Key Facts
- Hangul: 취미; Revised Romanization: chwimi
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean
- Register: Neutral; common in self-introductions.
- Hanja: 趣味 (趣 interest + 味 taste)
Hobby in Korean: What Does 취미 Mean?
취미 has two senses, hobby and interest. It is neutral and common in self-introductions.
How Is It Used?
Hobby talk follows a fixed frame in Korean. Ask with 취미가 뭐예요, answer with 제 취미는 plus a noun, and describe a change with 생겼어요. The collocation 취미로 means as a hobby, so it marks something done for fun rather than for work. When 취미 is translated as "interest", it means a pastime you enjoy, not a subject you care about; for that kind of interest Korean uses 관심.
How Do You Pronounce It?
Two syllables, chwi-mi. The first syllable packs ch, w and i together in one beat.
Example Sentences with 취미
제 취미는 영화예요.
je chwimineun yeonghwayeyo.
My hobby is movies.
The sentence pattern is 제 취미는 plus a noun plus 예요.
취미가 뭐예요?
chwimiga mwoyeyo?
What is your hobby?
The question is 취미가 뭐예요, the standard way to ask.
저는 새로운 취미가 생겼어요.
jeoneun saeroun chwimiga saenggyeosseoyo.
I have a new hobby.
생겼어요 literally means "came into being", so the sentence is close to English "I've picked up a new hobby".
Collocations
Phrases cover having a hobby, doing it for fun and leisure life in general.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 취미 생활 | leisure activities |
| 취미가 있다 | have a hobby |
| 취미로 | as a hobby |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners translate "my hobby is watching movies" word for word and leave a bare verb after 취미는.
Wrong: 취미는 영화를 봐요.
Correct: 취미는 영화 감상이에요. Or: 취미는 영화를 보는 거예요.
The topic 취미 needs a noun on the other side of "is", so turn the activity into a noun: 감상 (watching or appreciation) or the pattern with 거 ("the thing of watching").
취미 Compared with Similar Words
관심 is interest or attention, and 특기 is a special skill. 취미 is what you do for pleasure.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 취미 | hobby | This page's word |
| 관심 | interest | interest / attention |
| 특기 | special skill | special skill |
Where Does the Word Come From?
취미 is Sino-Korean, written 趣味 (趣 interest + 味 taste).
At a First Meeting: Finding a Shared Hobby
Two people have just joined the same conversation group. They use hobbies to find something to talk about next.
Jisu
취미가 뭐예요?
Chwimiga mwoyeyo?
What’s your hobby?
Alex
제 취미는 사진 찍기예요.
Je chwimineun sajin jjikgiyeyo.
My hobby is taking photos.
Jisu
어떤 사진을 찍어요?
Eotteon sajineul jjigeoyo?
What kind of photos do you take?
Alex
주로 풍경 사진을 찍어요.
Juro punggyeong sajineul jjigeoyo.
I mainly take landscape photos.
사진 찍기 turns “taking photos” into the name of an activity. It fits after 제 취미는, just as a noun such as 독서, “reading”, does. The follow-up 어떤 사진 asks what kind of photos the person takes. 주로 means “mainly”, so the answer describes their usual subject without ruling out other kinds.
How Can You Answer without a Long Sentence?
A short answer such as 독서예요, “reading”, is enough after 취미가 뭐예요. The listener already knows that the topic is your hobby. The full frame 제 취미는 독서예요 is useful in an introduction, but repeating 제 취미는 in every reply can make a conversation feel rehearsed.
For an action, 기 can turn the verb into an activity name. 사진 찍기 means taking photos and 요리하기 means cooking. These activity names let you say exactly what you do, rather than naming only an object associated with the hobby.
영화 감상 means watching or appreciating films. It makes the movie example more specific: the hobby is watching films. The shorter 영화 is understandable when the conversation already concerns hobbies, while 영화 감상 spells out the activity and also suits a written list.
Common Phrases for Talking about Pastimes
취미로 means “as a hobby”. It describes the role an activity plays in your life. Someone who cooks 취미로 does it for enjoyment; the expression does not claim that they work as a cook or have professional training.
취미 생활 means pursuing hobbies or leisure activities. The literal parts are “hobby” and “life”, but the expression concerns the place of hobbies in daily life. You may meet it in a conversation about balancing work and personal time.
같은 취미 means the same hobby, and 취미가 같다 means to share the same hobby. The similarity concerns the activity people enjoy. It does not tell you whether they have the same skill level or practice with the same frequency.
새로운 취미가 생기다 means to develop or pick up a new hobby. As the example above shows, Korean presents the new hobby as something that has appeared in your life. The phrase is useful when an occasional activity has become a regular interest.
Where Will You See 취미, 관심, and 특기?
취미 is common in self-introductions, profiles, language exchanges, and club conversations. It invites an answer about activities you enjoy. A follow-up about what you make, read, or play often gives the conversation more detail than another hobby name would.
A form may place 취미 beside 특기. 취미 asks what you enjoy doing; 특기 asks about a particular skill or strength. You can enjoy singing without claiming it as your special skill. Conversely, a useful skill does not have to be something you pursue for pleasure.
관심 is broader interest or attention. You can have 관심 in photography before owning a camera or taking pictures regularly. Calling photography your 취미 suggests that it is already an activity you enjoy doing.
취미가 뭐예요 is a polite everyday question. With close friends, 취미가 뭐야 is casual. The noun stays the same; the ending changes the way you address the listener.
Activity Names for a Hobby Answer
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 독서 | reading | A compact noun for a pastime. |
| 요리 | cooking | Can name a hobby or professional activity. |
| 사진 찍기 | taking photos | Names the action, rather than the photo itself. |
| 등산 | hiking | Useful for mountain outings. |
The hobbies vocabulary lesson gives more activity names for this question. Pick a word that describes what you actually do, then add one detail about it, as the photographer does in the dialogue.
Quick Self-Test
- Which word asks about a special skill rather than a hobby?
- What does 취미로 mean?
- Why does 사진 찍기 work after 제 취미는?
Show answers
- 특기.
- As a hobby.
- 기 turns the action into an activity name that fits the “my hobby is” frame.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say hobby in Korean?
Say 취미 (chwimi).
How do I ask about a hobby?
Say 취미가 뭐예요?
How do I say my hobby is movies?
Say 제 취미는 영화예요.
What is 특기?
It is a special skill.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Hobbies vocabulary groups 취미 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.