가지
저는 가지를 좋아해요.
I like eggplants.
A dark purple, glossy vegetable with a slightly bitter taste, often used in cooking.
가지 반찬을 만들어 드세요.
Please try the eggplant side dish.
가지와 고추를 볶아 먹으면 맛있어요.
It's delicious to stir-fry eggplant and peppers together.
가지 is commonly used in Korean cuisine, such as 가지볶음 (stir-fried eggplant) or 가지전 (eggplant pancake).
A branch or twig, often used in literary or poetic contexts.
나무 가지가 바람에 흔들린다.
The tree branches sway in the wind.
This meaning is less common in everyday speech but appears in traditional poetry or nature descriptions.
Pro Tip
Cooking with 가지
Before cooking eggplant in Korean dishes, it's common to salt the sliced eggplant and let it sit for 10-15 minutes to remove bitterness. Rinse and pat dry before cooking.
Word Origin
From Middle Korean 가ᄌᆞᆯ (kacol), derived from the root 가- (ga-), possibly related to the shape of the vegetable resembling a branch or twig.
Usage Notes
가지 is a mass noun in Korean, so it does not typically take a plural form. When referring to multiple eggplants, use 가지들 (gajideul) or specify the quantity, e.g., 세 개의 가지 (se gaeui gaji, 'three eggplants').