U-jin (Korean: 우진) is a Korean masculine given name. In Sino-Korean, it is composed of characters such as 宇 (u meaning "house, universe") or 佑 (u meaning "help, protect, bless") combined with 眞 (jin meaning "real, genuine") or 鎭 (jin meaning "town, market place"). Various other hanja combinations are possible, as is common in Korean naming conventions. The name Woo-jin is a variant romanization of the same Korean name.
The name U-jin has also been used as a Japanese pseudonym; the manga artist U-Jin (遊人) is known for lewd and pornographic works such as Angel (1988) and Sakura Diaries (1995). However, this is not the same name etymologically — the Japanese Yūjin uses characters meaning "play person" and is unrelated to the Korean given name discussed here.
Cultural Context
In Korea, names are often chosen for their harmonious meanings and the positive character traits they suggest. U-jin — bearing connotations of protection, genuineness, or cosmic scope — reflects this tradition. The name's structure (one syllable from one parent in each generation, often combined into a two-character given name) is typical of Korean first names.
- Meaning: combination of "universe" or "bless" with "real" or "marketplace"
- Origin: Sino-Korean
- Type: masculine given name
- Usage regions: Korea
- Variant: Woo-jin