Key Facts
- Hangul: 사이즈; Revised Romanization: saijeu
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Loanword (no hanja)
- Register: Neutral loanword; very common in shops for clothes and shoes.
Size in Korean: What Does 사이즈 Mean?
사이즈 is a loanword used mainly for clothes, shoes and other products sold in sizes. It is neutral and very common in shops. Its core sense is the size of clothes or shoes, and it stretches to other products that come in set sizes.
How Do You Pronounce 사이즈?
Three syllables: sa-i-jeu. The last syllable jeu is a j followed by a short, unrounded "eu" vowel, because Korean adds a vowel to the final z sound of English.
Example Sentences with 사이즈
사이즈가 어떻게 되세요?
Saijeuga eotteoke doeseyo?
What size are you?
사이즈가 어떻게 되세요? is a shop assistant's question. 어떻게 되세요 is the polite, honorific way staff ask a customer for personal details such as a size.
더 큰 사이즈 있어요?
Deo keun saijeu isseoyo?
Do you have a bigger size?
더 큰 사이즈 있어요? asks for a larger size. 큰 means "big" and 더 means "more".
사이즈가 안 맞아요.
Saijeuga an majayo.
The size does not fit.
사이즈가 안 맞아요 is a complaint. 안 negates 맞아요, "fits".
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 사이즈가 맞다 | the size fits |
| 큰 사이즈 | large size |
| 사이즈를 재다 | to measure the size |
| 사이즈 표 | size chart |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners use 사이즈 for the size of everything.
- Wrong: 사이즈 for the size of a table or a room
- Right: 크기 (the general size of a thing)
Reserve 사이즈 for clothes, shoes and products with set sizes.
사이즈 Compared with Similar Words
Two other size words exist. 크기 is the general size or magnitude of a room or a box. 치수 means exact measurements in numbers.
| Word | Meaning | Versus size |
|---|---|---|
| 사이즈 | size (of clothes/shoes) | This page's word |
| 크기 | size / magnitude | General size of things, such as a room or box. |
| 치수 | measurements | Exact measurements in numbers. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
사이즈 is a loanword from English "size", so there is no hanja.
Finding a Smaller Size in a Clothing Shop
A customer has tried on a garment and wants a different fit. The assistant confirms that a smaller size is available and invites the customer to try it.
Customer
이거 더 작은 사이즈 있어요?
Igeo deo jageun saijeu isseoyo?
Do you have this in a smaller size?
Assistant
네. 작은 사이즈도 있어요.
Ne. Jageun saijeudo isseoyo.
Yes. We have a smaller size too.
Customer
입어 봐도 돼요?
Ibeo bwado dwaeyo?
May I try it on?
Assistant
네. 입어 보세요.
Ne. Ibeo boseyo.
Yes. Please try it on.
더 작은 사이즈 is a smaller size, while 더 큰 사이즈 is a bigger size. The customer uses 이거, “this”, because both people can see the garment. 입어 보다 is trying clothing on. With shoes, the same size question works, but trying them on uses 신어 보다.
How Do You Describe the Fit?
사이즈가 맞다 means the size fits. 맞다 gives the result of comparing the item with the wearer. 크다 and 작다 describe the direction of a problem: too large or too small. Saying only 사이즈가 안 맞아요 tells staff that the fit is wrong, but leaves them to ask which alternative you need.
한 사이즈 큰 means one size larger, and 한 사이즈 작은 means one size smaller. Here 한 사이즈 describes a step in the product’s sizing system. It is useful when you already have a garment in your hand. 더 큰 asks more generally for something larger without specifying exactly one step.
정사이즈 means the usual or expected size. In clothing reviews, it often suggests that a product fits as expected for its labeled size. It is not a universal measurement standard. A review describes someone else’s fit, so a size chart is still useful when the brand or cut is unfamiliar.
What Will You See on Korean Product Pages?
Online shops use 사이즈 near options for clothing and footwear. A 사이즈 표 is a size chart. Look for the unit and the measurement labels rather than assuming every number is a body measurement. A chart may describe the garment itself, so the item’s waist measurement and your own waist measurement need careful comparison.
프리 사이즈 means one size offered for a range of wearers. It does not guarantee that the item fits every body. The listed measurements tell you more than the English-looking label alone. The word 프리 here concerns the sizing option, rather than the item being free of charge.
In a shop conversation, 사이즈가 어떻게 되세요 is a polite staff question. A short size answer is enough when the category is already clear. For exact tailoring or alterations, 치수 is useful because it points to measurements. For the overall size of a room or box, 크기 is the general word.
사이즈 교환 means exchanging an item for another size. 교환 is an exchange, while 환불 means a refund. These words can appear together in a store policy, but they describe different outcomes. If the garment is otherwise right and only the fit is wrong, 사이즈 교환 names the change you are asking about.
Size-Chart Words Worth Recognizing
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 어깨너비 | shoulder width | Often listed for shirts and jackets. |
| 허리둘레 | waist circumference | A measurement around the waist. |
| 총길이 | total length | Check where the shop starts and ends the measurement. |
| 발길이 | foot length | Useful when reading a footwear size guide. |
| 단위 | unit | Read it before interpreting the numbers. |
The shopping vocabulary lesson supplies the surrounding store language. For the garment names that appear beside the measurements, use the clothing vocabulary lesson.
Quick Self-Test
- What is the opposite of 더 큰 사이즈?
- Does 프리 사이즈 promise a fit for every person?
- Which word is best for the general size of a room?
Show answers
- 더 작은 사이즈, a smaller size.
- No. Check the listed measurements.
- 크기.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "size" in Korean?
Say 사이즈 (saijeu).
How do I ask for a bigger size?
Say 더 큰 사이즈 있어요?
When should I use 크기 instead?
Use 크기 for the general size of things such as a room or box.
What is a size chart?
It is a 사이즈 표.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: daily life shopping vocabulary places size among related words.
- Index: more words after size are in Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: save size in the vocabulary flashcard decks.