Korean Dictionary
How to say "Principal" in Korean
“Principal” in Korean is 교장 (pronounced "gyojang").
교장
gyojang
Usage & Context
The head administrator of a school. The principal oversees all school operations and is responsible for student discipline and academic standards. A position of significant authority in Korean schools.
Example Sentence
교장선생님이 연설을 한다.
The principal gives a speech.
How to use 교장 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Principal” is 교장, romanized as gyojang.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
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 교장.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'gyo-jang' — 'gyo' blends 'g' + 'yo' like 'gyoza' without the 'za', and 'jang' rhymes with the end of 'ping-pong' but with a 'j' start. Quick and smooth.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
교장 선생님
gyojang seonsaengnim
Respectful form used by students, staff, and parents when addressing or referring to the principal directly.
Casual (반말)
교장
gyojang
The bare noun used in news, written contexts, or when talking about the position rather than the person.
More Example Sentences
First day at a new school
교장 선생님께 인사드렸어요.
I greeted the principal.
Chatting with classmates
우리 학교 교장 선생님은 영어를 잘하세요.
Our principal speaks English well.
Teacher announcing a schedule
교장실에서 회의가 있어요.
There's a meeting in the principal's office.
Cultural Context
In Korean schools, addressing the principal without 선생님 sounds disrespectful — students and staff almost always say 교장 선생님 and use the honorific particle 께서. The principal traditionally gives long morning speeches at the weekly assembly (조회) and is a symbolic figurehead who represents the school at official events. 교장실 (principal's office) is famously where students are sent when they're in serious trouble.
Editorial note
We review entries like 교장 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
교장 선생님이 오셨어요.
The principal has arrived.
교장실로 오세요.
Please come to the principal's office.
교장 선생님 말씀이 있겠습니다.
The principal will now say a few words.
Related Expressions
교장실
gyojangsil
principal's office
교감
gyogam
vice principal
학장
hakjang
dean (at a university)
총장
chongjang
president (of a university)
More School Life Words
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