Key Facts
- Hangul: 장난감; Revised Romanization: jangnangam
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native
- Register: Neutral everyday word.
Toy in Korean: How Do You Pronounce 장난감?
Three syllables: jang-nan-gam. There is no sound change, so read each syllable as written, with the middle ㄴ clear.
Example Sentences with 장난감
아이가 장난감을 좋아해요.
Aiga jangnangameul joahaeyo
The child likes toys.
A child is the subject, and 좋아해요 says liking. The particle 가 follows 아이, a word ending in a vowel.
장난감이 많아요.
Jangnangami manayo
There are many toys.
A quantity sentence. 많아요 means many, so the toys are numerous, as in a messy playroom.
장난감을 사 주세요.
Jangnangameul sa juseyo
Please buy me a toy.
A request from a child. 사 주세요 means please buy it for me, the standard way to ask someone to buy something for you.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 장난감을 가지고 놀다 | to play with a toy |
| 장난감 가게 | toy store |
| 장난감 자동차 | toy car |
장난감을 가지고 놀다 means to play with a toy. 장난감 가게 is a toy store and 장난감 자동차 a toy car, so the word works as a modifier.
The Mistake to Avoid
Mistake: saying 장난 when you mean a toy. Correct: 장난감. 장난 is mischief or a prank; the suffix 감 turns it into the thing you play with.
장난감 Compared with Similar Words
인형 is a doll or figure, narrower than 장난감. 장난 is mischief or play, and 장난감 adds 감 (material) to make "toy".
| Word | Meaning | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|---|
| 장난감 | toy | This page's word |
| 인형 | doll | 인형 is a doll or figure. |
| 장난 | prank/mischief | 장난 is mischief or play; 장난감 adds 감 (material) to make 'toy'. |
At Home: Putting Toys Away
A parent and child are tidying the play area. Both use polite endings in this scene; a parent may use casual speech at home too.
Parent
장난감을 상자에 넣어 주세요.
Jangnangameul sangjae neoeo juseyo.
Please put the toys in the box.
Child
이 인형도 넣어요?
I inhyeongdo neoeoyo?
Do I put this doll in too?
Parent
네, 인형도 넣어 주세요.
Ne, inhyeongdo neoeo juseyo.
Yes, put the doll in too, please.
Child
장난감을 다 넣었어요.
Jangnangameul da neoeosseoyo.
I have put all the toys in.
The child's question uses 도, “too”, to check whether the doll belongs in the same box. The parent treats 인형 as part of the larger 장난감 group. 다 in the final line means “all”, so the child is reporting that the tidying task is finished.
Which Verbs Go with 장난감?
장난감을 가지고 놀다 means “play with toys”. 가지고 literally relates to having or holding something, but the whole phrase describes using it in play. It does not simply mean owning toys. This is why the expression needs 놀다, the verb meaning “play”.
장난감을 정리하다 means “tidy up toys”. 정리하다 covers putting things in order, so it is useful when the toys are scattered around a room. The dialogue makes the destination more specific with 상자에, “in the box”. 정리하다 names the overall task; 넣다 names the action of putting something inside.
장난감 자동차 is a toy car. Here 장난감 modifies 자동차, telling you that the object is a play version of a car. 장난감 가게 works differently: it is a shop selling toys. The noun after 장난감 helps you decide whether the phrase names a toy model or a place associated with toys.
Where Will You Hear or See 장난감?
At home or in a childcare setting, 장난감 often comes up when children choose something to play with or adults ask them to tidy up. The same noun works for one toy and for toys in general. The existing example 장난감이 많아요 clearly describes many toys without adding a plural ending.
In a shop, 장난감 가게 identifies the store. Product labels may use a more specific name such as 인형, “doll”, rather than repeating the broad category. An adult buying a gift can use 장난감 to start the conversation, then narrow it down to the kind of toy.
완구 is another word for toys, especially useful in shop departments and product descriptions. It sounds more like a retail category than 장난감 in a child's everyday request. Both can refer to the same products, so seeing 완구 on a sign does not mean you have entered a different kind of shop.
장난감 is neutral as the name of an object. Used about a person, it can suggest someone is being treated as a plaything. That use carries a negative meaning, so the friendly tone of a toy-shop conversation does not carry over to every figurative use.
Words for the Next Playroom Conversation
| Korean | Meaning | Useful connection |
|---|---|---|
| 인형 | doll | A specific kind of toy, as in the dialogue. |
| 공 | ball | A play object often named directly. |
| 블록 | blocks | Pieces used for building during play. |
| 상자 | box | A place to put the toys after playing. |
The kids and toys lesson groups play objects with words for children and childcare. Use the specific object name when asking a child to fetch something: “the doll” points to a smaller set than “the toy” in a room full of toys.
Quick Self-Test
- Which word means a prank or mischief: 장난 or 장난감?
- Does 장난감을 가지고 놀다 simply mean owning a toy?
- In the dialogue, what does 인형도 add to the child's question?
Show answers
- 장난. 장난감 is the toy or plaything.
- No. The whole phrase means playing with a toy.
- 도 means “too”: the child asks whether the doll should go into the box as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "toy" in Korean?
Say 장난감 (jangnangam).
What is the difference between 장난 and 장난감?
장난 is mischief or play. 장난감 is the toy.
How do I say "toy store"?
Say 장난감 가게.
Is 인형 a toy?
It is a doll or figure, a kind of toy.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: kids and toys word list. 장난감 appears with other children's words.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Compare with the doll page. 인형 is the specific toy people most often mean.