Key Facts
- Hangul: 기자; Revised Romanization: gija
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 記者 (記 record + 者 person)
- Register: Neutral; the standard word. As a title use 기자님.
Reporter in Korean: What Does 기자 Mean?
기자 is the standard word for a news reporter, whether at a paper, a broadcaster or a website. Say it plainly when you describe someone's job, and add the honorific 님 when you speak to one: 기자님. You will meet it in compounds such as 신문 기자 (newspaper reporter) and 기자 회견 (press conference), a staple of television news. To say you want the career, use 기자가 되다, "to become a reporter".
How Do You Pronounce 기자?
Two syllables, gi-ja, both open and short. At the start of a word ㄱ falls between English g and k, and ㅈ is unaspirated, with no puff of air. Nothing changes when the two syllables meet, so the spelling and the sound match.
Example Sentences with 기자
기자는 뉴스를 써요.
Gijaneun nyuseureul sseoyo.
The reporter writes the news.
A job description built around the news. 뉴스를 is the object, and 써요 is the polite form of "write", so the sentence says a reporter writes news.
제 친구는 기자예요.
Je chinguneun gijayeyo.
My friend is a reporter.
The pattern for naming someone's profession: 제 친구는 gives "my friend" as the topic, and 기자예요 states the job. The ending 예요 follows a noun that ends in a vowel, as 기자 does.
기자가 질문했어요.
Gijaga jilmunhaesseoyo.
The reporter asked a question.
Here 기자 is the doer, marked as the subject. 질문했어요 is the polite past of "asked a question", a scene you picture at any press conference.
Common Phrases and Collocations
Newsroom and press-room talk reuses these three combinations.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 기자 회견 | press conference |
| 신문 기자 | newspaper reporter |
| 기자가 되다 | to become a reporter |
The Mistake to Avoid
The danger here is a single consonant. Two words that look nearly identical sit side by side in headlines.
Wrong: Confusing 기자 (reporter) with 기사.
Correct: Keep them apart: 기자 is the person, while 기사 is the article that person writes (and the same spelling also means a driver).
Read the sentence: if something is being written or published it is 기사, and if someone is doing the writing it is 기자.
기자 Compared with 기사 and 언론인
Two close words come up with 기자: one for the text, one for the wider profession.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 기사 | article | 기사 is an article; 기자 writes 기사. The same spelling can also mean a driver. |
| 언론인 | journalist (media professional) | A broader term for a media professional, not only someone who writes the stories. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
기자 is written 記者 in hanja: 記 (record) plus 者 (person). The literal picture is "a person who records", which matches a reporter's task of taking down events.
Before a Short Interview
A reporter introduces herself to an event organizer. The organizer addresses her by her professional title.
Reporter
안녕하세요. 저는 신문 기자예요.
Annyeonghaseyo. Jeoneun sinmun gijayeyo.
Hello. I am a newspaper reporter.
Organizer
기자님, 무슨 일이세요?
Gijanim, museun iriseyo?
What can I help you with?
Reporter
인터뷰할 수 있을까요?
Inteobyuhal su isseulkkayo?
Would it be possible to do an interview?
Organizer
네. 여기서 이야기해요.
Ne. Yeogiseo iyagihaeyo.
Yes. Let’s talk here.
The reporter uses 기자 to name her own job. The organizer adds 님 when addressing her. You normally leave 님 off your own professional title in a self-introduction.
인터뷰할 수 있을까요 asks whether an interview is possible. Being a 기자 identifies the speaker's role; it does not replace asking the other person whether they can talk.
Where Will You Read or Hear 기자?
In an article byline, a person's name followed by 기자 identifies the reporter. Read the sequence as “name + reporter”, rather than treating 기자 as part of the name. The article's headline names the story; the byline identifies the person credited with reporting it.
Television news also uses 기자 when introducing or returning to a correspondent. A presenter may say the reporter's name and title before the report begins. In a drama set in a newsroom, 기자님 can be a direct call to someone across the room. The same noun works in print and speech; the surrounding words show its role.
More Newsroom Combinations
방송 기자 means a broadcast reporter, while 신문 기자 specifies a newspaper reporter. 사진 기자 means a photojournalist or press photographer. These combinations name the medium or type of work, so 기자 does not imply that every part of the job is writing text.
기자 회견 literally brings together “reporter” and “conference/meeting”. Its usual English equivalent is “press conference”, an event where a person or organization addresses reporters and takes questions. An 인터뷰, “interview”, can be a separate conversation with one reporter; the two words do not name the same event format.
기자가 되다 means “become a reporter”. Notice 가 after 기자: with 되다, Korean marks the role someone becomes this way. In 기자가 질문했어요, the same visible 가 marks the reporter as the person who asked. The following verb helps you read the structure.
Words around a Reporter's Work
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 기사 | news article | The story you read, rather than its writer. |
| 취재 | news gathering / reporting | Covers gathering information for a report. |
| 인터뷰 | interview | A conversation used to ask someone questions. |
| 앵커 | news anchor | The presenter of a news program. |
The jobs vocabulary lesson places 기자 beside other professions. For news scenes, pair the job title with the activity 취재 and the finished article 기사.
Quick Self-Test
- In a byline, what does 기자 after a name identify?
- Which form addresses a reporter respectfully: 기자 or 기자님?
- Does 사진 기자 mean the article or the person taking press photographs?
Show answers
- The reporter credited with the story.
- 기자님.
- The person: a photojournalist or press photographer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "reporter" in Korean?
Say 기자 (gija). It is the standard, neutral word for a news reporter or journalist.
How do you address a reporter politely?
Add the honorific 님 to make 기자님, which works both as a title and as direct address.
Is 기자 the same as 기사?
No. 기자 is the person who reports, while 기사 is the article. They differ by one consonant, so check the context.
How do you say "press conference"?
Say 기자 회견. A newspaper reporter is 신문 기자.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Other careers are grouped in the jobs vocabulary list.
- Look up other job titles and everyday nouns in Korean words A to Z.
- Store the reporter and article pair in your vocabulary flashcard decks so the one-consonant difference sticks.
- Another job title follows on the singer page.