estate businessperson; a licensed real estate agent is 공인중개사 |
| 접수원 | jeopsuwon | Receptionist |
| 심판 | simpan | Referee |
| 기자 | gija | Reporter |
| 판매원 | panmaewon | Sales assistant / salesperson |
| 영업 사원 | yeongeop sawon | Salesperson |
| 과학자 | gwahakja | Scientist |
| 안전요원 | anjeonyowon | Safety staff; a security guard is 경비원 |
| 비서 | biseo | Secretary |
| 가수 | gasu | Singer |
| 사회복지사 | sahoebokjisa | Social worker |
| 학생 | haksaeng | Student |
| 택시 기사 | taeksi gisa | Taxi driver |
| 선생님 | seonsaengnim | Teacher; also a respectful title in some other contexts |
| 번역가 | beonyeokga | Translator |
| 여행사 | yeohaengsa | Travel agency; an agency employee is 여행사 직원 |
| 백수 | baeksu | Unemployed person (colloquial; can sound dismissive) |
| 대리 운전사 | daeri unjeonsa |