옷장
otjang[o̞t̚t͡ɕ͈a̠ŋ]
The English word 'wardrobe' is translated into Korean as 옷장 (otjang). Wiktionary also lists 의장 (uijang).
Meaning: movable furniture for storing clothes (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 옷장 | otjang | [o̞t̚t͡ɕ͈a̠ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 의장 | uijang | [ɰid͡ʑa̠ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term refers to movable furniture used for storing clothes.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 옷장 is a compound of 옷, meaning clothes and 장, meaning cabinet or storage.
Which one should you use?
옷장 is the standard term for a piece of furniture used to store clothes.
How do you pronounce it?
otjang
Did you know?
- In Korean culture, the placement of a 옷장 relative to the bed is often considered in 'pungsu' or feng shui to ensure a harmonious flow of energy.
- Because of the high humidity during the monsoon season, traditional 옷장 units often featured gaps or ventilation to prevent mold from destroying silk garments.
- While 옷장 is the common term for a piece of furniture, the word 의장 is a homonym that can also mean 'chairman' or 'speaker' in a formal assembly.
Examples in context
- 나는 옷장에서 옷을 골라요.I am choosing clothes from the wardrobe.
- 새 옷장을 샀어요.sae ot-jang-eul sass-eo-yo.I bought a new wardrobe.
- 옷장이 너무 작아요.ot-jang-i neo-mu jag-a-yo.The wardrobe is too small.
- 옷장에 옷을 넣으세요.ot-jang-e ot-eul neo-eu-se-yo.Please put the clothes in the wardrobe.
Example conversation
Subin and Hyunwoo are looking at a new apartment.
- 수빈 Su-bin현우 씨, 이 옷장 어때요?Hyeon-u ssi, i ot-jang eo-ttae-yo?Hyunwoo, how about this wardrobe?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo수빈 씨, 디자인이 정말 예뻐요.Su-bin ssi, di-ja-in-i jeong-mal ye-ppeo-yo.Subin, the design is really pretty.
- 수빈 Su-bin하지만 옷장이 좀 커 보여요.Ha-ji-man ot-jang-i jom keo bo-yeo-yo.But the wardrobe looks a bit big.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo그래도 수납하기 좋을 것 같아요.Geu-rae-do su-nap-ha-gi jo-eul geot gat-a-yo.Still, I think it will be good for storage.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wardrobe” translations and entries 옷장, 의장, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
