How do you spell or say 'instructor' in Korean?

Answer 1

For those interested in directly translating the word "instructor" from English to the Korean language (specifically South Korean), the word would be Gangsa 강사 ("gahng - sah"), but this might also be defined more as a "lecturer" or an instructor at a university or institution. However, a more commonly used, related term is seonsang ("suhn - sang"), which means "teacher."

If you are looking for the official titles used by Koreans in their national martial art of Taekwondo, or other such combative systems in Korea, there are variety of words used depending on the organization. A few are listed below, but if you are a martial art student, or looking for a particular use, it would be best to ask your instructor, or any instructor in the system about which you are specifically asking.

Korean terms are often expressed in the casual form (senior to junior, or between contemporaries), or in the honorific form (junior to senior).

In Taekwondo terms:

Assistant Instructor: 조교 Jogyo ("joe - gyoe")

(Honorific): 조교님 Jogyonim ("joe - gyoe - nim")

Instructor: 교사 Gyosa ("gyoe - sah")

(Honorific): 교사님 Gyosanim ("gyoe - sah - nim")

Master: 사범 Sabeom ("sah - buhm")

(Honorific): 사범님 Sabeomnim ("sah - buhm - nim")

Grandmaster (Superintendent or head of a Kwan): 관장 Kwanjang ("kwahn - jahng")

(Honorific): 관장님 Kwanjangnim ("kwahn - jahng - nim")