손
son[sʰo̞n]
The English phrase 'hands' translates to Korean as 손 (son).
The word 손 is used for both the singular 'hand' and the plural 'hands'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 손을 is used when the hands are the direct object of an action, such as washing or using them. To indicate possession or a relationship related to the hands, use the form 손의.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is son.
Did you know?
- In Korean folklore, 손 can refer to a malevolent spirit or 'guest' that brings bad luck if you move house or travel on a day when it is active.
- Korean uses the word 손 in the expression 손이 크다, which literally means 'the hand is big' but actually describes someone who is very generous or cooks in huge quantities.
- The word 손 can also mean 'damage' or 'loss' when written with the Sino-Korean character 損, which is common in business or mathematical contexts.
Examples in context
- 손을 깨끗히 해야 한다.You must keep your hands clean.This sentence is useful for talking about the necessity of keeping your 손 clean.Tatoeba #11106901 by intertime, translation #265917 by CK
- 그는 손을 재빨리 씻었다.He washed his hands quickly.This sentence is useful for describing someone washing their 손 quickly.Tatoeba #11106992 by intertime, translation #7391770 by CH
- 창밖으로 손을 내밀지 마세요.Don't put your hands out the window.This sentence is useful for giving an instruction not to put your 손 out of a window.Tatoeba #3675028 by ssuss32, translation #274171 by CK
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Ji-hoon are looking at a photo of a small child.
- 지은 Ji-eun그 아이는 손이 정말 작아요.geu a-i-neun son-i jeong-mal ja-ga-yo.That child's hands are really small.
- 지훈 Ji-hun맞아요, 손이 너무 귀여워요.ma-ja-yo, son-i neo-mu gwi-yeo-wo-yo.That's true, the hands are so cute.
- 지은 Ji-eun지훈 씨도 손이 참 크네요.ji-hun ssi-do son-i cham keu-ne-yo.Ji-hoon, your hands are quite large too.
- 지훈 Ji-hun제 손은 좀 투박하죠?je son-eun jom tu-bak-ha-jyo?My hands are a bit rough, right?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 손, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 손, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
