Key Facts
- Hangul: 가방 (gabang)
- Meaning: bag, school bag / handbag
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: loanword
- Register: neutral everyday word for most bags that you carry
- Level: A1
Bag in Korean: What Does 가방 Mean?
가방 has two senses: a bag in general, and a school bag or handbag. It is a neutral everyday word. It is usually treated as a loanword, but its exact source is disputed. For other kinds of bag, Korean uses 봉투, a paper or plastic bag such as a shopping bag, and 배낭, a rucksack-style bag.
How Do You Pronounce 가방?
The Revised Romanization is gabang. Each syllable gets equal weight, and the last syllable ends in the ng sound. Play the headword, then the three examples.
How Do You Use 가방 in a Sentence?
제 가방은 무거워요.
My bag is heavy.
je gabangeun mugeowoyo. 제 가방은 means my bag as the topic. 무거워요 means heavy. The sentence works for any bag, whatever you use it for.
가방 안에 책이 있어요.
There is a book in the bag.
gabang ane chaegi isseoyo. 안 means inside, and 에 marks the place, so 가방 안에 is in the bag. 있어요 reports that the book exists there.
새 가방을 사고 싶어요.
I want to buy a new bag.
sae gabangeul sago sipeoyo. 사고 싶어요 combines buy and want to, and 새 is new. It is a useful sentence for shopping.
Common Word Combinations
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 가방을 메다 | to carry a bag on the shoulder/back |
| 가방을 들다 | to carry a bag by hand |
| 책가방 | school bag |
| 가방을 싸다 | to pack a bag |
가방을 메다 is for a bag on the shoulder or back, 가방을 들다 is for a bag held in the hand, and 가방을 싸다 means to pack. 책가방 is a compound that narrows 가방 to a school bag.
Common Mistake
Mistake: using one verb for every bag. Correct: use 메다 for a bag on your shoulder or back, and 들다 for one carried in your hand. A backpack takes 가방을 메다; a handbag carried by the handle takes 가방을 들다.
How Does 가방 Differ from Similar Words?
| Word | Meaning | How to tell it from 가방 |
|---|---|---|
| 봉투 | paper/plastic bag | 봉투 is a paper or plastic bag, such as a shopping bag. It holds goods, whereas 가방 is carried for your own things. |
| 배낭 | backpack | 배낭 is a rucksack-style bag. It is one type of 가방, so it is the more specific word. |
Collecting a Bag from a Café
A customer returns to a café after leaving a bag there. The staff member checks which bag belongs to the customer before handing it over.
Customer
여기에 가방을 두고 갔어요.
Yeogie gabangeul dugo gasseoyo.
I left my bag here.
Staff
이 검은 가방이에요?
I geomeun gabangieyo?
Is it this black bag?
Customer
네. 제 가방이에요.
Ne. Je gabangieyo.
Yes. It’s my bag.
Staff
가방 안을 확인해 주세요.
Gabang aneul hwaginhae juseyo.
Please check inside the bag.
제 가방 identifies the owner, while 검은 가방 identifies the bag by its color. 두고 갔어요 says the customer left it behind when leaving. 가방 안을 means “the inside of the bag” as the thing to check; compare 가방 안에 in the existing example, where 에 marks a location.
Packing, Opening and Leaving a Bag
가방을 싸다 means to pack a bag, as when preparing for school or a trip. 가방을 풀다 can mean to unpack it. The verbs describe getting belongings ready and taking them out afterward; 가방 itself stays the same whether it is full or empty.
가방을 열다 means to open a bag, and 가방을 닫다 means to close it. These are useful when someone needs access to what is inside. 가방을 잃어버리다 means to lose a bag. That differs from knowingly putting it somewhere: the café dialogue describes leaving it behind, then returning to collect it.
제 가방 is “my bag” in polite conversation. When describing a lost item, adding its color or type helps the listener pick it out. 검은 가방 means a black bag; 큰 가방 means a large bag. A description such as this gives more useful information than repeating 가방 on its own.
Where Will You See 가방 in Public?
가방 appears in department-store sections, online product categories and lost-property descriptions. A shop category may group many kinds together, while a product name uses a more specific label. 백팩 is the English loanword “backpack,” and 여행 가방 means a travel bag. Both can sit under the broad category 가방.
At a checkout, 봉투 usually means the disposable bag offered for purchases. A reusable tote carried as your own bag can still be a 가방; the material alone does not decide the word. Think about the item’s role: packaging for a purchase, or a bag you use for carrying your belongings.
Choose 메다 or 들다 by how the bag is carried at that moment. A bag with straps can be held in the hand, and a handbag can hang from a shoulder. The type of bag helps, but the carrying action determines the verb.
Parts and Contents of a Bag
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 가방끈 | bag strap | The strap used to carry the bag. |
| 지퍼 | zipper / zip | Useful when explaining how the bag opens. |
| 주머니 | A smaller compartment for belongings. | |
| 지갑 | wallet / purse | Something often kept inside a bag. |
The clothing and accessories lesson places 가방 alongside other things you carry or wear. For everyday use, combine the bag word with an owner, a location or a carrying verb so the listener knows which bag and what is happening to it.
Quick Self-Test
- Which verb fits a bag carried by hand?
- What is the usual word for a disposable checkout bag?
- What is the difference between 가방 안에 and 가방 안을?
Show answers
- 들다, as in 가방을 들다.
- 봉투.
- 에 marks the inside as a location; 을 marks the inside as an object, such as the area to check.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Say I Carry a Bag on My Back?
Use 가방을 메다. For a bag held in the hand, use 가방을 들다.
Is 가방 the Word for a Shopping Bag?
Usually not. A paper or plastic shopping bag is 봉투.
What Is a School Bag Called?
The compound 책가방 names a school bag. It is listed in the collocations.
Is the Origin of 가방 Certain?
No. It is treated as a loanword, but its exact source is disputed.
Where to Go Next
For more everyday items, open the daily life clothing vocabulary list or browse Korean words A to Z. Compare the bag with the Korean word for envelope, and see the school bag for the narrower word.