Key Facts
- Hangul: 잡지; Revised Romanization: japji; pronounced [jap-jji]
- Part of speech: noun
- Syllables: 2 (jap-ji)
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 雜誌 (雜 mixed + 誌 record)
- Register: Neutral everyday word.
Magazine in Korean: What Does 잡지 Mean?
잡지 is a magazine, a periodical that comes out on a schedule. It is a neutral everyday word. It differs from 신문, a newspaper published daily with the news, and from 책, a bound book. Magazines are often named by their kind: 패션 잡지 for fashion and 월간 잡지 for a monthly magazine.
How Do You Pronounce 잡지?
잡지 has two syllables, jap and ji. The first ends in ㅂ, and the next consonant ㅈ is tightened in speech, so you say [jap-jji]. Revised Romanization writes the spelling, japji.
Example Sentences with 잡지
저는 잡지를 읽어요.
Jeoneun japjireul ilgeoyo.
I read magazines.
저는 잡지를 읽어요 is "I read magazines", using 읽어요 for reading and the object marker on 잡지를.
이 잡지는 매달 나와요.
I japjineun maedal nawayo.
This magazine comes out every month.
이 잡지는 매달 나와요 says "this magazine comes out every month". 매달 is "every month" and 나와요 is "comes out".
잡지에서 사진을 봤어요.
Japjieseo sajineul bwasseoyo.
I saw the photo in a magazine.
잡지에서 사진을 봤어요 means "I saw the photo in a magazine". 에서 marks the source, and 봤어요 is the past of seeing.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 잡지를 읽다 | to read a magazine |
| 패션 잡지 | fashion magazine |
| 월간 잡지 | monthly magazine |
| 잡지사 | magazine company |
잡지를 읽다 is to read a magazine. 패션 잡지 and 월간 잡지 add the type before 잡지, and 잡지사 attaches the syllable 사 to name the company that publishes one.
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 잡지 한 개 for one magazine.
Correct: ✓ 잡지 한 권, using the counter 권.
Why: 개 counts general items. Books and magazines are counted with 권.
잡지 Compared with Related Words
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 잡지 | magazine | The word on this page. |
| 신문 | newspaper | Published daily with news. |
| 책 | book | A bound book, not a periodical. |
A 잡지 is periodical like 신문, but it comes less often and is counted like 책.
Where Does the Word Come From?
잡지 is Sino-Korean, written 雜誌 in hanja: 雜 means mixed and 誌 means record. A mixed record fits a magazine with many types of article.
Choosing a Magazine at a Bookshop
A customer wants something to read on the train. The bookseller checks the subject before pointing out the latest issue.
Customer
패션 잡지 있어요?
Paesyeon japji isseoyo?
Do you have any fashion magazines?
Bookseller
네. 이번 달 잡지는 여기 있어요.
Ne. Ibeon dal japjineun yeogi isseoyo.
Yes. This month’s magazines are here.
Customer
이 잡지 한 권 주세요.
I japji han gwon juseyo.
One copy of this magazine, please.
Bookseller
네. 봉투도 드릴까요?
Ne. Bongtudo deurilkkayo?
Of course. Would you like a bag too?
이번 달 means “this month”. In a shop, 이번 달 잡지 asks about the current issue rather than every issue of a particular title. The customer then uses 한 권 to ask for one physical copy. The bookseller’s 드릴까요 offers something politely; it does not change the word 잡지 itself.
What Do Magazine Labels Tell You?
월간 잡지 is a magazine published monthly, while 주간 잡지 comes out weekly. These expressions describe frequency, not subject matter. 패션 잡지 tells you the subject instead. A fashion title can also be monthly, so the labels answer two different questions about the same publication.
잡지 표지 means “magazine cover”. 표지 is the outside front or back, while 기사 is an article inside. If you recognise a person on the cover but want to read their interview, these words help you distinguish the cover image from the written feature. 사진, already used in the example above, refers to a photograph rather than the whole article.
잡지를 구독하다 means “to subscribe to a magazine”. It describes arranging to receive issues regularly. Buying one copy at a bookshop is just buying a magazine; it does not imply a subscription. You may see 정기 구독, “regular subscription”, on a publisher’s order page.
Where Will You See 잡지?
Look for 잡지 on bookshop category signs and in library catalogues. A waiting room may have magazines for visitors to read, so a question about 잡지 need not be a request to buy one. On a website, 전자 잡지 means an electronic magazine: the medium changes, but 잡지 still names the publication.
권 counts copies or volumes, while a month label identifies an issue. If two people each buy the same monthly magazine, they have two copies of one issue. This is why the shop dialogue asks for 한 권 after choosing the month and title. You do not need a new word for the magazine merely because another issue has appeared.
Words for Finding Something inside a Magazine
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 표지 | cover | The outside of the publication, often with a main photograph. |
| 기사 | article | A written piece inside a magazine or newspaper. |
| 사진 | photograph | An image you can point to without naming the article. |
| 구독 | subscription | A regular arrangement to receive or access issues. |
The everyday objects lesson places 잡지 beside things you read and keep at home. Compare newspaper when you need a publication focused on current news.
Quick Self-Test
- You want one physical copy. Which counter belongs after 한?
- Does 월간 tell you the subject or the publication frequency?
- Which word names the cover rather than an article inside?
Show answers
- 권: 잡지 한 권.
- Publication frequency: 월간 means monthly.
- 표지 names the cover; 기사 names an article.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "magazine" in Korean?
Magazine in Korean is 잡지 (japji), a noun for a magazine.
What counter goes with 잡지?
Use 권, as in 잡지 한 권.
How is 잡지 pronounced?
It sounds like [jap-jji], with a tight second j.
How do I say "fashion magazine"?
Say 패션 잡지.
What is the difference between 잡지 and 신문?
신문 is a daily newspaper, while 잡지 is a magazine.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean everyday objects vocabulary groups 잡지 with household items.
- Index: Korean words A to Z lists every single-word entry.
- Compare: newspaper is the daily periodical.
- See also: book shares the counter 권.
- Practice: vocabulary flashcard decks lets you add 잡지 to a spaced-repetition set.