은퇴하다
euntoehada[ɯntʰwe̞ɦa̠da̠]
To retire in Korean is 은퇴하다 (euntoehada).
은퇴하다 is used to describe the act of stopping work on a permanent basis, specifically when leaving a career or a long-term profession.
Meaning: to stop working on permanent basis (verb)
Which one should you use?
은퇴하다 is used for retiring from a career or profession. In contrast, 퇴직하다 is a more general term for leaving a specific job, position or resigning, often used in administrative contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can express the action using the object marker as 은퇴를 하다. When speaking about an elder or someone of higher social status who has retired, you should use the honorific form 은퇴하셨다 instead of the plain past tense 은퇴했다.
How do you pronounce it?
euntoehada
Did you know?
- In Korea, the term 은퇴 is frequently used for idols and K-pop stars who leave the entertainment industry, even if they are only in their twenties.
- In Korean, you might hear people use the term 명예퇴직 (myeongye-toejik), which means 'honorary retirement' but is actually a common euphemism for voluntary early retirement during corporate restructuring.
- The word 은퇴 shares the same root for 'hiding' as the word for 'hermit'. Historically, this linked the act of retiring from a government post with the practice of living as a recluse in nature.
Examples in context
- 나는 곧 가족과 함께 은퇴할 계획입니다.I plan to retire soon with my family.
- 그분은 30년 동안 회사에서 일한 후에 은퇴했습니다.He retired after working at the company for 30 years.
- 엄마는 조만간 은퇴해요?Is mom going to retire soon?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 은퇴하다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
