Key Facts
- Hangul: 탁자; Revised Romanization: takja; pronounced [tak-jja]
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 卓子 (卓 table + 子 suffix)
- Register: neutral but somewhat written; 식탁 and 테이블 are common in speech
Table in Korean: What Does 탁자 Mean?
탁자 means a table in the plain sense, and it also covers a small table. Think of a coffee table, a side table or a table set down in a room. Its register is neutral, though it leans slightly written. In everyday speech Koreans often say 테이블, a loanword that is very common in cafes and restaurants.
The dining table is a separate word, 식탁. A study or work table is usually 책상, the desk. Learning which word fits which furniture matters more than learning 탁자 on its own.
How Do You Pronounce 탁자?
The spelling is tak-ja, but the spoken form is [tak-jja]. The ㄱ at the end of 탁 closes the syllable, and the ㅈ that follows is pulled tight, so it sounds like a doubled jj. The romanization takja does not show this tightening, which is why it is worth hearing the audio. Keep the vowel in 탁 short and open, like the a in father, and do not release the final k.
Example Sentences with 탁자
탁자 위에 꽃이 있어요.
Takja wie kkochi isseoyo.
There are flowers on the table.
위 means the top or above, and 위에 puts something on a surface, so 탁자 위에 is on the table. 꽃이 is flowers with the subject particle, and 있어요 says they are there.
탁자를 옮겨 주세요.
Takjareul omgyeo juseyo.
Please move the table.
옮겨 주세요 is please move it, with 주세요 making the request polite and kind. The 를 after 탁자 marks the thing being moved.
작은 탁자가 필요해요.
Jageun takjaga piryohaeyo.
I need a small table.
작은 is the modifier form of small and sits directly in front of the noun. 필요해요 means is needed, so the speaker states a need.
Common Phrases and Collocations
Most partners of 탁자 describe where things sit on it, how big it is and how to clean it.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 탁자 위 | on the table |
| 탁자를 닦다 | to wipe the table |
| 작은 탁자 | small table |
| 탁자 다리 | table leg |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners call the family dinner table by the general furniture word.
Wrong: ✗ 탁자 (for the table you eat meals at).
Correct: ✓ 식탁. Use 탁자 for a general or side table.
탁자 is not strictly an error for a dining table, but Korean speakers expect 식탁 when the table is where the household eats. Choosing 탁자 sounds like a side table or a coffee table.
탁자 Compared with 식탁, 책상 and 테이블
Three nearby words split the territory of tables. Pick by what the table is used for.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 탁자 | table | A general or small table. |
| 식탁 | dining table | The table for meals. |
| 책상 | desk | A table for study or work. |
| 테이블 | table (loanword) | Very common in cafes and restaurants. |
The page for desk shows how 책상 is used when the table is for study or work.
Where Does the Word Come From?
탁자 is Sino-Korean, written 卓子 in hanja: 卓 (table) plus the noun suffix 子. The suffix has no meaning of its own here; it simply turns the Chinese-origin character into a free-standing noun.
Moving in: Placing a Small Table
Two housemates are deciding where to put a small table in the living room.
Sora
이 탁자를 어디에 놓을까요?
I takjareul eodie noeulkkayo?
Where shall we put this table?
Daniel
소파 옆에 놓아요.
Sopa yeope noayo.
Let’s put it beside the sofa.
Sora
탁자 위에 뭘 놓을까요?
Takja wie mwol noeulkkayo?
What shall we put on the table?
Daniel
꽃을 놓으면 어때요?
Kkocheul noeumyeon eottaeyo?
How about putting flowers on it?
The first question asks about the table's location. The third asks about objects on its surface. 놓다 means “put” or “place”, so it works for both the furniture and the flowers. The scene makes clear that this 탁자 is a living-room table.
Where Will You Encounter 탁자?
Furniture descriptions and stories use 탁자 when identifying an object in a room. A listing may specify 나무 탁자, “wooden table”, or 유리 탁자, “glass table”. These phrases describe the material. They do not tell you whether the table is for meals, work or decoration.
In a cafe, 테이블 is a useful word to recognise when staff discuss seats or clear surfaces. At home, 식탁 makes the meal function clear, and 책상 points to study or work. 탁자 remains a general furniture term, so the surrounding scene matters when translating it.
Useful Phrases for Arranging a Room
탁자 위에 describes a location on the table, while 탁자 아래에 means underneath it. 탁자 옆에 means beside the table. These phrases locate something relative to the furniture. 탁자를 옮기다 instead makes the table itself the thing being moved.
탁자를 닦다 means to wipe the table. 정리하다 means to put things in order, so tidying a surface and wiping it describe different jobs. 탁자 다리 literally means “table leg”: 다리 can name a furniture support as well as a person's leg.
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 의자 | chair | The seat placed beside a table. |
| 소파 | sofa | Often the reference point for a living-room table. |
| 서랍 | drawer | A storage compartment a table or desk may have. |
See the home furniture lesson to describe the rest of the room.
Quick Self-Test
- Which word specifically names the table used for meals?
- What does 탁자 아래에 mean?
- In 탁자를 옮겨 주세요, what is being moved?
Show answers
- 식탁.
- Under the table.
- The table. 를 marks it as the object of 옮기다.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say table in Korean?
Say 탁자 (takja) for a general or small table. For a dining table use 식탁, and in cafes you will often hear the loanword 테이블.
How is 탁자 pronounced?
It is spoken as [tak-jja]. The final k sound of 탁 tightens the ㅈ that follows, so the second syllable sounds doubled.
How do you say on the table in Korean?
Say 탁자 위에, as in 탁자 위에 꽃이 있어요, which means There are flowers on the table.
What is the difference between 탁자 and 책상?
탁자 is a general table. 책상 is the table for study or work, in other words a desk.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: home furniture vocabulary groups 탁자 with the other pieces of furniture.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: Add 탁자 to your review in the vocabulary flashcard decks.