찐친 (jjinchin) — A real, trusted friend.
Lesson 90 in our Korean Slang series, adapted from Korean Your Teacher Doesn’t Teach You by Injin Hwang. This expression appears in the book’s shortened expressions section.
What 찐친 means
찐친 adds 찐, ‘genuine’, to 친구. Say it when a friend understands you, speaks honestly, and feels comfortable to be with. The situation and tone help determine how natural the expression sounds.
A short conversation
A: 내가 말 안 해도 알아주네.
B: 그러니까 찐친이지.
A: You understand without me explaining.
B: That is real friendship.
Use it with care
Warm and emphatic, but informal. Trust grows through actions; the label alone does not prove a friendship is healthy.
A neutral or polite alternative: 정말 친한 친구예요. — We are genuinely close friends.
Try it yourself
How does 찐친 differ from a casual acquaintance?
Answer: It emphasizes real closeness and trust. Read the Korean exchange aloud, then replace one detail with something from your own life.
Learn the rest of the series in Basic Korean Grammar. Find more expressions in the Korean slang book on Amazon.
