감자

Korean

Etymology 1

Nativisation of the Sino-Korean term 감저 (甘藷, gamjeo, “lesser yam (Dioscorea esculenta)”). First attested 1766 in Korea, then referring to the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas).

The word came to refer to both potato and sweet potato in the nineteenth century, and later lost its original meaning.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ka̠md͡ʑa̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [감자]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	gamja
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	gamja
McCune–Reischauer?	kamja
Yale Romanization?	kamca

Noun

감자 • (gamja)

1. potato

Derived terms

• 감자전 (gamjajeon)
• 감자칩 (gamjachip)
• 감자튀김 (gamjatwigim)

See also

• 지실 (jisil)
• 지슬 (jiseul)
• 하지감자 (hajigamja)
• (obsolete) 마령서 (馬鈴薯, maryeongseo)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ka̠mt͡ɕ͈a̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [감짜]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	gamja
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	gamja
McCune–Reischauer?	kamcha
Yale Romanization?	kamqca

Verb

감자 • (gamja) (plain hortative of 감다)

1. let's close (our eyes)
2. let's wash