침대
chimdae[ˈt͡ɕʰi(ː)mdɛ]
The Korean word for bed is 침대 (chimdae). Wiktionary also lists 잠자리 (jamjari).
Meaning: piece of furniture (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 침대 | chimdae | [ˈt͡ɕʰi(ː)mdɛ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ˈt͡ɕʰi(ː)mde̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 잠자리 | jamjari | [t͡ɕa̠md͡ʑa̠ɾi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [t͡ɕa̠mt͡ɕ͈a̠ɾi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
침대 is the standard and most common term used when you are referring specifically to the physical piece of furniture. If you wish to specify a Western-style bed, you can use the term 서구식 침대.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 잠자리 is composed of 잠, meaning sleep and 자리, meaning place, seat or spot.
Which one should you use?
침대 refers specifically to the piece of furniture known as a bed. In contrast, 잠자리 is a more general and colloquial term referring to a sleeping place or the place where one sleeps, often used in a poetic or soft-spoken way.
How do you pronounce it?
chimdae
Did you know?
- In Korean culture, the 'place of sleep' 잠자리 can be used as a euphemism to refer to a couple's intimate life or sexual relations.
- The word 잠자리 is a homonym that also means 'dragonfly'. Depending on the context, you could be talking about your 'bed' or a flying insect.
- Historically, traditional Korean homes did not use 침대 and instead used 요 (mats) and 이불 (quilts) laid directly on the floor.
Examples in context
- 톰은 침대 밑으로 숨었다.Tom hid himself under the bed.This sentence is useful for describing someone hiding under the 침대.Tatoeba #11106089 by intertime, translation #1093538 by CK
- 드디어 침대에 들어가도 되네.Finally I can go to bed.This sentence is useful for expressing the ability to go to the 침대.Tatoeba #3718248 by Queserasera, translation #3953892 by KoreanBeaver
- 아기가 침대에서 울고 있었어.The baby was crying in bed.This sentence is useful for describing a baby crying in the 침대.Tatoeba #8361523 by Eunhee, translation #272357 by CK
- 오늘 너무 피곤해, 침대에 누워 쉬고 싶어요.I'm so tired today, I want to lie down and rest on the bed.
- 쉬어도 될까요? 침대에서 좀 쉬고 싶어요.May I take a break? I would like to rest on the bed for a while.
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is looking at furniture in a showroom.
- 지은 Ji-eun도현 씨, 이 침대 어때요?Dohyeon ssi, i chimdae eottaeyo?Dohyeon, how is this bed?
- 도현 Do-hyeon색깔이 아주 예쁘네요.saekkkari aju yeppeuneyo.The color is very pretty.
- 지은 Ji-eun직접 한번 앉아 볼까요?jikjeop hanbeon anja bolkkayo?Shall we try sitting on it?
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 좋아요.ne, joayo.Yes, that sounds good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bed” translations and entries 침대, 잠자리, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
