Meaning and Usage
The word '과장' primarily refers to the 'department head' or 'section chief' in a company or organization. It is a formal title used in business settings to indicate a managerial position responsible for overseeing a specific department.
Common Contexts
You will often hear '과장님' as a respectful way to address or refer to the department head. It is common in meetings, emails, and workplace conversations.
Collocations and Patterns
- 과장님 (department head, respectful form)
- 과장으로 승진하다 (to be promoted to department head)
- 과장과 회의하다 (to have a meeting with the department head)
These collocations are useful for workplace communication.
Register and Politeness
'과장' is a formal job title and is used respectfully, often with the honorific suffix '-님' when addressing someone directly.
Common Confusion
Do not confuse '과장' (department head) with the verb '과장하다' which means 'to exaggerate.' They are homonyms but have very different meanings. Context usually makes the meaning clear.