Key Facts
- Hangul: 김장; Revised Romanization: gimjang
- Syllables: 2
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: probably Sino-Korean (uncertain)
- Register: Neutral; refers to the communal winter kimchi-making season.
Kimchi Making in Korean: What Does 김장 Mean?
The sense is kimjang, the making of kimchi for the winter. The register is neutral, and it refers to the winter season of making kimchi together. The word describes an event, so people say they do it, finish it or are in the middle of it. The kimchi that results is called 김장 김치, and the season itself is 김장철. Kimjang was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013.
How Do You Pronounce 김장?
Two syllables, gim-jang. The first closes on m, and the second begins with a j and closes on ng. With a particle, as in 김장을 and 김장은, the final ng does not move: gim-jang-eul and gim-jang-eun.
Example Sentences with 김장
가족이 모여서 김장을 해요.
Gajogi moyeoseo gimjangeul haeyo.
Our family gets together for kimjang.
Families gather for the task. 모여서 means gathering, and 해요 is do, so the sentence reads as a family event.
올해 김장은 많이 했어요.
Olhae gimjangeun mani haesseoyo.
We made a lot of kimchi for winter this year.
The speaker says they made a lot this year. 올해 means this year, and 많이 means a lot.
김장철에는 배추가 비싸요.
Gimjangcheoreneun baechuga bissayo.
Napa cabbage is expensive in kimjang season.
The compound 김장철 names the season, and the sentence says napa cabbage is expensive then. 배추가 is the napa cabbage, and 비싸요 means expensive.
Common Phrases and Collocations
The collocations give the verb for doing it, the kimchi it produces and the season.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 김장을 하다 | make kimjang |
| 김장 김치 | kimjang kimchi |
| 김장철 | kimjang season |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 김장 as the name of a kind of kimchi.
Correct: ✓ 김장 김치 for the kimchi itself, and 김장을 하다 for the activity.
Why: Learners think 김장 is a type of kimchi. It is the act or season of making it, so the kimchi it produces needs 김치 after it.
김장 Compared with Similar Words
Two neighbours show the food itself and the main vegetable of the winter batch.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 김장 | kimjang (making kimchi for winter) | The word on this page. |
| 김치 | kimchi | The food itself. |
| 배추 | napa cabbage | The main vegetable of the winter batch. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
김장 is usually traced to the Sino-Korean 沈藏 (sink + store), but that derivation is not certain, and the word is normally written without hanja.
Planning a Family Kimjang Day
Two relatives are planning the weekend’s kimchi-making. One checks the date and offers to take on part of the work.
Jisu
이번 주말에 김장해요?
Ibeon jumare gimjanghaeyo?
Are we doing kimjang this weekend?
Alex
네, 토요일에 가족이 다 모여요.
Ne, toyoire gajogi da moyeoyo.
Yes, the whole family is gathering on Saturday.
Jisu
저는 뭘 준비하면 돼요?
Jeoneun mwol junbihamyeon dwaeyo?
What should I prepare?
Alex
고무장갑을 가져오세요.
Gomujanggabeul gajyeooseyo.
Please bring rubber gloves.
김장해요 uses 김장하다, the verb for doing kimjang. The original phrase 김장을 해요 expresses the same activity with an object marker. 뭘 준비하면 돼요 asks what preparation is needed, which makes it useful when joining a shared task.
Why Does 김장 Mean More than a Recipe?
김장 names making a supply of kimchi for winter, often as a planned shared activity. 김치를 만들다 is the broader expression “to make kimchi”. Making a small amount for a meal can be described with that phrase without calling the activity 김장. The winter supply and the scale of the preparation help explain why the more specific word exists.
The word does not require every family to follow the same schedule or invite the same people. A conversation about 김장 may concern buying ingredients, dividing jobs or sharing the finished kimchi. Listen for the verb after the noun to tell which part of the event the speaker means.
Collocations for the Event and Its Ingredients
김장 준비 means preparations for kimjang. It can cover gathering vegetables, seasonings, containers and equipment. 김장을 돕다 means helping with kimjang. These phrases distinguish getting ready from joining in the work, while keeping 김장 as the central activity.
김장 배추 is napa cabbage intended for the winter batch. 김장 양념 is the seasoning mixture used for it. The first noun tells you what the cabbage or seasoning is for. In a supermarket display, these combinations help you recognize that products are being grouped for the same seasonal task.
배추를 절이다 means salting or brining napa cabbage. 절임 배추 is cabbage that has already been salted or brined, a phrase you may see when shopping for kimjang ingredients. The words describe preparation, rather than naming a separate variety of cabbage. 양념을 버무리다 means mixing with the seasoning so it is distributed through the ingredients.
Where Will You See 김장?
김장철 appears in seasonal news and shop displays. 철 means a season or suitable time for an activity, so 김장철 focuses on when kimjang happens. The existing example about cabbage prices describes a situation in that season; it is not a rule that cabbage must always be expensive then.
김장 나눔 means sharing kimchi made through kimjang. You may see it in a community event announcement, with 나눔 emphasizing sharing. 김장 행사 means a kimjang event. An announcement may be about people gathering to make and distribute kimchi, rather than a lesson teaching the recipe.
In everyday family talk, 김장했어요 can report that the winter batch is done. The listener may understand several hours of preparation and shared work behind that short verb. The sentence does not state which kimchi recipe was used or how many containers were filled.
Words for Joining the Work
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 배추 | napa cabbage | A main vegetable used in the winter batch. |
| 무 | radish | Another vegetable used in kimchi preparation. |
| 양념 | seasoning mixture | Names the flavoring prepared for the vegetables. |
| 고무장갑 | rubber gloves | Practical equipment requested in the dialogue. |
The traditional culture vocabulary lesson places 김장 among other shared customs. For the food words themselves, the ingredients lesson helps you recognize items in a shopping list.
Quick Self-Test
- Which names the finished food: 김장 or 김장 김치?
- What does 김장을 돕다 mean?
- Is 절임 배추 a separate cabbage variety?
Show answers
- 김장 김치. 김장 names the making of the winter supply.
- To help with kimjang.
- No. It is napa cabbage that has already been salted or brined.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "kimchi making" in Korean?
Kimchi making for winter is 김장 (gimjang).
Is 김장 a type of kimchi?
No. It is the act or season of making kimchi, and the kimchi is 김장 김치.
How do you say "kimjang season"?
Say 김장철.
How do you say "my family makes kimjang"?
Say 가족이 모여서 김장을 해요.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean traditional culture vocabulary groups 김장 with related words.
- Index: look up more words near "kimchi making" in Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 김장 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next word in the list: korean flag.
- Compare with the page for kimchi, the food itself.
- Compare with the page for napa cabbage, the main vegetable of the batch.