Key Facts
- Hangul: 지우개; Revised Romanization: jiugae
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native
- Register: Neutral, everyday word used in both spoken and written Korean.
Eraser in Korean: What Does 지우개 Mean?
지우개 means an eraser, the rubber you use on pencil marks. With 칠판 (board) in front, 칠판 지우개 is the board eraser in a classroom. The word is neutral and used in both speech and writing.
How Do You Pronounce 지우개?
Three syllables: ji-u-gae, with even weight on each, since Korean words have no strong stress. The last syllable ends in the open vowel ㅐ, close to the e in "bed".
Example Sentences with 지우개
지우개 있어요?
Jiugae isseoyo?
Do you have an eraser?
A classroom request. 있어요 means "do you have" in this question, and the rising tone makes it one.
지우개로 지워요.
Jiugaero jiwoyo.
I erase with an eraser.
The marker 로 shows the tool used, and 지워요 is the conjugated verb. Notice that the noun and verb share a stem.
연필과 지우개를 샀어요.
Yeonpilgwa jiugaereul sasseoyo.
I bought a pencil and an eraser.
과 joins two nouns, pencil and eraser. 샀어요 is the past tense of buying.
Common Phrases with 지우개
Three partners show the tool, its crumbs and the counting pattern.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 지우개로 지우다 | to erase with an eraser |
| 지우개 가루 | eraser crumbs |
| 지우개 하나 | one eraser |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners often know the verb 지우다 (to erase) and use it where the noun is needed.
- Wrong: 지우다 있어요? to ask for an eraser.
- Correct: 지우개 있어요? 지우개 is the tool, and 지우다 is the action, as in 지우개로 지워요 (I erase with an eraser).
지우개 Compared with Similar Words
Stationery words appear in sets. 연필 is the pencil you pair with it, and 칠판 지우개 is the board eraser.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 지우개 | eraser | This page's word |
| 연필 | pencil | 연필 and 지우개 are often sold as a pair. |
| 칠판 지우개 | board eraser | 칠판 지우개 is the chalkboard eraser. |
Where Does 지우개 Come From?
지우개 is a native Korean word with no hanja. It is built from the verb 지우다 (to erase) plus the ending -개, which turns an action into the tool that does it.
Borrowing an Eraser during a Class Exercise
Mina
지우개 좀 빌려 주세요.
Jiugae jom billyeo juseyo.
Could I borrow your eraser?
Jisu
네. 여기 있어요.
Ne. Yeogi isseoyo.
Yes. Here you are.
Mina
고마워요. 바로 돌려줄게요.
Gomawoyo. Baro dollyeojulgeyo.
Thank you. I will give it straight back.
Jisu
천천히 쓰세요.
Cheoncheonhi sseuseyo.
Take your time using it.
The classmates are correcting a pencil exercise. 빌려 주세요 asks the other person to lend the eraser; English naturally phrases the request as “could I borrow”. 좀 literally means “a little”, but in this request it softens the wording rather than asking for a small piece of eraser.
바로 돌려줄게요 promises to return the item immediately. The owner answers 천천히 쓰세요 to say there is no hurry. The verb 쓰다 here means “use”, so the line concerns using the borrowed eraser. It does not ask the borrower to write slowly.
Having an Eraser and Asking to Borrow One
지우개 있어요? asks whether someone has an eraser. In a classroom, the listener may infer that you want to borrow it, but the question itself only asks about availability. 지우개 좀 빌려 주세요 makes the request explicit.
지우개 주세요 means “please give me an eraser”. This fits a shop purchase or a situation where supplies are being handed out. When the eraser belongs to a classmate and you plan to return it, 빌려 주세요 expresses that intention more clearly. The same noun works in both requests; the verb explains the arrangement.
지우개 하나 means one eraser without stating a counter. 지우개 한 개 is the fuller noun-number-counter pattern. Both identify one item. For two, 지우개 두 개 uses 두 before 개; the syllable 개 in 지우개 is part of the noun, so you still add the separate counter when using this pattern.
What Do Eraser Phrases Describe?
지우개로 지우다 literally means erasing with an eraser. 로 identifies the tool. In 지우개를 빌리다, “borrow an eraser”, 를 marks the borrowed object instead. These particles show two different relationships to the same item: using it for a task and obtaining it temporarily.
지우개 가루 literally means eraser powder, but the natural English meaning is the crumbs or shavings left after erasing. 가루 describes the leftover material, rather than a special powdered cleaning product. On a desk after a pencil exercise, that context makes the phrase easy to recognize.
잘 지워져요 means “it erases well” when you are talking about pencil marks or an eraser's performance. A stationery description can use it to explain how easily the marks come off. The focus is the result of erasing, rather than who is holding the tool.
Where Will You See 지우개?
Stationery shops and school-supply lists use 지우개 for pencil erasers. A classroom instruction may specify 칠판 지우개 when the teacher means the board eraser. The word 칠판 narrows the tool's purpose, so the ordinary small eraser in a pencil case is not the intended item.
Drawing software may also label its eraser tool 지우개. The physical object and the digital tool share the function of removing marks. In a drawing app, selecting 지우개 changes the tool you use on the image; it does not ask you to fetch a classroom supply.
Words for a Pencil Case and a Stationery Shop
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 필통 | pencil case | A place to keep a small eraser and pencils. |
| 문구점 | stationery shop | A shop where you can ask to buy an eraser. |
| 공책 | notebook | Pencil marks on its pages can be erased. |
| 연필 | pencil | The writing tool paired with the eraser. |
The school vocabulary lesson teaches these supplies together. These words let you say where an eraser is kept, where to buy one and what you are correcting.
Quick Self-Test
- Which phrase explicitly asks to borrow an eraser?
- What does 로 show in 지우개로 지워요?
- Does 지우개 가루 mean a whole eraser or the crumbs left after use?
Show answers
- 지우개 좀 빌려 주세요.
- The tool used for erasing.
- The crumbs or shavings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "eraser" in Korean?
Say 지우개 (jiugae).
What is the verb that goes with 지우개?
지우다 means to erase. 지우개 is the tool.
How do you say "board eraser"?
칠판 지우개, literally "board eraser".
How do you ask whether someone has an eraser?
지우개 있어요?
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: school work school vocabulary groups 지우개 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 지우개 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- The partner word is on the page for pencil. See the page for pencil.
- Next in the school list is the page for exam. See the page for exam.