Key Facts
- Hangul: 출장; Revised Romanization: chuljang; pronounced [chul-jjang]
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 出張 (出 go out + 張 stretch)
- Register: Neutral, everyday word used in both spoken and written Korean. Verb: 출장(을) 가다. Used for work trips.
Business Trip in Korean: What Does 출장 Mean?
출장 is a business trip: travel for work, whether across town, to another city or abroad. It is a neutral word used in speech and writing. 출장 is always about work, which is the key to using it. The verb is 출장(을) 가다.
How Do You Pronounce 출장?
출장 has two syllables and is written chuljang in Revised Romanization, pronounced [chul-jjang]. After the final ㄹ of the first syllable, the ㅈ is read as a tense jj. The ㅊ at the start is aspirated, written ch. In Hangul, the pronunciation is [출짱]. This tensification occurs in this Sino-Korean word; it is not a rule for every ㄹ followed by ㅈ.
Example Sentences with 출장
내일 부산으로 출장을 가요.
Naeil Busaneuro chuljangeul gayo.
I'm going on a business trip to Busan tomorrow.
내일 means "tomorrow" and 부산으로 "to Busan". 출장을 가요 is "go on a business trip"; the present tense 가요 often covers plans for the near future.
출장 중이라서 전화를 못 받아요.
Chuljang jungiraseo jeonhwareul mot badayo.
I'm on a business trip, so I can't answer the phone.
전화를 means "the phone call", and 못 받아요 means "cannot answer"; 출장 중이라서 gives the reason, being on a trip.
지난주에 일본으로 출장을 다녀왔어요.
Jinanjue Ilboneuro chuljangeul danyeowasseoyo.
I went on a business trip to Japan last week.
지난주에 is "last week", and 다녀왔어요 means "went and came back", so this trip is already finished.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 출장을 가다 | to go on a business trip |
| 해외 출장 | overseas business trip |
| 출장비 | business trip expenses |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 출장 for a holiday
Correct: ✓ 여행
Why: 출장 is always for work. A trip for fun or rest is 여행.
출장 Compared with Related Words
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 출장 | business trip | Travel away from the usual workplace for a job. |
| 여행 | trip | A personal trip for fun or rest. |
| 외근 | outside work | Working away from the office for a short time, usually within the day. |
A week in Japan for a client is a 출장, but the same week on the beach is a 여행, and an afternoon at the client's office is 외근.
Where Does the Word Come From?
출장 is Sino-Korean, written 出張 in hanja: 出 (go out) plus 張 (stretch).
Planning a Trip with a Coworker
Two coworkers discuss a work visit to Busan. They check the destination, departure time and return date.
Jisu
내일 어디로 출장 가요?
Naeil eodiro chuljang gayo?
Where are you going on a business trip tomorrow?
Minho
부산으로 가요. 아침에 출발해요.
Busaneuro gayo. Achime chulbalhaeyo.
I am going to Busan. I leave in the morning.
Jisu
언제 돌아와요?
Eonje dorawayo?
When are you coming back?
Minho
금요일에 돌아와요.
Geumyoire dorawayo.
I am coming back on Friday.
출장 가요 leaves out 을, a common choice in conversation. 어디로 asks for the destination, and 부산으로 answers with the same direction marker. The return question matters because 출장 alone gives no trip length. A business trip can end the same day or keep someone away for several days; the noun does not specify either.
Before, during and after a Business Trip
출장을 가다 describes going on a work trip. 출장 중 means “on a business trip” and identifies the period while the trip is happening. Keep a space before 중. In a calendar or a short availability note, this phrase can explain why someone is away without listing every meeting they will attend.
출장을 다녀오다 includes returning from the trip. In the existing past-tense example, 다녀왔어요 tells you the speaker went to Japan and came back. This is more specific than simply saying they went. A coworker asking about the trip after your return may be interested in what happened there rather than your travel plans.
국내 출장 means a domestic business trip, while 해외 출장 means an overseas one. The difference is the destination's location relative to the country, not the importance or length of the work. Neither phrase tells you whether the traveler went by train, car or plane.
Phrases on Office Forms and Calendars
출장 일정 means the business-trip schedule. 일정 covers the planned dates or sequence of activities; it is useful when discussing departure, meetings and return together. 출장 보고서 means a business-trip report, a document about the work visit. The first phrase looks forward to the plan, while the second can describe the results afterward.
출장비 names expenses for the business trip. The ending 비 means a cost or expense in this compound. It does not mean salary: the word concerns money spent for the work visit rather than ordinary pay for doing your job. 영수증, a receipt, is a useful companion word when people discuss those expenses.
These are vocabulary distinctions rather than a company's expense rules. The phrase 출장비 by itself does not tell you which costs an employer will cover. A learner reading a form should identify the expense category first, then read the instructions for that workplace.
Where Does 출장 Extend beyond Office Travel?
You may also see 출장 수리 in a repair-service advertisement. It means a technician comes out to do repairs, rather than the customer bringing the item to a shop. The shared idea is leaving one's usual workplace to do a job. It is still work, even though English would usually call it an on-site repair rather than a “business trip”.
Words to Use beside 출장
| Word | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 일정 | schedule | The dates and activities planned for the trip. |
| 출발 | departure | The start of the journey. |
| 회의 | meeting | A possible reason for traveling for work. |
| 영수증 | receipt | A document connected with trip expenses. |
The office and business vocabulary lesson helps you explain the work behind the journey. Learn 일정 alongside 출장 so you can ask about timing as well as the destination.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 출장 always involve going overseas?
- Which phrase explicitly includes coming back: 출장 가다 or 출장 다녀오다?
- In 출장 수리, does the customer travel for a holiday?
Show answers
- No. It can be domestic or overseas, and even a short work visit.
- 출장 다녀오다 includes going and returning.
- No. A worker comes out to perform a repair.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "business trip" in Korean?
Business trip in Korean is 출장 (chuljang), pronounced [chul-jjang].
How do I say "overseas business trip"?
Say 해외 출장. Trip expenses are 출장비.
How do I say "I'm on a business trip"?
Say 출장 중이라서 to give it as a reason, as in 출장 중이라서 전화를 못 받아요.
Can 출장 mean a holiday?
No. It is for work only. For a holiday, use 여행.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Office and Business groups 출장 with its neighbours.
- Index: find business trip beside every other single-word entry in Korean words A to Z.
- See also colleague.
- See also trip.