Chae, also spelled Chai, is a
Korean family name
This is a list of Korean surnames, in Hangul alphabetical order. Note: (S) denotes South Korea. (N) denotes North Korea.
The most common Korean family name (particularly in South Korea) is Kim, followed by Lee and Park. These three family na ...
and an element in some
Korean given name
A Korean name (Hangul: ; Hanja: ) consists of a family name followed by a given name, as used by the Korean people in both South Korea and North Korea. In the Korean language, ''ireum'' or ''seongmyeong'' usually refers to the family name (''seo ...
s. Its meaning differs based on the hanja used to write it.
Family name
Overview
The 2000 South Korean Census found 119,251 people with the family name Chae.
It could be written with any of three
hanja
Hanja (Hangul: ; Hanja: , ), alternatively known as Hancha, are Chinese characters () used in the writing of Korean. Hanja was used as early as the Gojoseon period, the first ever Korean kingdom.
(, ) refers to Sino-Korean vocabulary, ...
, indicating different
lineages. In a study by the
National Institute of the Korean Language
The National Institute of Korean Language is a language regulator of the Korean language. It was created on January 23, 1991, by Presidential Decree No. 13163 (November 14, 1990). It is based in Seoul, South Korea.
The institute was originall ...
based on year 2007 application data for
South Korean passports, it was found that 87.8% of people with this surname spelled it in Latin letters as Chae in their passports. Another 7.5% spelled it as Chai, 2.8% as Che, and 1.7% as Chea.
Most common (蔡)
(성씨 채 ''songssi chae'') is by far the most common of the three Chae surnames.
This character is also used to write the
Chinese family name
Chinese surnames are used by Han Chinese and Sinicized ethnic groups in China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, and among overseas Chinese communities around the world such as Singapore and Malaysia. Written Chinese names begin with surnames, unlike the ...
pronounced
Cài () in Mandarin. The 2000 Census found 114,069 people and 35,099 households with this surname, divided among seventeen reported ''
bon-gwan
Bon-gwan (or Bongwan) is the concept of clan in Korea, which is used to distinguish clans that happen to share the same family name (clan name). Since Korea has been traditionally a Confucian country, this clan system is similar to ancient Chinese ...
'' (clan hometowns, not necessarily the actual residence of clan members), as well as eighty-six people whose ''bon-gwan'' was not stated:
*
Pyonggang,
Kangwon (today in North Korea): 69,256 people and 21,373 households
They claim descent from
Chae Song-nyeon (
채송년; 蔡松年), an official under
Gojong of Goryeo
Gojong of Goryeo (3 February 1192 – 21 July 1259), sometimes spelled Ko-tjong, was the twenty-third ruler of Goryeo in present-day Korea from 1213–1259. Gojong's reign was marked by prolonged conflict with the Mongol Empire, which sough ...
.
*
Incheon,
Gyeonggi
Gyeonggi-do (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Its name, ''Gyeonggi'', means "京 (the capital) and 畿 (the surrounding area)". Thus, ''Gyeonggi-do'' can be translated as "Seoul and the surrounding areas of Seoul". Seoul, the na ...
(today in South Korea): 37,391 people and 11,415 households
They claim descent from Chae Seon-mu (채선무; 蔡先茂), who lived sometime during mid-
Goryeo Dynasty.
*Other or unreported ''bon-gwan'': 7,422 people and 2,311 households
Second-most common (菜)
(나물 채 ''namul chae'') is the second-most common of the three Chae surnames.
The 2000 Census found 3,516 people and 1,067 households with this surname, divided among two reported ''
bon-gwan
Bon-gwan (or Bongwan) is the concept of clan in Korea, which is used to distinguish clans that happen to share the same family name (clan name). Since Korea has been traditionally a Confucian country, this clan system is similar to ancient Chinese ...
'':
*
Yeongyang,
North Gyeongsang
North Gyeongsang Province ( ko, 경상북도, translit=Gyeongsangbuk-do, ) is a province in eastern South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Gyeongsang province, and remained a province of Korea until the ...
(today in South Korea): 1,816 people and 576 households
*
Jinju,
South Gyeongsang: 1,627 people and 483 households
*Other or unreported ''bon-gwan'': 73 people and eight households
Least common (采)
(풍채 채 ''pungchae chae'', 캘 채 ''kael chae'') is the least common of the three Chae surnames.
The 2000 Census found 1,666 people and 566 households with this surname, with one reported ''
bon-gwan
Bon-gwan (or Bongwan) is the concept of clan in Korea, which is used to distinguish clans that happen to share the same family name (clan name). Since Korea has been traditionally a Confucian country, this clan system is similar to ancient Chinese ...
'':
*Yeosan: 1,637 people and 562 households
*Other or unreported ''bon-gwan'': 29 people and two households
People
People with these family names include:
*
Esther K. Chae (Chae Kyung-ju), American actress of Korean descent
*
Chae Eui-jin
Chae Eui-jin is a South Korean voice actress who joined the Tooniverse Voice Acting Division in 1997, which she left for the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation's Voice Acting Division in 1999.
Roles Broadcast TV
* Futari wa Pretty Cure (Korea TV E ...
(채의진), South Korean voice actor
*
Chae Eun-hee (채은희, born 1982), South Korean marathon runner
*
Chae Gwang-jin (채광진, born 1994), South Korean ''League of Legends'' player
*
Chae Ho-ki
Chae Ho-ki (Hangul: 채호기) is a modern South Korean poet.
