Korean Clothing Vocabulary
From the fashion districts of Myeongdong to the traditional hanbok shops of Insadong, clothing is a big part of Korean culture. Korean clothing vocabulary includes both modern terms influenced by English and traditional words tied to centuries of heritage. This guide covers everyday clothing, outerwear, accessories, and the beautiful traditional hanbok.
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Everyday Clothing — 일상복
Modern Korean clothing vocabulary borrows heavily from English, written in Hangul as loanwords (외래어). Other words are native Korean. Both types are essential for daily life.
The word 바지 (baji) is native Korean and means any kind of pants. To specify jeans, add 청 (cheong, meaning blue/denim) to make 청바지. For shorts, add 반 (ban, meaning half) to make 반바지 — literally "half-pants."
Outerwear — 걹옷
Korea has cold winters and distinct seasons, making outerwear vocabulary important. The general term for outerwear is 걹옷 (geotot), literally "outer clothing."
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Accessories & Footwear — 소품 & 신발
Accessories complete any look. Korean has both native words and loanwords for these items.
양말 (yangmal) literally means "Western socks" — 양 (yang, Western) + 말 (mal, from foot wrapping). Traditional Korean socks are called 버선 (beoseon) and are still worn with hanbok.
Traditional Clothing — 한복 (Hanbok)
The hanbok is Korea’s iconic traditional garment, characterized by vibrant colors and graceful lines. Here are the key terms you should know.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "clothes" in Korean?
The general word is 옷 (ot). You can also say 의류 (uiryu) for "clothing" in a more formal context, or 옷감 (otgam) for "fabric/clothing material."
What is a hanbok?
한복 (hanbok) is the traditional Korean garment. It features a short jacket called 저고리 (jeogori) and either a full skirt called 치마 (chima) for women or wide pants called 바지 (baji) for men. Hanbok are worn on holidays like Chuseok and Seollal.
Do Korean clothing words have Sino-Korean alternatives?
Yes. Many Korean clothing words have both a native Korean form and a Sino-Korean form. For example, "shoes" can be 신발 (sinbal) in native Korean or 구두 (gudu) from Chinese characters. Daily conversation typically uses the native Korean words.
How do you say "to wear" in Korean?
Like Japanese, Korean uses different verbs for different items: 입다 (ipda) for upper-body clothing, 신다 (sinda) for shoes, 쓰다 (ssuda) for hats, and 끼다 (kkida) for gloves or rings.