Study Korean Words the Smart Way With Hanja

Why Hanja (Chinese characters) matters

Did you know that around 60% of Korean words come from Hanja (Chinese characters)?

By understanding the roots of Korean words, you can learn new words faster and actually easier to remember by connecting words with the same roots. I know it may seem a bit challenging at first, but trust me, learning some basic Hanja will help you recognize words even in your favorite K-pop songs and K-dramas!

Detecting common Hanja roots in everyday Korean

I have 5 examples here below that are commonly used in everyday Korean. Take a look and try to find the connection between the meanings of the words.

1. 무 (無) means “nothing” or “none.”

• 무시 (無視): Ignore
• 무조건 (無條件): Unconditionally
• 무한 (無限): Infinite

2.   생 (生) means “life” or “being alive.”

• 인생 (人生): Life
• 생활 (生活): Daily life
• 생생한 (生生): Vivid

3.   학 (學) means “learning” or “study.”

• 학생 (學生): Student
• 학교 (學校): School
• 학습 (學習): Learning

4.   심 (心) means “heart” or “mind.”

• 심리 (心理): Psychology
• 심장 (心臟): Heart (organ)
• 결심 (決心): Determination

5.   중 (中) means “middle” or “between.”

• 중심 (中心): Center
• 중간 (中間): Middle
• 중학교 (中學校): Middle school

Ah-ha! See the connection?

Guessing the meaning of the word, more examples with 무 (無) [mu]

Learning Hanja helps you make educated guesses about new words. For example, imagine if you’re already familiar with 죄 [jwae], meaning “guilty” or “sin,” and you know that 무 (無) [mu] means “none.”

What would 무죄 [mu-jwae] mean?

By adding 무 (無)[mu] to these words, you get their opposite meanings. So, 무죄 (無罪) [mu-jwae] means “innocence” or “not guilty.” Interesting, right?

Want to go a bit further?

유 (有)[yu] means “having” or “existence,” which is the opposite of 무 (無).

So, guess what 유죄 (有罪) [yu-jwae] means?

That’s right, it means “guilty,” which is often used in court to describe someone who has committed a crime and has been found “guilty.” Interesting, right?

Don’t worry! You don’t need to learn every Hanja that exists

Just like this, by learning the meanings behind Hanja, you can group so many Korean words together. It’s not about memorizing every Hanja character but understanding the key ones that share similar meanings or connections. In my class, I always introduce related words based on Hanja because it’s such an effective way to learn new vocabulary. As you begin to recognize these patterns, learning Korean will feel more enjoyable and natural for you!

Happy Korean learning!