취침하다
chwichimhada[t͡ɕʰɥit͡ɕʰimɦa̠da̠]
In Korean, 'go to bed' can be expressed as 취침하다 (chwichimhada) or 자다.
Meaning: to lie down to sleep (verb)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 취침하다 | chwichimhada | [t͡ɕʰɥit͡ɕʰimɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [t͡ɕʰyt͡ɕʰimɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 자다 | jada | [t͡ɕa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
These terms are used to describe the act of lying down to sleep. While both mean to go to bed, one is more clinical or official, while the other is the everyday term for sleeping.
Which one should you use?
자다 is the common, everyday way to say 'to sleep' or 'to go to bed' in most casual and standard situations. In contrast, 취침하다 is a formal term often used in official announcements, military contexts or highly polite settings, similar to 'to retire for the night'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use the polite form of 'go to bed' in a standard conversation, you should use 자요.
How do you pronounce it?
chwichimhada
Did you know?
- While 자다 is the general term for sleep, Koreans often use the phrase 주무세요 when telling an elder to 'go to bed' as a sign of deep respect.
- In many Korean households, you might hear the phrase '불을 끄다' (to turn off the lights) used as a functional way to say 'go to bed'.
- The term 취침하다 uses Chinese characters, 就 and 寢, where 就 implies arriving at or taking up a position.
Examples in context
- 아버지, 이제 주무세요.Father, please go to bed now.
- 오늘 힘들었으니 잘 자.You've had a tough day, so go to bed and rest well.
- 이제 자야 해요.I have to go to bed now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “go to bed” translations and entries 취침하다, 자다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 자다, 취침하다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
