Reports, approvals, deadlines and ranks: the words of a Korean office.
Practise this list
From these 40 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
Korean offices run on paperwork that goes upwards: a plan is drafted (기안하다), submitted, and signed off by the people above (결재). People are addressed by their rank with 님, not by name alone — 팀장님, 차장님 — so the ranks are vocabulary you need from the first day. Written messages use 합니다 forms and fixed phrases such as 회신해 주시기 바랍니다, “please reply”, which would sound stiff anywhere else.
The words
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Verb (10)
기안하다to draft (an internal document for approval)Verb4
새 행사 계획을 기안해서 팀장님께 올렸어요.I drafted the plan for the new event and submitted it to the team leader.
협력하다to cooperate; to work togetherVerb4
두 회사는 새 제품을 함께 개발하기 위해 협력하기로 했습니다.The two companies have agreed to work together to develop a new product.
소집하다to call (a meeting); to conveneVerb4
사장님이 갑자기 긴급 회의를 소집하셨어요.The head of the company suddenly called an emergency meeting.
회신하다to reply (formally)Verb4
내용을 확인하시고 금요일까지 회신해 주시기 바랍니다.Please check the details and reply by Friday.
문의하다to enquire; to askVerb4
배송 문제로 고객 센터에 문의했어요.I contacted customer service about a delivery problem.
Formal; the noun 문의 is on every website: 문의 사항, enquiries.
보류하다to put on hold; to deferVerb4
예산 문제로 그 계획은 일단 보류하기로 했습니다.Because of budget issues, we have decided to put the plan on hold for now.
조정하다to adjust; to rearrangeVerb4
모두 시간이 맞지 않아서 회의 날짜를 조정했어요.Our schedules did not line up, so we moved the meeting to another date.
조율하다to coordinate; to reconcile (views)Verb4
여러 부서의 의견을 조율하는 게 쉽지 않아요.Reconciling the views of several departments is not easy.
분담하다to divide up; to share (work)Verb4
일을 네 명이 똑같이 분담하기로 했어요.We agreed to split the work equally among the four of us.
독촉하다to press (for); to chase upVerb4
거래처에서 대금을 빨리 보내 달라고 독촉했어요.The supplier pressed us to send the payment quickly.
Noun (30)
보고서reportNoun3
내일까지 출장 보고서를 제출해야 해요.I have to hand in my report on the business trip by tomorrow.
결재approval; sign-off (by a superior)Noun4
부장님 결재를 받아야 그 돈을 쓸 수 있어요.We can only spend that money once the head of department has signed it off.
결재를 올리다, to submit for approval. Not 결제, “payment”, which sounds the same.
기획planningNoun4
그는 이번 행사의 기획을 맡았어요.He is in charge of planning this event.
기획안proposal; plan (document)Noun4
다음 주 회의 때까지 새 상품 기획안을 준비해 주세요.Please prepare a proposal for the new product by next week’s meeting.
마감deadline; closingNoun3
원고 마감이 내일이라서 오늘 밤을 새워야 해요.The manuscript deadline is tomorrow, so I will have to stay up all night.
마감일, the deadline date; 마감되다, to close.
납기delivery date; delivery deadlineNoun4
납기를 맞추려고 주말에도 공장을 돌렸어요.We kept the factory running at weekends to meet the delivery deadline.
부서departmentNoun3
다음 달부터 영업 부서로 옮기게 됐어요.I am moving to the sales department from next month.
팀장team leaderNoun3
팀장님은 지금 회의 중이세요.The team leader is in a meeting at the moment.
Rank titles take 님 when you speak to or about the person.
차장deputy head of departmentNoun4
이번 프로젝트는 박 차장님이 총괄하세요.Deputy Manager Park is in overall charge of this project.
Ranks usually run 사원, 대리, 과장, 차장, 부장.
직속 상사direct boss; line managerNoun4
휴가를 쓰려면 먼저 직속 상사에게 말해야 해요.To take leave, you first have to tell your line manager.
신입 사원new employee; new recruitNoun3
올해 신입 사원 다섯 명이 우리 부서에 들어왔어요.Five new recruits joined our department this year.
후임자successor (in a job)Noun4
제 후임자는 다음 주 월요일부터 출근해요.My successor starts work next Monday.
The person before you is 전임자.
인수인계handover (of work)Noun4
부서를 옮기게 돼서 새 담당자에게 인수인계를 하고 있어요.I am moving department, so I am handing my work over to the new person in charge.
협업collaborationNoun4
디자인 팀과 협업해서 새 광고를 만들었어요.We worked together with the design team on the new advert.
협조cooperation; assistanceNoun4
고객 여러분의 협조에 감사드립니다.We thank all our customers for their cooperation.
Helping someone else’s work go smoothly; heard in requests and notices.
거래처business partner; client; supplierNoun4
오후에 거래처를 방문해서 계약 조건을 논의할 예정입니다.This afternoon I am visiting a client to discuss the terms of the contract.
회의록minutes (of a meeting)Noun4
오늘 회의록은 제가 작성해서 공유하겠습니다.I will write up today’s minutes and share them.
안건agenda itemNoun4
오늘 회의 안건은 모두 세 가지입니다.There are three items on today’s agenda.
Said [안껀].
브리핑briefingNoun4
회의 전에 팀장님이 오늘 일정을 간단히 브리핑하셨어요.Before the meeting, the team leader gave a short briefing on today’s schedule.
공문official letter; official documentNoun4
시청에서 행사 협조를 요청하는 공문이 왔어요.An official letter came from city hall asking for our help with the event.
피드백feedbackNoun4
발표가 끝난 뒤에 동료들에게 피드백을 받았어요.After the presentation I got feedback from colleagues.
지침guidelines; instructionsNoun4
회사의 새 지침에 따라 회의는 한 시간을 넘기지 않아요.Under the company’s new guidelines, meetings do not run over an hour.
실무practical work; the day-to-day workNoun4
그는 이론보다 실무에 강해요.He is better at the practical side than at theory.
실무자, the person who actually does the work.
외근working away from the officeNoun4
오늘은 하루 종일 외근이라서 사무실에 안 들어가요.I am out on business all day today, so I will not be in the office.
반차half-day leaveNoun4
병원에 가려고 오후에 반차를 냈어요.I took the afternoon off to go to the doctor.
A full day of annual leave is 연차.
사내in-house; within the companyNoun4
사내 게시판에 새 공지가 올라왔어요.A new notice has gone up on the company notice board.
사내 식당, the staff canteen.
내선extension (telephone)Noun4
내선 번호를 알려 주시면 바로 연결해 드릴게요.If you give me the extension number, I will put you straight through.
명함business cardNoun3
처음 만난 거래처 직원과 명함을 주고받았어요.I exchanged business cards with someone from the client company I had just met.
견적서quotation; estimateNoun4
여러 업체에서 견적서를 받아서 비교해 봤어요.We got quotes from several firms and compared them.
프레젠테이션presentationNoun4
내일 고객 앞에서 프레젠테이션을 해야 해서 긴장돼요.I have to give a presentation to clients tomorrow, so I am nervous.
