Key Facts
- Hangul: 옷; Revised Romanization: ot
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: Neutral everyday word; there is a formal written word 의복 but 옷 is used in almost all situations.
Clothes in Korean: What Does 옷 Mean?
옷 means clothes or clothing. It is neutral and fits almost every situation. A written, formal word 의복 exists, but you will rarely say it.
How Do You Pronounce 옷?
The final ㅅ is pronounced [t] when it stands alone, so 옷 sounds like [ot]. Before a vowel it links, as in [oseul].
Example Sentences with 옷
옷이 예뻐요.
osi yeppeoyo.
The clothes are pretty.
옷이 예뻐요 praises the clothes. 이 is the subject marker after a consonant.
저는 옷을 자주 사요.
jeoneun oseul jaju sayo.
I often buy clothes.
자주 means often, and 사요 is the verb for buying.
아침에 옷을 입어요.
achime oseul ibeoyo.
I put on clothes in the morning.
아침에 gives the time, and 입어요 is the wearing verb used for most garments.
How the Examples Work
The collocations pair two opposite verbs with the same noun: 옷을 입다 puts clothes on and 옷을 벗다 takes them off. Compounds follow the same pattern as other nouns, so 겨울옷 means winter clothes and 옷가게 means clothing shop.
Phrases Built on 옷
Dressing verbs and shop words attach to the noun.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 옷을 입다 | to wear/put on clothes |
| 옷을 벗다 | to take off clothes |
| 옷가게 | clothing shop |
| 겨울옷 | winter clothes |
The Mistake to Avoid
Mistake: using 입다 for everything you wear. Correct: 입다 is for clothes on the body; hats and glasses take 쓰다, and shoes take 신다. Also watch the pronunciation: alone, 옷 ends in a [t] sound, but before a vowel the ㅅ links over as s, as in 옷을 [oseul].
옷 Compared with Similar Words
의복 is clothing in written, formal Korean. 옷장 is the wardrobe, the furniture where 옷 is kept.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 의복 | clothing (formal) | Written and formal; 옷 is the everyday word. |
| 옷장 | wardrobe | The furniture where 옷 is kept. |
Where Does 옷 Come From?
옷 is native Korean with no hanja.
Trying on Clothes in a Shop
A shopper has found an outfit and wants to try it on. The assistant points out the fitting room and then asks about the size.
Shopper
이 옷 입어 봐도 돼요?
I ot ibeo bwado dwaeyo?
May I try this on?
Assistant
네. 탈의실은 저쪽에 있어요.
Ne. Taruisireun jeojjoge isseoyo.
Yes. The fitting room is over there.
Shopper
감사합니다.
Gamsahamnida.
Thank you.
Assistant
옷이 잘 맞아요?
Osi jal majayo?
Do the clothes fit well?
이 옷 points to the item the shopper is holding. Korean does not require a plural ending here: 옷 can refer to one garment or to clothing as a group. 입어 보다 means to try wearing something, so it is the phrase you need before heading into a fitting room.
How Do You Describe Changing Clothes or Dressing Well?
옷을 갈아입다 means to change clothes: take off what you are wearing and put on something else. 옷을 입다 simply means putting clothes on or wearing them. After getting home in wet clothing, 갈아입다 makes the change of outfit explicit.
옷을 잘 입다 literally means to wear clothes well. In everyday comments about a person, it means they dress well or have good style. 잘 praises how the clothes are chosen or combined. It usually says more than “this person can get dressed without help”.
옷이 잘 맞다 means the clothes fit well. Compare that with 옷이 잘 어울리다, which means the clothes suit someone. The first focuses on fit; the second concerns how the clothes look on the wearer. A coat can fit correctly even if its color does not suit you.
Where Will You See 옷 and Its Compounds?
옷가게 is a clothing shop. An online shop may use 의류, “clothing” or “apparel”, for a product category. That is useful recognition vocabulary, but 옷 remains the easy everyday choice when you ask about something you want to buy.
옷장 names a wardrobe or clothes closet, and 옷걸이 names a hanger. The shared first part helps you recognize that these objects belong with clothing. Neither word names a garment: asking for an 옷걸이 is asking for something to hang the clothes on.
At home, 겨울옷 and 여름옷 mean winter and summer clothes. These are written as single words. They group garments by season, so 겨울옷 might include several kinds of warm clothing rather than one specific coat.
The noun 옷 works in polite conversation with shop staff as well as relaxed talk with friends. In the dialogue, 돼요 makes the request polite. Replacing 옷 with the formal noun 의복 would not make the fitting-room request friendlier or more natural.
Name the Garment You Need
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 바지 | trousers / pants | Covers the legs and takes 입다. |
| 치마 | skirt | Also uses 입다 for putting it on. |
| 셔츠 | shirt | Useful when asking for a particular garment. |
| 코트 | coat | Outer clothing, also worn with 입다. |
The clothing lesson teaches the wider set, including items with different wearing verbs. Once the garment type matters, use its name: 옷 is useful for a general compliment, but 바지 helps a shop assistant find the trousers you mean.
In 옷이 and 옷을, the written final ㅅ becomes the opening sound of the following syllable: [오시] and [오슬]. Alone, 옷 ends with a short unreleased t sound. This is why the audio can sound different when the same noun gains a particle. Keep the spelling 옷 in all three cases.
Quick Self-Test
- Can 이 옷 refer to one garment?
- Which phrase means to change into other clothes?
- Does 옷을 잘 입다 usually praise someone’s style?
Show answers
- Yes. 옷 can refer to a garment or to clothing collectively.
- 옷을 갈아입다.
- Yes. It commonly means that someone dresses well.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say clothes in Korean?
Say 옷 (ot).
How do you say to put on clothes?
Say 옷을 입다.
Which verb do I use for shoes?
Shoes use 신다, not 입다.
What is 옷장?
It is a wardrobe.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Clothing words places 옷 among its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.