답장

The word 답장 is a fundamental noun in Korean used to describe a reply or answer. Think of it as the return half of a conversation that happens through text, email, or mail.

You will use this word constantly in your daily life. Whether you are texting a friend or replying to a business email, 답장 is the term you need to describe that act of responding. It is a very neutral and essential term for anyone learning the language.

The word 답장 is composed of two Hanja characters: 답 (答), meaning 'answer' or 'reply', and 장 (狀), which historically refers to a 'document' or 'letter'.

Originally, this term was used for physical letters. As technology evolved, the meaning expanded naturally to cover digital messages, emails, and even social media replies. It is a perfect example of how traditional vocabulary adapts to modern communication tools.

In casual settings, you might hear people say '답장해' (Reply!). In more formal business settings, you would use '답장을 보내다' (to send a reply).

It is important to note that 답장 is specifically for messages or letters. If you are answering a verbal question, you would use '대답' instead. Keeping this distinction clear will make you sound much more like a native speaker.

While 답장 is a direct noun, it appears in several common phrases:

• 답장이 없다: No reply (The silent treatment).
• 답장을 기다리다: To wait for a reply.
• 답장을 재촉하다: To urge someone to reply.
• 답장을 보내다: To send a reply.
• 답장이 늦다: A late reply.

답장 is a non-countable noun in the sense that you don't pluralize it with markers. It acts as the object of verbs like '하다' (to do) or '보내다' (to send).

Pronunciation-wise, it is pronounced [답짱] due to the tense sound rule in Korean. Focus on the sharp 'jj' sound at the beginning of the second syllable to sound natural.