Key Facts
- Hangul: 쓰레기; Revised Romanization: sseuregi
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native
- Register: Neutral; also an insult when applied to a person (rude).
Trash in Korean: How Do You Pronounce 쓰레기?
Three syllables: sseu-re-gi. The initial ㅆ is a tense consonant, said with a tight throat and no puff of air.
Example Sentences with 쓰레기
쓰레기를 버려 주세요.
Sseuregireul beoryeo juseyo
Please throw away the trash.
A request. 버려 주세요 combines throw away with a polite favour, so you are asking someone to do it.
쓰레기통이 어디에 있어요?
Sseuregitongi eodie isseoyo
Where is the trash can?
Finding the bin: 쓰레기통이 is trash can as the subject, and 어디에 asks where.
바닥에 쓰레기가 많아요.
Badage sseuregiga manayo
There is a lot of trash on the floor.
A description of mess. 바닥에 is on the floor, and 많아요 says there is a lot.
The three examples show a request, a question and an observation. 쓰레기통, the bin, is written as one word.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 쓰레기를 버리다 | to throw away trash |
| 쓰레기통 | trash can |
| 쓰레기 봉투 | trash bag |
쓰레기를 버리다 is the key verb phrase, 쓰레기통 is the bin, and 쓰레기 봉투 is the bag.
The Mistake to Avoid
ㅐ and ㅔ sound almost the same in everyday speech, so the spelling slips.
Wrong: 쓰래기
Correct: 쓰레기, with ㅔ in the second syllable.
Also remember that calling a person 쓰레기 is a harsh insult.
쓰레기 Compared with Similar Words
휴지 is tissue or toilet paper, not trash itself. 폐기물 is official or industrial waste, and 분리수거 is the sorting of recyclables.
| Word | Meaning | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|---|
| 쓰레기 | trash | This page's word |
| 휴지 | tissue / toilet paper | Tissue paper; not trash itself. |
| 폐기물 | waste (formal) | Official/industrial waste. |
| 분리수거 | waste sorting | Sorting recyclables. |
Clearing a Table at a Café
A customer has finished a snack and is looking for the right bin. The staff member points out that the cup belongs somewhere else.
Customer
쓰레기는 어디에 버려요?
Sseuregineun eodie beoryeoyo?
Where do I throw away the trash?
Staff
저쪽 쓰레기통에 버려 주세요.
Jeojjok sseuregitonge beoryeo juseyo.
Please put it in the trash can over there.
Customer
이 컵도요?
I keopdoyo?
This cup too?
Staff
아니요. 컵은 여기에 놓아 주세요.
Aniyo. Keobeun yeogie noa juseyo.
No. Please put the cup here.
쓰레기는 makes the trash the topic: “as for the trash, where do I throw it away?” In the reply, 쓰레기통에 marks the destination. The customer then asks a short follow-up with 도, “also”. This is useful when you can point at an item but cannot name its material.
Which Kind of Trash Does the Label Mean?
쓰레기 is the broad everyday word. A bin label often adds another word to show what belongs inside. 일반 쓰레기 means general trash, while 음식물 쓰레기 means food waste. The added word changes the category, so recognizing just 쓰레기 may not be enough to choose the bin.
On a notice, 쓰레기 무단 투기 금지 means “No unauthorized dumping”. 금지 means prohibition. This is a written instruction, so it can appear without a polite sentence ending. Its direct wording is normal for a sign. In conversation, the request 쓰레기를 버려 주세요 is more natural than reading out the whole notice.
A shared kitchen may have separate containers for different materials. Use the labels and ask about an unfamiliar item. The Korean word alone does not tell you a building's collection schedule or which container accepts a particular package. Those details come from the local notice or the person responsible for the space.
Throw It Away, Pick It up, or Take It Out?
쓰레기를 버리다 means to dispose of trash. 쓰레기를 줍다 means to pick trash up, such as litter on a path. 쓰레기를 치우다 means to clear it away. All three use 쓰레기를, but they describe different actions. Picking up a wrapper is one step; putting it in the bin is another.
쓰레기를 줄이다 means to reduce waste. You may meet it in environmental campaigns about using fewer disposable items. Here the goal is less waste being produced, rather than a cleaner floor after someone tidies up. These combinations are literal, so there is no hidden idiomatic meaning to memorize.
쓰레기를 버리다 can mean taking out household rubbish as well as throwing away a single item. English often changes the phrase according to the size of the job. Korean can keep the same verb phrase and let the scene show whether you mean one wrapper or the full kitchen bag.
Words to Read beside the Bin
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 일반 쓰레기 | general trash | A category label that separates ordinary rubbish from other waste. |
| 음식물 쓰레기 | food waste | Look for this when clearing away leftovers. |
| 재활용 | recycling | Identifies the recycling category rather than all trash. |
| 종이 | paper | Helps you identify a material on a sorting label. |
| 비닐 | plastic film / plastic bag material | Often describes flexible packaging rather than a rigid bottle. |
The environment vocabulary lesson connects rubbish, recycling and environmental actions. 분리수거 names the sorting and collection activity; it is not the name of a particular piece of rubbish. A used tissue can be 쓰레기, but a clean tissue is still 휴지, so the two nouns describe different things.
When 쓰레기 Describes a Person
In a heated drama scene, 쓰레기 may be aimed at someone who has behaved cruelly or dishonestly. The literal image is “trash”, and the intended meaning is a strong personal insult. It does not simply mean that someone is messy. A character's anger explains the choice of word; it is a poor model for a playful comment to a new acquaintance.
Quick Self-Test
- Which label refers to food waste?
- Which phrase means picking litter up: 쓰레기를 줍다 or 쓰레기를 버리다?
- Does calling a person 쓰레기 merely say they have an untidy room?
Show answers
- 음식물 쓰레기.
- 쓰레기를 줍다; 버리다 means to throw it away.
- No. It is a harsh personal insult.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "trash" in Korean?
Say 쓰레기 (sseuregi).
Is 쓰레기 rude?
For objects no, but for a person it is a harsh insult.
What is a trash can?
It is 쓰레기통.
What is waste sorting?
It is 분리수거.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: environment word list. 쓰레기 appears there with recycling terms.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Compare with recycling in Korean. Recycling is the next step after the bin.