짝

First attested in the Hunminjeong'eum haerye (訓民正音解例 / 훈민정음해례), 1446, as Middle Korean ᄧᅡᆨ (Yale: pcak). If it had Proto-Koreanic *puca-k- form with a suffix, then further connection can be found with Proto-Japonic *puta, but this is highly speculative.

1446, 《훈민정음 해례》 48

ᄧᅡᆨ爲雙.

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕ͈a̠k̚]
• Phonetic hangul: [짝]

짝 • (jjak)

1. pair

   신발 한 짝

   sinbal han jjak

   a pair of shoes / one pair of shoes

   • 2016, 신향 [sinhyang], 태극혜검 7(완결) [taegeukhyegeom 7(wan'gyeol)] (fiction), 뿔미디어 [ppulmidieo], page 36:

     유, 유치하기 짝이 없구나.

     yu, yuchihagi jjagi eopguna.

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

2. partner; mate

   옆에 있는 너의 짝과 같이 공부해라.

   yeope inneun neoui jjakgwa gachi gongbuhaera.

   Study with your partner next to you.

• 벌 (beol)
• 쌍 (雙, ssang)

• 짝수 (짝數, jjaksu, “even number”)
• 짝하다 (jjakhada, “to form a pair”)

Related to standard Korean 쪽 (jjok), appears to be used by speakers in all dialects of Korean, though it may not be the most common form.

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕ͈a̠k̚]
• Phonetic hangul: [짝]

짝 • (jjak)

1. dialectal form of 쪽 (jjok, “side, direction”)
   • 2009 June 10, cjs백령, “백령도 사투리 모음 [baengnyeongdo saturi mo'eum]”, in 백령NamPo13동창카페 [baengnyeongNamPo13dongchangkape]‎^[1], 인천광역시 옹진군 백령면 [incheon'gwang'yeoksi ongjin'gun baengnyeongmyeon]:

     아참 경운기는 제가 안끌고 뒷짝에 타구만 갓어요

     acham gyeong'un'gi-neun jega ankkeul-go dwitjjag-e ta-gu-man gaseo-yo

     Oh, I didn't drag the cultivator but I rode on the back and went.