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Notes on Korean and Japanese Cognates

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Background

The more and more I consume Korean and Japanese content (as I have been ever since I was a child), distinguishing between certain words becomes very troublesome, as these two languages share so many cognates. Both countries' languages are heavily inspired by the traditional Chineseーevident in modern times, as Japanese incorporates Chinese characters with 漢字, and as for Korean, although not used in modern communication, many traces of 한자 still remain, especially in temples and old texts.

Moving forward

I want to dedicate this page to recording all the Korean and Japanese cognates that I encounter, so you can expect this page to be updated quite frequently. I hope that this serves as a valuable resource for those wanting to study both Korean and Japanese. If studied well, you can learn a single word in two different languages. If you happen to find any cognates not listed here, or find any mistakes, please reach out! I would love to hear from you and make this list as accurate and holistic as possible.

Korean-Japanese Cognates

Korean (한국어) Japanese (日本語) English

교실 教室 classroom
기린 キリン giraffe
전신 全身 whole body
내용 内容 contents
거리 距離 distance
무기 武器 weapon
각오 覚悟 readiness
의식 意識 consciousness
예정 予定 plan
준비 準備 preparation
결혼 結婚 marriage
가족 家族 family
귀족 貴族 noble
자신 自身 self
자신 自信 self-confidence
정직 正直 honest
자연 自然 nature
생활 生活 lifestyle
인물 人物 person
감사 感謝 thanks
사정 事情 circumstances
장소 場所 place
간단 簡単 simple
태도 態度 attitude
최고 最高 best
행동 行動 action
선배 先輩 senior (at shool, work)
거대 巨大 gigantic
사건 事件 incident
여유 余裕 room, leeway
순간 瞬間 instant, moment
효과 効果 effect
절대 絶対 absolutely
직접 直接 directly
이전 以前 before, ago
안심 安心 relief
방법 方法 method
점 点 point, mark
참가 参加 participation
무시 無視 ignoring
의견 意見 opinion
만족 満足 satisfaction
위치 位置 position
광경 光景 sight
기회 機会 opportunity
집중 集中 concentration
변화 変化 change
의문 疑問 doubt
운명 運命 fate
파괴 破壊 destruction
해방 解放 setting free
건물 建物 building
지시 指示 instruction
안내 案内 guide
영향 影響 influence
전투 戦闘 battle
노력 努力 effort
발견 発見 discovery
실패 失敗 failure
가능 可能 possible
예상 予想 prospect
전개 展開 unfolding
소개 紹介 introduction
한계 限界 limit
심장 心臓 heart
책임 責任 responsibility
대량 大量 large quantity
무언 無言 silence
독 毒 poison
사태 事態 state of affairs
현실 現実 reality
비상 非常 emergency
안전 安全 safety
가치 価値 value
정체 正体 true identity
기술 技術 technology
정확 正確 accurate
속도 速度 speed
취미 趣味 hobby