Key Facts
- Word: 경제 (gyeongje), noun, Sino-Korean origin
- Register: Neutral to formal.
- Hanja: 經濟 (經 manage + 濟 relieve)
- Senses: economy; economics
Economy in Korean: What Does 경제 Mean?
경제 means the economy of a country or of the world, and it also names the field of study. When someone says the economy is tough, they mean overall conditions: jobs, prices, growth. It never means how much cash one person holds.
How Do You Pronounce 경제?
The word is [경제], two syllables. 경 ends with ng and is followed by ㅈ, written j in romanization. Both parts are short and flat, with no tensing. The same shape carries over to 경제가 and 경제는.
Example Sentences with 경제
한국 경제는 빨리 성장했어요.
hanguk gyeongjeneun ppalli seongjanghaesseoyo
The Korean economy grew quickly.
한국 경제 is the subject and 빨리 성장했어요 says it grew quickly. The sentence is a plain statement of fact about the national economy.
경제 뉴스를 매일 봐요.
gyeongje nyuseureul maeil bwayo
I watch the economy news every day.
This uses 경제 as a modifier: 경제 뉴스 means "economy news". 매일 means "every day", so the sentence is about a regular habit.
요즘 경제가 어렵대요.
yojeum gyeongjega eoryeopdaeyo
I hear the economy is tough these days.
어렵대요 is a reported form, "I hear that it is difficult". The speaker passes on what others say about the economy.
Common Phrases and Collocations
경제 mostly pairs with words about growth, crisis and news.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 경제 성장 | economic growth |
| 경제 위기 | economic crisis |
| 경제 뉴스 | economic news |
The Mistake to Avoid: Personal Money
Wrong: ✗ 경제가 없어요 (for "I have no money")
Correct: ✓ 돈이 없어요
경제 is the economy as a whole. When you mean your own wallet, the word is 돈, and the sentence needs 돈이 없어요.
경제 Compared with Similar Words
Money-related words differ in how big the picture is.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 경기 | business conditions | Short-term economic climate. |
| 재정 | finances | Government/company finances. |
| 돈 | money | Plain money. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
경제 is Sino-Korean, written 經濟 in hanja: 經 means "manage" and 濟 means "relieve". It started as "managing the world and relieving the people".
Choosing a News Program
Two housemates are deciding what to watch. The conversation moves from the news category to a specific subject.
Jisu
지금 뭐 봐요?
Jigeum mwo bwayo?
What are you watching now?
Alex
경제 뉴스요.
Gyeongje nyuseuyo.
Economic news.
Jisu
물가 이야기예요?
Mulga iyagiyeyo?
Is it about prices?
Alex
네, 물가가 많이 올랐대요.
Ne, mulgaga mani ollatdaeyo.
Yes, they say prices have gone up a lot.
경제 뉴스요 is a short noun answer with 요 added for politeness. It names the type of program. 물가 narrows the topic to prices in general. The last line uses reported speech, like 어렵대요 in the existing example: the speaker is passing on what the program says.
How Do Common Economic Phrases Work?
경제 성장 means economic growth. 성장 names growth or development; 경제 tells you what is growing. A headline may use the noun phrase without a full sentence. The existing example turns the same idea into a sentence with 성장했어요, “grew.”
경제 위기 means an economic crisis. 위기 names a crisis, so the phrase describes a serious situation. It is stronger than simply saying the economy is difficult. A learner should preserve that strength in translation rather than flattening both expressions into “bad economy.”
경제 정책 means economic policy. 정책 refers to a planned approach or course of action, often by government. Compare three headline topics: 경제 성장 concerns development, 경제 위기 concerns crisis, and 경제 정책 concerns proposed or chosen action. The second noun tells you which angle the article takes.
Where Will You See 경제?
News sites and newspapers use 경제 as a section label. Stories inside that section can cover companies, jobs, prices or trade. Seeing the label tells you the broad subject, not the article's conclusion. Look for the next noun to identify the actual topic before translating the headline.
In education, 경제 can name the subject broadly, while 경제학 explicitly names economics as an academic discipline. 경제학과 is a department of economics. 학 marks a field of study, and 학과 names an academic department; these compounds are useful when reading university pages or asking about someone's major.
경제적 is another common form. Depending on the sentence, it can mean “economic,” “financial,” or “economical.” 경제적 문제 refers to financial or economic problems; an 경제적인 choice can be one that saves money or resources. The ending does not force a single English translation. Identify what the phrase describes before choosing the English adjective.
Words That Make an Economic Story More Specific
| Related word | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 물가 | prices / price level | Refers to prices broadly, rather than the price tag on one item. |
| 고용 | employment | Points to the jobs side of an economic story. |
| 성장 | growth | Combines with 경제 in discussion of economic development. |
| 정책 | policy | Names a proposed or adopted course of action. |
| 경제학 | economics | Explicitly names the academic discipline. |
The finance and stocks vocabulary lesson extends this set into financial news. Start with the distinction between the broad category 경제 and the concrete subject beneath it: prices, employment or policy. That distinction helps you follow a headline without assuming that every economic story is about stock prices.
Quick Self-Test
- Which word explicitly names economics as an academic discipline?
- Does 경제 위기 have the same strength as a mild complaint about difficult conditions?
- Does 물가 usually mean the price of one particular shirt?
Show answers
- 경제학.
- No. 위기 means crisis, a stronger description.
- No. It refers to prices or the price level more broadly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is economy in Korean?
It is 경제 (gyeongje), a neutral-to-formal noun.
Does 경제 also mean economics?
Yes, it covers both the economy and economics as a subject.
What is the difference between 경제 and 경기?
경기 means short-term business conditions, while 경제 is the economy overall.
How do I say the economy is hard?
Say 요즘 경제가 어렵대요, which reports that the economy is tough these days.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: finance and stocks vocabulary teaches words used alongside 경제 in financial news.
- Index: the Korean words A to Z page lists every word entry, including economy.
- Practice: put 경제 on your cards with the vocabulary flashcard decks.