습기가 많다
seupgiga manta
The English phrase humid is expressed in Korean as 습기가 많다 (seupgiga manta). Wiktionary also lists 축축하다 (chukchukhada).
Meaning: slightly wet (adj)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 습기가 많다 | seupgiga manta | |
| 축축하다 | chukchukhada | [t͡ɕʰuk̚t͡ɕʰukʰa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
Korean has different ways to express humidity depending on whether you are describing the air or a physical object. 습기가 많다 is used to describe the general state of the air or environment being humid. In contrast, 축축하다 is used to describe a specific object or surface that feels wet or damp to the touch, such as clothes or soil.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 습기 literally means 'moisture'.
Which one should you use?
Use 습기가 많다 to describe the general state of the air or environment being humid, whereas 축축하다 is used for a specific object or surface that feels wet or damp to the touch, such as clothes or soil.
How does it change in a sentence?
When speaking politely, the form 습기가 많다 becomes 습기가 많아요 and the form 축축하다 becomes 축축해요.
How do you pronounce it?
seupgiga manta
Did you know?
- While 습기가 많다 describes humidity, Koreans often use the word 찝찝하다 to describe the uncomfortable, sticky feeling on the skin caused by that humidity.
- The word 축축하다 is an example of an ideophone, where the repeated sounds 축축 mimic the physical sensation of something damp.
- The term 축축하다 appears in the Seokbo sangjeol, a religious text written in 1447 shortly after the invention of the Korean alphabet.
Examples in context
- 오늘은 정말로 습도가 높아.Today is really humid.
- 비가 와서 그런지 습기가 많다.biga waseo geureonji seupgiga manta.Perhaps because it rained, it is humid.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “humid” translations and entries 축축하다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 많다, 축축하다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