Life
Chae Ho-ki was born on October 13, 1957 in Daegu, South Korea and published his first poem in 1988 and since that time has been considered by South Korean critics as one of the ...
(채호기, 蔡好基, born 1957), South Korean poet
*
Chae Hyung-won (채형원, 蔡亨源, born 1994), South Korean singer, DJ and member of
Monsta X
Monsta X (; stylized as MONSTA X) is a South Korean boy group formed through the reality survival program ''No.Mercy'' under Starship Entertainment. The group is currently composed of six members: Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney ...
*
Chae Ji-hoon (채지훈, 蔡智薰, born 1974) South Korean speed skater
*
Ji Young Chae (채지영, born 1993), South Korean ballet dancer
*
Chae Jung-an
Chae Jung-an (born Jang Jung-an on October 21, 1977) is a South Korean actress and singer. Philanthropy
On March 11, 2022, Chae made a donation. millions to the Hope Bridge Disaster Relief Association to help the victims of the massive wildfi ...
(채정안, 蔡貞安, born Jang Jung-an, 1977), South Korean actress and singer
*
Junseok Chae (채준석), South Korean engineer and academic administrator
*
Chae Keun-bae (채근배, 蔡根培, born 1970), South Korean sport shooter
*
Chae Man-sik (채만식, 蔡萬植, 1902–1950), Korean novelist
*
Chae Min-seo
Chae Min-seo (born Jo Soo-jin; March 16, 1981) is a South Korean actress. Chae made her acting debut in 2002 with ''Champion'', and has since played leading roles in horror film '' The Wig'' and the indies ''Loner'' (2008), ''Vegetarian
Veg ...
(채민서, born Cho Soo-jin, 1981), South Korean actress
*
Chae Myung-shin
Chae Myung-shin (; November 27, 1926 – November 25, 2013) was a South Korean army officer who commanded South Korean military forces in the Vietnam War. He was also the co-founder of the Korean Taekwondo Association.
Early life
Chae Myung-s ...
(채명신, 蔡命新, 1926–2013), South Korean army general
*
Nelson Chai (채주석, Chai Joo-suk, born 1965), American investment banker of Korean descent
*
Chae Ri-na (채리나, born Park Hyun-joo, 1977), South Korean singer
*
Chae Shi-ra (채시라, 蔡時那, born 1968), South Korean actress
*
Chae Su-chan (채수찬, 蔡秀澯, born 1955), South Korean politician and economist
*
Chae Sung-bae (채성배, 蔡成培, born 1968), South Korean heavyweight boxer
*
Chae Sang-byung (채상병, 蔡尙秉, born 1979), South Korean baseball player
*
Chae Seon-ah (채선아, born 1992), South Korean volleyball player
*
Chea Song-joo (채송주, born 1998), South Korean figure skater
*
Chae Sang-woo
Chae Sang-woo (born March 31, 1999) is a South Korean actor. He began his acting career in 2008 as a child actor, notably in ''Deep Rooted Tree'' (2011).
Filmography Film
*''Wretches'' (2018) - Jo Seong-woo
*'' The Huntresses'' (2014) - Sa-hyun
...
(채상우, 蔡相宇, born 1999), South Korean actor
*
Chae Soo-bin
Chae Soo-bin (born Bae Soo-bin on July 10, 1994) is a South Korean actress. She gained recognition for her role in the television series ''Love in the Moonlight'' (2016), and transitioned into leading roles with '' The Rebel'' (2017), ''Stronge ...
(채수빈, 蔡秀彬, born Bae Soo-bin, 1994), South Korean actress
*
Chae YuJung (채유정, 蔡侑玎, born 1995). South Korea badminton player
In given names
There are 17 hanja with the reading Chae on the South Korean government's official list of hanja which may be registered for use in given names; they are:
# (나물 채 ): vegetable
# (캘 채 ): to lift
# (채색 채 ): colour
# (빚 채 ): debt
# (풍채 채 , 캘 채 ): appearance
# (사패지 채 ): fief
# (녹봉 채 ): stipend
# (성씨 채 ): used as a family name (originally a species of tortoise)
# (비단 채 ): silk
# (목책 채 ): wooden fence
# (옥빛 채 ): brightness of jade
# (진터 채 ): fort
# (비녀 채 ): ''
binyeo
A ( Hangul: ; ) is a Korean traditional hairpin for fixing ladies' chignons. Its main purpose is to pin the chignon in place, but it also serves as ornamentation, and it has different usages or names according to its material or shape. Therefor ...
'' (traditional Korean hairpin)
# (빚 채 ): debt
# (참나무 채 ): oak tree
# (여자의 자 채 ): used in women's names
# (주목할 채 ): to watch
Korean given names containing the element Chae include:
*
Chae-won (feminine)
*
Chae-yeon (feminine)
*
Chae-young (feminine)
*
Eun-chae (feminine)
See also
*
List of Korean family names
This is a list of Korean surnames, in Hangul alphabetical order. Note: (S) denotes South Korea. (N) denotes North Korea.
The most common Korean family name (particularly in South Korea) is Kim, followed by Lee and Park. These three family name ...
*
List of Korean given names
References
{{Authority control
Korean-language surnames