옷
ot[o̞t̚]
The English phrase 'clothes' is translated into Korean as 옷. Wiktionary also lists 의복 (uibok).
Meaning: apparel (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 옷 | ot | [o̞t̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 의복 | uibok | [ɰibo̞k̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
To specify a particular piece of clothing or an outfit, you can use 의상. You can use the phrase 옷이 예뻐요 to say 'Your clothes are pretty,' or ask 옷 어디서 샀어요? to ask 'Where did you buy your clothes?'
Which one should you use?
While 옷 is the common word for clothes, 의복 is a more formal, technical or academic term used in contexts like 'clothing industry' or 'traditional attire'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When 'clothes' is the direct object of a verb, you must add the object marker 을 to the word 옷.
How do you pronounce it?
ot
Did you know?
- The traditional Korean clothing known as 한복 is a specific type of 옷 characterized by vibrant colors and simple lines without pockets.
- Giving 옷 as a gift in Korea often involves choosing colors based on the recipient's age or the occasion to avoid unlucky connotations.
- If you want to talk about 'outfit' or 'look' in a trendy way, Koreans often use the English loanword 'style' written in Hangul as 스타일 instead of the traditional 옷.
Examples in context
- 그는 옷을 끈으로 묶었다.He bound the clothes together with a string.This sentence shows how to use 옷 as a direct object with the marker 을.Tatoeba #13250297 by qiwiwi, translation #890402 by Scott
- 몸에 맞는 옷이 나한테 하나도 없다.None of my clothes fit.Tatoeba #14032182 by Ldyhippo, translation #7872938 by Hybrid
- 옷장을 뒤져서 기부할 옷들을 찾아봐야겠어.I'm going through my closet to find clothes to give to charity.Tatoeba #4739062 by kumdonghee, translation #545302 by darinmex
- 저는 좋은 옷을 입고 싶어요.I want to wear nice clothes.
- 나는 예쁜 의상을 찾고 있어요.I am looking for a beautiful outfit.
- 오늘 날씨에 맞는 옷차림을 해야겠어.I should dress according to today's weather.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dohyun and Minji are deciding what to wear for a party.
- 도현 Do-hyeon오늘 파티에 어떤 옷 입을 거야?Oneul pati-e eotteon ot ibeul geoya?What clothes are you going to wear to the party today?
- 민지 Min-ji나는 예쁜 원피스 옷을 입으려고.Naneun yeppeun wonpiseu oseul ibeuryeogo.I'm planning to wear a pretty dress.
- 도현 Do-hyeon나도 멋진 옷을 골라야겠다.Nado meotjin oseul gollayagetta.I should pick out some cool clothes too.
- 민지 Min-ji도현 씨 옷장에 멋진 옷 많잖아.Dohyun ssi otjang-e meotjin ot manjana.Dohyun, you have plenty of cool clothes in your closet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clothes” translations and entries 옷, 의복, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
