Key Facts
- Hangul: 손; Revised Romanization: son
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: Neutral everyday word. Also used for 'helping hands' (일손) in compounds.
Hand in Korean: What Does 손 Mean?
손 names the hand in everyday body descriptions. It is a neutral everyday word. Compounds such as 일손 use it for working hands, meaning people available to help.
How Do You Pronounce It?
One syllable, son. The s is followed by a plain o and a final n, so the word is short and closes on the tongue tip.
Example Sentences with 손
손을 씻으세요.
soneul ssiseuseyo.
Please wash your hands.
The polite request form 씻으세요 asks someone to wash, which is typical for a handwashing sign.
손이 차가워요.
soni chagawoyo.
My hands are cold.
A feeling description: 차가워요 means cold to the touch, and the subject marker 이 follows 손.
제 손을 잡으세요.
je soneul jabeuseyo.
Please hold my hand.
The possessive 제 means my, and 잡으세요 is the polite request to hold, so this line is a gentle invitation.
Collocations
Each collocation pairs 손 with an action verb, so learn them as units.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 손을 씻다 | to wash one's hands |
| 손을 잡다 | to hold hands |
| 손을 흔들다 | to wave one's hand |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: using 손 for the whole arm, as English gestures sometimes do.
Right: 손 stops at the wrist. For the limb from shoulder to wrist, say 팔.
손 Compared with Similar Words
팔 is the arm and 손 is the hand. 손님 contains 손 but means a guest or customer, so do not read it as hand-person: the 손 in 손님 is an old native word for a visitor, unrelated to the hand.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 손 | hand | This page's word |
| 팔 | arm | 팔 is the arm; 손 is the hand. |
| 손님 | guest/customer | 손님 uses 손 but means a visitor. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
손 is a native Korean word with no hanja.
Before Eating: Something on Your Hand
Two people are about to eat. Mina notices chocolate on Joon's hand and points him toward a place to wash.
Mina
손에 뭐가 묻었어요.
Sone mwoga mudeosseoyo.
There is something on your hand.
Joon
아, 초콜릿이에요.
A, chokollisieyo.
Oh, it is chocolate.
Mina
여기서 손을 씻으세요.
Yeogiseo soneul ssiseuseyo.
Please wash your hands here.
Joon
네, 비누가 어디에 있어요?
Ne, binuga eodie isseoyo?
Okay, where is the soap?
손에 means “on the hand” here. 묻었어요 describes something that has gotten onto a surface, such as chocolate or dirt. The location marker 에 tells you where the substance is; the object marker 을 in 손을 씻으세요 marks what Joon should wash. The small change in the particle changes the hand's role in the sentence.
Literal Hands and Figurative Meanings
손을 잡다 can literally mean holding someone's hand, as in the earlier example. In news or business talk, it can also describe joining forces. If two companies “hold hands” to develop a product, the point is cooperation. The participants and the activity tell you whether actual hands are involved.
손이 크다 literally says that someone's hands are big. As an idiom, it describes generosity or doing things on a large scale, especially spending or preparing food. A host who cooks a very generous amount may be described this way. A conversation about glove size, however, could use the same words literally.
손이 모자라다 literally suggests there are not enough hands. It means there are too few people to do the work. A busy kitchen may have plenty of ingredients but still be short of help. The related compound 일손 also uses 손 for people available to work. These uses appear in the National Institute of Korean Language’s entry for 손.
손을 흔들다 means to wave a hand. It is a physical movement, while the meaning of the gesture depends on the scene. Someone at a station may wave goodbye; someone across a room may wave to attract attention. The phrase alone does not choose between those intentions.
Where Will You See or Hear 손?
손 씻기 is a short label meaning “handwashing”. You may see it above instructions near a sink. A full instruction such as 손을 씻으세요 asks the reader to wash their hands. Signs often name the activity first and put the complete instructions underneath.
In classrooms, 손을 들다 means to raise a hand, often to answer a question. In photos and descriptions, 손을 잡다 may describe people holding hands. In a workplace conversation, listen for whether 손 refers to a body part or to help with a task.
Korean often leaves ownership unstated when it is clear. 손이 차가워요 can describe the speaker's own hands without adding “my”. It can also describe someone else's hands in the right situation. 손 itself does not specify the owner or require a plural ending for two hands.
Name the Side or Part of the Hand
| Korean | Meaning | When it helps |
|---|---|---|
| 오른손 | right hand | Name the side for an instruction or description. |
| 왼손 | left hand | Distinguish it from the right hand. |
| 손가락 | finger | Identify one of the digits rather than the whole hand. |
| 손바닥 | palm | Name the inner surface of the hand. |
| 손등 | back of the hand | Name the outer surface opposite the palm. |
| 손목 | wrist | Identify the joint connecting the hand and arm. |
The body vocabulary lesson teaches the surrounding set, including 팔, the arm. For a precise description, choose the part you mean: dirt on a palm, a finger pointing at something and a watch around a wrist involve different nouns.
Quick Self-Test
- Which word means the palm: 손바닥 or 손등?
- In a busy restaurant, could 손이 모자라다 mean there are too few workers?
- Does 손이 차가워요 require a word meaning “my” to be complete?
Show answers
- 손바닥. 손등 is the back of the hand.
- Yes. “Not enough hands” means not enough help.
- No. The situation can make the owner clear.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say hand in Korean?
Say 손 (son).
Is 손 also the arm?
No. 팔 is the arm and 손 is only the hand.
How do I say to hold hands?
Use the phrase 손을 잡다.
What does 손님 mean?
It means guest or customer, even though it contains 손.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: People body vocabulary groups 손 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.