손
son[sʰo̞n]
The Korean word for hand is 손 (son).
손 refers to the part of the fore limb. It can be used literally, such as in the idiom 손이 크다, which literally means hands are big but describes someone who is generous, especially regarding food portions. It is also used idiomatically in the phrase 손을 떼다, meaning to take one's hands off or to stop involvement in a task or business.
Meaning: part of the fore limb (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 손 refers specifically to the hand, the Korean word 발 is used to refer to the foot.
How does it change in a sentence?
When 손 is the subject of a sentence, such as when describing a physical sensation, the subject marker 이 is added to form 손이. When the hand is the direct object of a verb, such as washing the hand, the object marker 을 is added to form 손을.
How do you pronounce it?
son
Did you know?
- In Korean folklore, 손 can refer to a wandering malevolent spirit or 'guest' that brings bad luck if you move house or travel on the wrong day.
- In many Korean contexts, the word 손 can also refer to a 'guest' or 'visitor', as seen in the term 손님 (guest).
- The term 손맛 combines 'hand' and 'taste' to describe the unique, intuitive flavor a specific cook adds to a dish that cannot be replicated by a recipe.
Examples in context
- 네 손이 떨리고 있어.Your hand is shaking.This sentence shows the form 손 being used as the subject of a sentence.Tatoeba #8365867 by Eunhee, translation #3723896 by CM
- 손 들고 질문해도 돼요.It's okay to raise your hand and ask a question.This sentence shows the form 손 being used as the object of the verb 'to raise'.Tatoeba #8533616 by Eunhee, translation #8254586 by Hybrid
- 네 손이 얼음처럼 차가워.Your hand is as cold as ice.Tatoeba #11105187 by intertime, translation #553949 by teh
- 손바닥 위에 무언가를 그려보세요Try drawing something on the palm of your hand
- 어머니 손을 잡고 건너요Hold mother's hand and cross the street
- 동작 도서관에 손 소독제가 배치되어 있습니다.Hand sanitizer is available at Dongjak Library.
- 손 닿지 않는 곳에 보관하세요.Keep it out of reach.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minjun is helping Seoyeon carry a heavy box.
- 민준 Min-jun손 좀 빌려줄래?son jom billyeojullae?Can you give me a hand?
- 서연 Seo-yeon응, 내가 도와줄게.eung, naega dowajulge.Yes, I will help you.
- 민준 Min-jun내 손이 너무 아파.nae soni neomu apa.My hands hurt so much.
- 서연 Seo-yeon여기 놓아줘, 내가 잡을게.yeogi noajwo, naega jabeulge.Put it here, I'll grab it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hand” translations and entries 손, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
