실적

Hey there! Let's talk about 실적. Think of it as your 'scorecard' for life or work. When you put in effort to do something, the actual result you get at the end is your 실적.

In a business setting, you will hear this word all the time. It is not just about 'working hard'; it is about the tangible outcomes. Did you sell 100 items? That is your sales 실적. Did you finish the report on time? That is your work 실적. It is a very objective way to measure success.

It is important to remember that 실적 is usually about measurable results. If you are just practicing, that is effort, but once you perform and get a result, that is your 실적. It is a powerful word that carries a lot of weight in Korea's competitive work culture!

The word 실적 is a Sino-Korean word (Hanja: 實績). The first character, 實 (실), means 'real', 'true', or 'actual'. The second character, 績 (적), means 'achievement', 'merit', or 'spinning thread' (historically implying the accumulation of work).

Combined, they literally mean 'actual achievement'. This term has deep roots in East Asian administrative history, where officials were evaluated based on their recorded accomplishments. Over centuries, it evolved from describing agricultural or bureaucratic output to the modern business metrics we use today.

It is fascinating how the character for 'spinning thread' became part of the word for 'achievement'. It suggests that success is like weaving—you take small, individual threads of effort and combine them into a solid, visible fabric of results. That is the essence of 실적!

You will mostly find 실적 in professional, academic, or formal environments. It is not a word you would use when talking about hanging out with friends on the weekend.

Common phrases include 실적을 올리다 (to increase performance/results) or 실적을 쌓다 (to accumulate achievements). In a performance review, your boss might ask about your 작년 실적 (last year's performance). It is a very neutral to formal word.

If you want to sound professional, use it when discussing data, KPIs, or personal growth. For example, 'Our team's 실적 improved this quarter' sounds much more authoritative than just saying 'We did better'. It shows you are focused on concrete data.

While 실적 itself is a noun, it appears in several powerful collocations:

• 실적을 내다: To produce results. Example: 'We need to 실적을 내다 by Friday.'
• 실적을 쌓다: To build up a track record. Example: 'She is working hard to 실적을 쌓다 for her resume.'
• 실적 부진: Poor performance. Example: 'The company is suffering from 실적 부진.'
• 실적 보고: Performance report. Example: 'I have to prepare the 실적 보고 for the board.'
• 역대 최고 실적: All-time high performance. Example: 'The company reported 역대 최고 실적 this year.'

Grammatically, 실적 is a standard noun. It does not have plural forms because Korean nouns don't change based on number like English ones do. You can attach particles like -이/가 (subject) or -을/를 (object) easily.

Pronunciation-wise, it is pronounced [실쩍] because of the tensification rule (the 'j' sound becomes a 'jj' sound after the 'l' batchim). It rhymes with words like 업적 (accomplishment) and 성적 (grades/results).

Think of the stress as being even across both syllables. It is a crisp, sharp word that sounds very business-like when spoken clearly. Practice saying '실적' while emphasizing the '쩍' sound to sound like a native speaker!