朝鮮(ちょうせん)

ちょうせん
noun (proper)
Korea (historical name; Korean Peninsula)
geographyhistoryproper-nounplace-name
1. Korea (as a region or historical state); Joseon
The traditional Japanese name for Korea as a whole: the peninsula, its pre-1945 history, and the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Today it appears mainly in compounds such as 朝鮮半島(ちょうせんはんとう) (the Korean Peninsula) and 北朝鮮(きたちょうせん) (North Korea); South Korea and its people are 韓国(かんこく).
朝鮮半島(ちょうせんはんとう)の地図(ちず)。
A map of the Korean Peninsula.
朝鮮(ちょうせん)の歴史(れきし)を勉強(べんきょう)している。
I'm studying the history of Korea.
朝鮮通信使(ちょうせんつうしんし)は、江戸時代(えどじだい)に朝鮮(ちょうせん)から日本(にほん)へ来(き)た使節(しせつ)だ。
The Joseon missions were envoys who came from Korea to Japan in the Edo period.

Choose the word with care. 韓国(かんこく) is the name for South Korea and the usual neutral word for Korean people and things today; 朝鮮(ちょうせん) is used for the peninsula as a whole, for history before the division, and for North Korea. Because of the colonial period, using 朝鮮(ちょうせん) for Korean people can sound dated or offensive.

Common expressions

  • 朝鮮半島(ちょうせんはんとう): the Korean Peninsula
  • 北朝鮮(きたちょうせん): North Korea
  • 朝鮮王朝(ちょうせんおうちょう): the Joseon dynasty
  • 南北朝鮮(なんぼくちょうせん): North and South Korea

Similar words

Related Words

Compare: 韓国(かんこく) (South Korea)
Homophone: 挑戦(ちょうせん) (challenge)
general
Added 2026.9.29 1:34 · Revised 2026.9.29 1:39
31000/31164_chousen