Key Facts
- Hangul: 무게; Revised Romanization: muge
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: neutral
Weight in Korean: What Does 무게 Mean?
무게 is the quantity of heaviness. It pairs with the adjective 무겁다 (heavy) and the light-weight word seen in 가벼워요, and with the verb 재다 (to measure). The tone is neutral, and you meet it at airports, post offices and shops.
Several words share its territory. 몸무게 is the weight of a body, 체중 is the formal and medical word for body weight, and 중량 is the technical word used in industry and shipping. A limit sign says 무게 제한, which means weight limit.
How Do You Pronounce 무게?
무게 is mu-ge. The first syllable is a rounded u as in moon. The second syllable has the vowel ㅔ, like the e in bed. Most speakers today say ㅔ and ㅐ the same way, so ge and gae sound alike. The word has no sound changes, so say the two syllables evenly.
Example Sentences with 무게
무게가 얼마예요?
Mugega eolmayeyo?
How much does it weigh?
얼마예요 is how much is it. The question uses the subject particle 가 after 무게, so it asks how heavy the thing is.
이 가방은 무게가 가벼워요.
I gabangeun mugega gabyeowoyo.
This bag is light.
가방은 is the bag as the topic. 가벼워요 means is light, and the subject marker in 무게가 repeats the focus on weight.
짐의 무게를 재 주세요.
Jimui mugereul jae juseyo.
Please weigh the luggage.
짐의 무게 is the weight of the luggage. 재 주세요 asks the listener to measure it, a request you might make at a post office counter.
Common Phrases and Collocations
The pairings are about measuring, heavy or light, and limits.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 무게를 재다 | to weigh |
| 무게가 무겁다 | to be heavy |
| 무게 제한 | weight limit |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners use the general noun for a person's body weight.
Wrong: 무게 (for how much a person weighs).
Correct: 몸무게. Use 체중 in formal or medical settings.
무게 is the general weight of things. When the subject is a person, the natural word adds 몸, body, to make 몸무게.
무게 Compared with 몸무게, 체중 and 중량
Each neighbour narrows the meaning to a different context.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 무게 | weight | The general weight of an object. |
| 몸무게 | body weight | Weight of a person. |
| 체중 | body weight (formal) | Formal or medical term. |
| 중량 | weight (technical) | Used in industry and shipping. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
무게 is a native Korean noun, so it has no hanja. It is related to the adjective 무겁다, heavy, and learning the two together helps you see the connection.
At the Post Office: Weighing a Parcel
A customer brings a parcel to the counter. The clerk asks for it to be placed on the scales before discussing its weight.
Customer
이 상자의 무게를 재 주세요.
I sangjaui mugereul jae juseyo.
Please weigh this box.
Clerk
저울 위에 올려 주세요.
Jeoul wie ollyeo juseyo.
Please put it on the scales.
Customer
무게 제한이 있어요?
Muge jehani isseoyo?
Is there a weight limit?
Clerk
네, 무게를 먼저 확인할게요.
Ne, mugereul meonjeo hwaginhalgeyo.
Yes, I’ll check the weight first.
The request uses 무게를 재다, “to weigh”, rather than a verb meaning to count. 저울 is the measuring device. The clerk’s reply leaves the actual limit open; the conversation teaches how to ask about a limit without inventing a rule for a postal service.
How Do You Ask for a Weight in Kilograms?
무게가 얼마예요? is a general question about weight. 몇 킬로그램이에요? asks specifically how many kilograms something weighs. 킬로 is a common spoken shortening of 킬로그램, so you may hear a shorter answer at a counter while a label prints the unit kg.
A weight answer needs its unit. A number on a scale could refer to grams or kilograms depending on the display. 그램 means “gram”, while 킬로그램 means “kilogram”. On a food package, the weight printed on the label belongs to the product; when weighing a packed parcel, the box and packing materials may also be on the scales.
Can 무게 Mean Something You Cannot Weigh?
무게 can describe importance or responsibility as well as physical heaviness. 책임의 무게 means “the weight of responsibility”. There is no scale involved: the phrase presents responsibility as a burden someone carries.
무게를 두다 means “to give weight to” or “to place importance on”. 안전에 무게를 두다 means giving importance to safety. The marker 에 identifies what receives that importance. This use is useful in news and explanations of decisions, where the discussion concerns priorities rather than the mass of an object.
Where Will You Hear or See 무게?
At an airport or parcel counter, 무게 제한 names a restriction on weight. 크기 제한 names a restriction on size. A light object can still be large, so the two labels answer different questions. Reading 무게 correctly helps you identify which measurement the notice concerns.
In everyday conversation, 가방이 무거워요, “the bag is heavy”, can describe your experience without giving a measurement. A numerical statement about 무게 supplies a quantity instead. If someone asks for the weight of a parcel, a number with a unit gives more useful information than simply saying it is heavy.
Words for Measuring Things
| Korean | Meaning | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 저울 | scales | The device used to measure weight. |
| 그램 | gram | A smaller unit, often written g. |
| 킬로그램 | kilogram | A unit often written kg. |
| 크기 | size | Describes how big something is, rather than how heavy. |
The measurement vocabulary lesson teaches the wider set, including measurements that a parcel counter may ask for alongside weight.
Quick Self-Test
- Which device measures 무게?
- Does 책임의 무게 refer to a number of kilograms?
- Which phrase asks about size restrictions: 무게 제한 or 크기 제한?
Show answers
- 저울, scales.
- No. It means the burden or weight of responsibility.
- 크기 제한.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say weight in Korean?
Say 무게 (muge) for the weight of an object.
How do you say a person's weight?
Say 몸무게. In formal or medical settings 체중 is used.
How do you ask how much something weighs?
Say 무게가 얼마예요? The question means How much does it weigh?
How do you say weight limit?
Say 무게 제한. It is the phrase you see on luggage and lift signs.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: measurement vocabulary groups 무게 with length, size and amount words.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: Add 무게 to your review in the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next in the list is the word for measurement.