Key Facts
- Hangul: 지갑; Revised Romanization: jigap
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 紙匣 (紙 paper + 匣 box)
- Register: Neutral everyday word.
Wallet in Korean: What Does 지갑 Mean?
지갑 covers wallets and money purses. For a handbag, use 가방 or 핸드백 instead. It is a Sino-Korean word from 紙匣, literally "paper box": 紙 is paper and 匣 is a small case, which fits the old idea of a case for paper money. The register is neutral and everyday, with no honorific version.
How Do You Pronounce 지갑?
Say it as two syllables, ji and gap. The trap is the final ㅂ, which is covered under the mistake below.
Example Sentences with 지갑
지갑을 잃어버렸어요.
jigabeul ireobeoryeosseoyo.
I lost my wallet.
The verb 잃어버렸어요 is the past tense of losing something, and it is the sentence people say at a lost-property desk.
지갑에 돈이 없어요.
jigabe doni eopseoyo.
There is no money in my wallet.
The particle 에 after 지갑 means "in", so the sentence places the missing money inside the wallet.
새 지갑을 사고 싶어요.
sae jigabeul sago sipeoyo.
I want to buy a new wallet.
Here 새 means new and 사고 싶어요 means want to buy, so this is the shopping line for a store visit.
Common Phrases and Collocations
These phrases cover opening, losing and kinds of wallet.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 지갑을 열다 | to open a wallet |
| 지갑을 잃어버리다 | to lose a wallet |
| 가죽 지갑 | leather wallet |
| 동전 지갑 | coin purse |
The Mistake to Avoid
The final ㅂ of 지갑 does not stay in place when a vowel particle follows.
- Wrong: [ji-gap-eul], with a clipped ㅂ and a break
- Right: [ji-ga-beul] for 지갑을
The ㅂ moves over to start the next syllable and is voiced as b. Listen for that linked b in the first example sentence.
지갑 Compared with Similar Words
Two neighbours come up when you shop. A 가방 is a bag, a larger container, while a 카드 지갑 is a slimmer holder for cards. Both come up when you shop for leather goods.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 가방 | bag | A larger bag. |
| 카드 지갑 | card holder | A small wallet for cards. |
Background on 지갑
Two compounds in the collocation table, 가죽 지갑 and 동전 지갑, show how Korean adds a modifier in front instead of using a separate word for a coin purse.
At a Café: Looking for a Wallet
A customer returns to a café after noticing their wallet is missing. The staff member asks for a description before identifying an item.
Customer
혹시 지갑 보셨어요?
Hoksi jigap bosyeosseoyo?
Have you seen a wallet, by any chance?
Staff member
어떤 지갑이에요?
Eotteon jigabieyo?
What kind of wallet is it?
Customer
검은색 가죽 지갑이에요.
Geomeunsaek gajuk jigabieyo.
It’s a black leather wallet.
Staff member
이 지갑 맞아요?
I jigap majayo?
Is this the right wallet?
혹시 softens the opening question: the customer does not assume the staff member has seen the wallet. 보셨어요 is a respectful question about seeing it. The description puts the color and material before 지갑, giving the staff member something concrete to match.
Lost, Left behind or Found?
지갑을 잃어버리다 means to lose a wallet. It suits a situation where you no longer know where it is. 지갑을 두고 오다 means to leave a wallet behind and come away. You might know it is on your desk at home; the problem is that you came without it.
지갑을 찾다 can mean to look for a wallet or to find it. The situation and verb ending clarify which stage you mean. At a desk you may be searching; after someone hands it back, the search is over. Avoid assuming that every mention of 찾다 means the wallet has already been recovered.
The owner is often understood. 지갑을 잃어버렸어요 normally means “I lost my wallet” when you are reporting your own problem. You can add 제, “my”, when ownership needs emphasis, but the sentence does not require it.
Where Will You See 지갑?
Shopping listings use modifiers such as 가죽 지갑 for a leather wallet and 카드 지갑 for a card holder. These tell you the material or intended contents. 동전 지갑 is a coin purse, which may be smaller than a wallet designed for banknotes and cards.
English “purse” needs care. A purse that holds money can be 지갑. When “purse” means a handbag, 가방 or 핸드백 is the useful word. A learner carrying a handbag with a wallet inside has two separate objects to name.
At a lost-property desk, 분실물 means lost property. A notice using that word may cover wallets, umbrellas and other items together. Give a color or material when asked about your 지갑; the word alone identifies the type of object, but not which wallet belongs to you.
What Is inside the Wallet?
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 현금 | cash | Money you carry as notes or coins. |
| 동전 | coin | The first word in 동전 지갑. |
| 카드 | card | The item a 카드 지갑 holds. |
| 신분증 | identification card | Useful when describing an important missing item. |
The everyday objects lesson teaches 지갑 alongside things you carry or keep at home. In a shopping conversation, first choose the kind of wallet; in a lost-property conversation, describe the particular one you need back.
Quick Self-Test
- You know your wallet is at home. Which phrase fits leaving it behind?
- Does 지갑 always translate the English word “purse” when it means a handbag?
- What does 가죽 tell you in 가죽 지갑?
Show answers
- 지갑을 두고 오다 means to leave a wallet behind and come away.
- No. Use 가방 or 핸드백 for a handbag.
- It names the material: leather.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say wallet in Korean?
Say 지갑 (jigap). It also covers a purse.
Is there a different word for a purse?
지갑 covers both. A small purse for coins is 동전 지갑, literally "coin wallet".
What is the difference between 지갑 and 가방?
지갑 holds money and cards; 가방 is a bag for carrying things.
How do I report a lost wallet?
Use the first example, 지갑을 잃어버렸어요.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: the everyday objects word list groups this word with neighbouring household items.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Compare with the page for bag.
- Next in the list: the page for clock.
- Practice: add this word to the vocabulary flashcard decks.