Korean word

잠깐

Pronunciation

Romanizationchamkkan

Meaning

  • adverbjust a moment

Example

잠깐만 기다려 주세요.cham kkan man ki da ryeo chu se yo

Please wait just a moment.

Illustration for 잠깐 (just a moment)

More examples

잠깐 사이에 일이 끝났어요.cham kkan sa i e i ri kkeun na sseo yo

The work was finished in just a moment.

Core concept

A tiny slice of time, often enough to pause an action or wait briefly.

Common phrases

  • 잠깐만cham kkan man

    just a moment

  • 잠깐 사이cham kkan sa i

    in a brief moment

  • 잠깐 동안cham kkan tong an

    for a short while

Similar words

잠깐만chamkkanman: A speaker asks for a very short wait.
잠시chamsi: A person pauses or stays somewhere for a short while.
조금만chogeumman: A speaker asks for only a little time.

Definition in Korean

아주 짧은 시간 동안을 이르는 부사a ju jjal beun si gan tong a neul i reu neun pu sa

Word origin

This is a native Korean word whose exact historical formation is uncertain, so its short-time meaning is best learned through everyday use.

Usage tips

  • Its use is broader than a single waiting phrase because it can also describe an action that lasts only a short time.

Other meanings

  • brieflyadverb
  • for a whileadverb
  • for an instantadverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word