친구 vs 단짝
Korean word comparison
Listen to 친구
Listen to 단짝
| 친구 | 단짝 |
|---|---|
CHIN-goo noun | dan-jjak noun |
| friend; a person with whom one has a close, personal relationship | a very close friend or buddy; a best friend |
How they differ
단짝 emphasizes an especially close, often singular friendship (like 'best buddy') and carries warm, familiar connotations; 친구 is neutral and can mean any friend without implying closeness.
When to use each
When to use 친구: Use 친구 for neutral references to friends or in formal and general contexts.
When to use 단짝: Use 단짝 in casual speech when you want to stress that someone is your close or best friend.
Side-by-side examples
- 어제 친구랑 영화를 봤어.
(I watched a movie with a friend yesterday.) - 어제 단짝이랑 영화를 봤어.
(I watched a movie with my close buddy yesterday.)
Register & nuance: Informal and colloquial; commonly used in spoken Korean among peers.