Korean Dictionary
How to say "Traffic Jam" in Korean
“Traffic Jam” in Korean is 교통 체증 (pronounced "gyotong chejjeung").
교통 체증
gyotong chejjeung
Usage & Context
교통 체증 is a daily reality for drivers in major Korean cities especially Seoul during morning and evening rush hours. The Korean expressway between Seoul and Busan (경부고속도로) is notorious for extreme 교통 체증 on national holidays. Korean drivers use navigation apps like Kakao Navi and Naver Map to avoid 교통 체증.
Example Sentence
교통 체증 때문에 한 시간이나 늦었어요.
I was an hour late because of a traffic jam.
How to use 교통 체증 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Traffic Jam” is 교통 체증, romanized as gyotong chejjeung.
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 교통 체증.
Pronunciation Guide
The pronunciation for "교통 체증" is "gyoh-tong cheh-juhng." "Gyo" is like "gyoh" in "yogurt" (but with a 'g'), "tong" like "tong" in "tongue," "che" like "cheh" in "check," and "jjeung" like "juhng" with a tense 'j' sound, similar to "jung" in "jungle" but sharper. The stress is on "tong" and "jjeung."
More Example Sentences
Complaining about daily commute conditions to a colleague.
출퇴근 시간에는 교통 체증이 정말 심해요.
Traffic jams are really severe during rush hour.
Describing how a navigation app helped during a drive.
내비게이션이 교통 체증을 피해서 다른 길로 안내해 줬어요.
The navigation system guided me to another road to avoid the traffic jam.
Discussing holiday travel difficulties with family.
명절에는 고속도로 교통 체증이 상상을 초월해요.
During holidays, expressway traffic jams are beyond imagination.
Cultural Context
Traffic jams (교통 체증) are an unavoidable part of life in metropolitan Korea, especially Seoul. Rush hour (출퇴근 시간) is infamous for gridlock, and national holidays like Chuseok or Seollal see epic traffic on major expressways like the Gyeongbu Expressway. Koreans heavily rely on real-time navigation apps like Kakao Navi or Naver Map to find alternative routes and estimate travel times, often sharing traffic updates with friends and family.
Editorial note
We review entries like 교통 체증 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
교통 체증이 심하다
The traffic jam is severe.
교통 체증을 피하다
To avoid a traffic jam.
교통 체증 때문에 늦었어요.
I was late because of a traffic jam.
Related Expressions
정체
jeongche
Congestion (often used for traffic)
막히다
makhida
To be blocked, to be jammed (verb)
출퇴근 시간
chultoegeun sigan
Rush hour (commute time)
지정체
jijeongche
Traffic congestion (often used in traffic reports)
More Transportation Words
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