Key Facts
- Hangul: 립스틱; Revised Romanization: ripseutik
- Part of speech: noun
- Syllables: 3 (rip-seu-tik)
- Origin: Loanword from English
- Register: Neutral; used in all registers.
Lipstick in Korean: What Does 립스틱 Mean?
립스틱 is the borrowed English word "lipstick" and it is used in every register. Korean beauty talk has several neighbours: 립밤 for lip balm, 틴트 for a lip tint that is very popular in Korea, and 입술 for the lips themselves. 립스틱 is the classic stick product, as in 빨간 립스틱, red lipstick.
How Do You Pronounce 립스틱?
립스틱 has three syllables: rip, seu and tik. The s of stick cannot start a cluster in Korean, so it gets the vowel ㅡ, written eu, and becomes its own syllable. The first syllable ends in ㅂ and the last ends in ㄱ, both closed stops. After the closed p, the s is tensed in speech, so the word sounds close to rip-sseu-tik. Revised Romanization is ripseutik, with the initial ㄹ written r.
Example Sentences with 립스틱
이 립스틱 색이 예뻐요.
I ripseutik saegi yeppeoyo.
This lipstick color is pretty.
이 립스틱 색이 예뻐요 combines 립스틱 and 색, "colour", so it means "this lipstick colour is pretty". 예뻐요 is "is pretty".
립스틱을 하나 샀어요.
Ripseutigeul hana sasseoyo.
I bought a lipstick.
립스틱을 하나 샀어요 uses 하나, "one", and 샀어요, "bought". In everyday speech Koreans often put the number after the noun and its particle like this.
엄마는 빨간 립스틱을 좋아해요.
Eommaneun ppalgan ripseutigeul joahaeyo.
My mom likes red lipstick.
빨간 is "red" before a noun, and 좋아해요 is "likes". 엄마는 marks mom as the topic, so the sentence says what she prefers.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 립스틱을 바르다 | to apply lipstick |
| 립스틱 색 | lipstick color |
| 빨간 립스틱 | red lipstick |
| 립스틱을 고치다 | to touch up lipstick |
립스틱을 바르다 is the key phrase: 바르다 means to spread or apply. 립스틱 색 is the lipstick colour, 빨간 립스틱 is red lipstick, and 립스틱을 고치다 is to touch up lipstick.
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 입다 for putting on lipstick, as in "I wear lipstick" with 입다.
Correct: ✓ 바르다 for applying lipstick and other cosmetics; 입다 only for clothes.
Why: 입다 is "wear" for clothes. Lipstick is spread on the lips, so Korean uses 바르다.
립스틱 Compared with Related Words
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 립스틱 | lipstick | The word on this page. |
| 립밤 | lip balm | Moisturising balm, usually without colour. |
| 틴트 | lip tint | A lip colour that is very popular in Korea. |
| 입술 | lips | The body part itself. |
립스틱 is the solid stick, 틴트 is the staining tint and 립밤 is care rather than colour.
Where Does the Word Come From?
립스틱 is a loanword from English "lipstick", so it has no hanja and no native Korean root.
Choosing a Lipstick Shade
A customer at a cosmetics counter likes a lipstick but wants to compare shades before buying.
Customer
이 립스틱은 다른 색도 있어요?
I ripseutigeun dareun saekdo isseoyo?
Does this lipstick come in other colors too?
Staff
네. 어떤 색을 찾으세요?
Ne. Eotteon saegeul chajeuseyo?
Yes. What color are you looking for?
Customer
분홍색을 찾고 있어요.
Bunhongsaegeul chatgo isseoyo.
I’m looking for pink.
Staff
이 색은 어떠세요?
I saegeun eotteoseyo?
How about this color?
다른 색도 asks about other colors of the same product. After the first line, both speakers can simply say 색 because they already know they are discussing lipstick. The staff member uses respectful endings suitable for a customer.
What Will You See on Cosmetic Labels?
립스틱 identifies the product type, while 색 or 색상 identifies its color or shade. A shop may display several shades under one lipstick name. A shade number distinguishes options within that product range; it is not a universal color code shared by every brand.
매트 describes a matte finish, and 촉촉한 describes a moist or moisturizing feel. These details answer different questions from “what color is it?” Two pink lipsticks can have different finishes and feel different on the lips. Product descriptions often place these modifiers before 립스틱, so identify the noun first and then read the description around it.
Applying, Touching up and Removing Lipstick
립스틱을 바르다 describes applying lipstick. 립스틱을 고치다 usually means touching it up, such as refreshing the color after eating. Literally, 고치다 can mean “fix”, but here the person is fixing the appearance of the makeup. They are not repairing a broken tube.
립스틱을 지우다 means to remove lipstick. This completes a useful sequence: apply it, touch it up and remove it. In each phrase, 립스틱을 stays the object and the verb tells you which action happens. English “put on” and “take off” therefore do not supply a single Korean verb pair that works for both clothes and makeup.
| Korean | Meaning | Useful shopping note |
|---|---|---|
| 색상 | color / shade | Look beside this label to compare color options. |
| 화장품 | cosmetics | The general category containing lipstick and other products. |
| 매트 | matte | Describes the finish rather than a particular shade. |
| 입술 | lips | Names where the product goes, rather than the product itself. |
The makeup vocabulary lesson covers the wider cosmetic set. 립밤 and 틴트 are useful neighboring labels, but check the description as well: a balm may have color, and product names alone do not guarantee a particular texture or result.
Quick Self-Test
- Which verb means applying lipstick: 바르다 or 입다?
- Does 립스틱을 고치다 usually mean repairing a broken tube?
- Does 매트 identify a color or a finish?
Show answers
- 바르다. 입다 is used for clothing.
- No. It usually means touching up the lipstick on your lips.
- A finish. You still need a separate shade description.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "lipstick" in Korean?
Lipstick in Korean is 립스틱 (ripseutik), a loanword from English.
What verb goes with lipstick?
Use 바르다, as in 립스틱을 바르다.
Can I use 입다 for lipstick?
No. 입다 is for clothes. Use 바르다.
What is a 틴트?
It is a lip tint, very popular in Korea.
How do I say "red lipstick"?
Say 빨간 립스틱.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean makeup vocabulary groups 립스틱 with other beauty words.
- Index: Korean words A to Z lists every single-word entry.
- See also: makeup is the general word that includes lipstick.
- Practice: vocabulary flashcard decks lets you add 립스틱 to a spaced-repetition set.