What does 자기야 (jagiya) mean?
- 자기야jagiya
Honey / babe
Casual: friends and people younger than you
자기야 (jagiya) means "honey" or "babe." It is what couples call each other, especially dating couples and young married couples.
Where it comes from
자기 means "oneself," and 야 is the ending used when calling someone. Couples also use 자기 alone to mean "you."
How to use 자기야
자기야 is for calling out to your partner, like "Babe, where are you?" Without the 야, 자기 works like "you" in a sweet way, as in 자기는 뭐 먹을래? ("What do you want to eat, honey?").
Use it only with a romantic partner. Calling a friend 자기야 would sound strange or like a joke. Some middle-aged women also call close friends 자기, but that is a separate habit.
Married couples often move on to 여보 (yeobo), but many keep using 자기야 too.
Examples
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Texting your partner in the evening
Saying goodbye on the phone
Messaging your partner while apart
Other ways to say it
| Korean | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|
| 자기 | you / honey | Used by couples as a sweet word for "you". |
| 자기야 | Honey! (calling) | Calling form. |
| 여보 | honey (between spouses) | More typical for married couples. |
Hear it in songs
Real lines from songs broken down on Hanbok. Open a song to see every line explained.
Questions learners ask
Can I call my friend jagiya?
Not really. It is a couples' word, so using it with a friend sounds like teasing.
What is the difference between jagiya and yeobo?
자기야 is used by dating and married couples alike. 여보 is mainly used between married couples.