공장

The word 공장 (gong-jang) is the Korean term for a factory or manufacturing plant. It refers to a place where raw materials are transformed into finished products using machinery and human labor.

Think of it as the heart of production. Whether it is a small workshop or a massive automotive plant, if items are being mass-produced there, it is a 공장. It is a fundamental word in business, economics, and daily life.

The word 공장 is derived from Sino-Korean roots. 공 (工) means 'work' or 'labor', and 장 (場) means 'place' or 'field'.

Historically, these characters were used to describe craft workshops. As the Industrial Revolution reached Korea, the term evolved to encompass large-scale manufacturing facilities rather than just individual artisan shops. It reflects the transition from handmade goods to machine-led production.

You will hear 공장 used in both formal business reports and casual conversation. It is often combined with the type of product being made, such as 자동차 공장 (car factory).

In formal settings, it is used to discuss industrial output or labor conditions. In casual talk, it might refer to a specific place where someone works or where a specific item is manufactured.

1. 공장 가동: Factory operation; starting the production line. 2. 공장 지대: An industrial zone or factory district. 3. 공장장: The manager or head of a factory. 4. 공장 폐쇄: Factory closure or shutdown. 5. 공장 자동화: Factory automation, referring to robotic production.

공장 is a standard noun. It does not have plural forms like English; context determines whether you are talking about one or many factories.

Pronunciation: The 'g' sounds are soft. It is pronounced /ɡoŋ.dʑaŋ/. Rhymes include words like 풍장 (pung-jang) or 통장 (tong-jang).