Skip to main content
Korean Level 1 noun

가족

gajok

/ka.dʑok̚/

Definition

A group of people who are related to each other, usually living together; a family.

Example

우리 가족은 매주 일요일에 함께 밥을 먹어요.

Show translation

My family eats together every Sunday.

Etymology

From Sino-Korean 家族 (家 *ga*, "house/home" + 族 *jok*, "clan/tribe"). The same characters appear in Chinese (jiāzú) and Japanese (kazoku), all sharing the classical Chinese origin meaning "those of the same household lineage."

Cultural note

In Korean culture, 가족 carries deep social weight. Family bonds (가족애, *gajogae*) are a central value in Confucian-influenced Korean society, and questions like "가족이 몇 명이에요?" ("How many people are in your family?") are very common as small talk. Note that Koreans often use specific kinship terms (형, 오빠, 언니, 누나, etc.) rather than generic words like "brother" or "sister" — the relationship and relative age both matter.

Browse all Korean words →