Korean Dictionary
How to say "Cubicle" in Korean
“Cubicle” in Korean is 칸막이 (pronounced "kanmaki").
칸막이
kanmaki
Usage & Context
A small partitioned workspace within an office. Cubicles in Korea provide some privacy while maintaining open communication. They are common in large corporate offices.
Example Sentence
칸막이 사무실에서 일합니다.
I work in a cubicle office.
How to use 칸막이 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Cubicle” is 칸막이, romanized as kanmaki.
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 칸막이.
Pronunciation Guide
The first syllable, '칸' (kan), sounds like 'khan' (as in Genghis Khan). The second syllable, '마' (ma), sounds like 'ma' (as in 'mama'). The third syllable, '기' (gi), sounds like 'gee' (as in 'gee whiz'). Put them together: 'kan-ma-gi'.
More Example Sentences
Explaining the office setup.
우리 사무실은 칸막이로 나뉘어 있어서 개인 공간이 있어요.
Our office is divided by partitions, so there's personal space.
Complaining about noise in an open-plan office.
옆 칸막이 소리가 너무 잘 들려서 집중하기 어려워요.
I can hear the sounds from the next cubicle too well, so it's hard to concentrate.
Describing a common office interaction.
칸막이 너머로 동료와 이야기했어요.
I talked to my colleague over the cubicle.
Cultural Context
'칸막이' literally means 'partition' and is commonly used for cubicles in offices, but also for dividers in other settings like restaurants. In Korean corporate environments, '칸막이' provides a degree of individual space and privacy within an often open-plan layout, which is generally appreciated. While some modern offices are moving towards fully open spaces, cubicles remain prevalent.
Editorial note
We review business terms like 칸막이 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
칸막이 사무실
cubicle office
칸막이 설치
cubicle/partition installation
칸막이 넘어로
over the cubicle/partition
Related Expressions
파티션
patisyeon
partition (loanword)
사무실
samusil
office
개인 공간
gaein gonggan
personal space
오픈 오피스
opeun opiseu
open office
More Business Words
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