Korean word

정직

Pronunciation

Romanizationcheongjik

Meaning

  • nounhonesty

Example

팀에서 정직은 신뢰를 만듭니다.ti me seo cheong ji geun sil loe reul man deum ni da

In a team, honesty builds trust.

Illustration for 정직 (honesty)

More examples

면접에서는 정직을 강조해야 한다.myeon jeo be seo neun cheong ji geul kang jo hae ya han da

In an interview, you should emphasize honesty.

Core concept

A person's character stays upright instead of bending toward lies or pretense.

Common phrases

  • 정직을 지키다cheong ji geul chi ki da

    uphold honesty

  • 정직이 중요하다cheong ji gi chung yo ha da

    importance of honesty

  • 정직을 보여주다cheong ji geul po yeo ju da

    show honesty

Similar words

성실seongsil: A dependable attitude of carrying out duties carefully and steadily.
솔직함soljikam: A frank quality of expressing thoughts and feelings plainly.

Definition in Korean

정직은 거짓이나 위선을 피하고 올바르게 행동하려는 태도나 성품을 뜻하며, 행정적 맥락에서는 일정 기간 직무를 멈추게 하는 징계 의미로도 쓰인다.cheong ji geun keo ji si na wi seo neul pi ha go ol ba reu ge haeng dong ha ryeo neun tae do na seong pu meul tteu ta myeo haeng jeong jeok maeng na ge seo neun il jeong ki gan ching mu reul meom chu ge ha neun ching gye ui mi ro do sseu in da

Word origin

The word is a Sino-Korean compound built from meanings related to rightness and straightness, which makes its moral sense easy to remember.

Usage tips

  • The setting matters because an official workplace context can give this word the meaning of disciplinary suspension, while ordinary conversation gives it a moral meaning.

Other meanings

  • suspensionnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word