Key Facts
- Hangul: 설거지; Revised Romanization: seolgeoji
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: Neutral everyday word; commonly used with 하다.
Dishwashing in Korean: What Does 설거지 Mean?
설거지 is a noun for washing up after a meal. It is a neutral everyday word. You will hear it most in family settings: who cooks, who clears, who does the dishes.
How Do You Pronounce 설거지?
Three syllables: seol-geo-ji. Each one is short and even, with no syllable stressed hard. The final ji is a light, quick close.
Example Sentences with 설거지
저녁 먹고 설거지를 해요.
jeonyeok meokgo seolgeojireul haeyo.
I do the dishes after dinner.
A routine after the evening meal. 설거지를 is the noun plus the object marker, and 해요 is the verb 하다 in the polite form.
설거지는 제가 할게요.
seolgeojineun jega halgeyo.
I will do the dishes.
An offer to take the chore on. The 제가 puts the speaker forward, and the ending promises the action.
설거지가 너무 많아요.
seolgeojiga neomu manayo.
There are too many dishes to wash.
A complaint about volume. Here 설거지 is the subject of a description, so the dishes themselves feel like a pile.
Common Phrases and Collocations
The core pattern is 설거지를 하다, and the single verb 설거지하다 means the same. Two compound-style items name the objects around the chore: 설거지통 (a dish tub) and 설거짓거리 (the dishes waiting to be washed).
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 설거지를 하다 | to do the dishes |
| 설거지하다 | to wash dishes |
| 설거지통 | dish tub |
| 설거짓거리 | dishes to wash |
설거짓거리 names the dishes waiting to be washed. Write it as one word with ㅅ, as explained in the National Institute of Korean Language’s spelling guidance. It names the pile of washing-up, while 설거지 names the task.
The Mistake to Avoid
설거지를 해요 means “I do the dishes.” You can also name what you wash: 접시를 설거지해요 means “I wash the plates.” The National Institute of Korean Language’s dictionary entry for 설거지하다 includes this object pattern. Both constructions work; the choice depends on whether you name the chore or the dishes.
The spelling mistake to avoid is:
- Wrong: 설겆이
- Right: 설거지
설겆이 is an older spelling that is no longer standard.
설거지 Compared with Related Words
Two neighbours help you place the word. 빨래 is also a household wash, but of clothes, and 식기세척기 is the appliance rather than the chore.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 설거지 | dishwashing | This page's word |
| 빨래 | laundry | Washing clothes, not dishes. |
| 식기세척기 | dishwasher | The machine that washes dishes. |
After Dinner: Sharing the Chores
Two housemates are clearing up after eating. One offers to wash the dishes and the other offers to put away the leftovers.
Jisu:
설거지는 제가 할게요.
Seolgeojineun jega halgeyo.
I’ll do the dishes.
Minho:
그럼 저는 남은 음식을 정리할게요.
Geureom jeoneun nameun eumsigeul jeongnihalgeyo.
Then I’ll put away the leftover food.
Jisu:
고마워요. 고무장갑 어디 있어요?
Gomawoyo. Gomujanggap eodi isseoyo?
Thanks. Where are the rubber gloves?
Minho:
싱크대 아래에 있어요.
Singkeudae araee isseoyo.
They’re under the sink.
설거지는 marks the chore as the topic: “as for the dishes.” 제가 then identifies who volunteers. The second speaker takes a different task, so the conversation divides the work. The gloves and sink make this a concrete household exchange rather than a general statement about cleaning.
What Is Included in 설거지?
설거지 is washing the used dishes and putting them in order after eating. Bowls, plates, cups, and cooking utensils can all be part of it. The English phrase “do the dishes” is a closer match than “wash a dish,” because the noun names a task rather than one particular object.
Clearing leftovers, wiping the table, and washing clothes each have their own descriptions. At home, someone offering to do 설거지 is taking responsibility for the washing-up. If you are dividing chores, name the other tasks separately, as the housemates do in the dialogue.
Phrases about Finishing or Leaving the Dishes
설거지를 끝내다 means “to finish the dishes.” 끝내다 focuses on completing the task. 설거지를 미루다 means “to put off doing the dishes”: the washing has been delayed, not finished. These literal combinations are useful when talking about what still needs doing after a meal.
설거지할 차례 means “a turn to do the dishes.” 차례 identifies whose turn it is, so the phrase fits a shared household routine. It does not identify the person until the surrounding sentence names them. Compare that with the direct offer 설거지는 제가 할게요, which volunteers the speaker immediately.
You will hear 설거지 in family conversations, cooking videos, and scenes about household work. In a kitchen job description, it names dishwashing duties. The word does not tell you whether the work is paid, shared between housemates, or done by a family member; the setting supplies that information.
Things around the Sink
| Korean | Meaning | Useful connection |
|---|---|---|
| 그릇 | bowl; dish | A broad word for the vessels being washed. |
| 접시 | plate | Names a particular kind of dish. |
| 주방 세제 | dishwashing detergent | The cleaning product used for kitchen dishes. |
| 고무장갑 | rubber gloves | Often mentioned when getting ready to wash up. |
| 싱크대 | kitchen sink | The place named in the housemates' exchange. |
The cleaning and laundry lesson separates household chores and their equipment. 식기세척기 is a dishwasher, so it names a machine. 설거지 is still the task, whether a conversation focuses on washing by hand or using kitchen equipment.
Quick Self-Test
- Which is standard: 설겆이 or 설거지?
- Does 빨래 mean washing plates?
- In 설거지는 제가 할게요, who offers to do the dishes?
Show answers
- 설거지 is standard.
- No. 빨래 is laundry; 설거지 is dishwashing.
- The speaker: 제가 means “I” as the subject.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "dishwashing" in Korean?
Say 설거지 (seolgeoji). It names the chore of washing the dishes.
How do you say "to do the dishes"?
Use 설거지를 하다, or the single verb 설거지하다.
Is 설겆이 correct?
No. The standard spelling is 설거지; 설겆이 is an older spelling that is no longer standard.
Is 설거지 the same as 빨래?
No. 빨래 is laundry. 설거지 is washing dishes.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean Cleaning Vocabulary places 설거지 with the other words of its topic.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Flashcards: put 설거지 into the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next entry: laundry follows this chore on the cleaning list, so see the page for laundry.