Korean Dictionary
How to say "Annual Leave" in Korean
“Annual Leave” in Korean is 연차 (pronounced "yeoncha").
연차
yeoncha
Usage & Context
Paid time off granted annually to employees. Annual leave in Korea is a legal right but often underutilized. Employees must plan leave in advance and coordinate with their teams.
Example Sentence
연차를 사용하고 싶습니다.
I want to use my annual leave.
How to use 연차 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Annual Leave” is 연차, romanized as yeoncha.
Usage tip
Business Korean usually needs polite or formal endings, especially in emails, meetings, and customer situations.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 연차.
Pronunciation Guide
For 연차 (yeon-cha), 'yeon' sounds like 'yawn' but with a softer 'n' sound at the end, and 'cha' sounds like 'cha' in 'chai tea'. The syllables flow smoothly without strong stress, creating a natural rhythm.
More Example Sentences
An employee informing their team about upcoming short leave.
이번 주 금요일에 연차를 쓸 예정입니다.
I plan to use my annual leave this Friday.
A manager explaining the company's policy on leave applications.
연차 신청은 미리 해야 합니다.
You need to apply for annual leave in advance.
An employee checking their remaining leave balance with HR.
남은 연차가 얼마나 되나요?
How much annual leave do I have left?
Cultural Context
'연차' (yeoncha) is a crucial concept in Korean work culture. While it's a legal right, many Koreans, especially in traditional corporate settings, feel pressure not to use all their allotted leave, or to use it only for short periods. Taking a long '연차' can sometimes be seen as less committed, though this perception is slowly changing, especially among younger generations and in more progressive companies.
Editorial note
We review business terms like 연차 for formality, so the example fits emails, meetings, or workplace conversations instead of casual speech.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
연차 사용했어요?
Did you use your annual leave?
연차 내고 쉬고 싶어요.
I want to take annual leave and rest.
연차 소진
exhaustion of annual leave (meaning using all of it)
Related Expressions
휴가
hyuga
Vacation, general leave
월차
wolcha
Monthly leave (less common now, often absorbed into 연차)
반차
bancha
Half-day leave
병가
byeongga
Sick leave
More Business Words
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