치우다
chiuda[t͡ɕʰiuda̠]
To clean up in Korean is to say 치우다 (chiuda).
치우다 is used when the focus is on removing clutter or objects from a space rather than scrubbing surfaces with water.
Meaning: to make an area or a thing clean (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The verb 치우다 literally means to move something out of the way or to clear an area.
Which one should you use?
While 치우다 means to clear away objects or clutter, 닦다 is used specifically for the act of wiping or scrubbing a surface to make it clean.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the polite informal style, the present tense of 치우다 is 치워요 and the past tense is 치웠어요.
How do you pronounce it?
chiuda
Did you know?
- In Korean, the verb 치우다 can be used as a subtle way to tell someone to 'get lost' or 'stop it' by gesturing as if pushing something away.
- The word 치우다 can be used metaphorically to describe 'clearing away' one's worries or problems from their mind.
- The modern verb 치우다 can be traced back to the form 츼우다, as recorded in the 1632 text 'Garye eonhae'.
Examples in context
- 다음 주에 집 청소를 해야 합니다.I have to clean up the house next week.
- 방 좀 청소해야겠다.I should clean up the room a bit.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 치우다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 치우다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
