# Korean Clothing Vocabulary: Essential Fashion Terms and Verbs Guide
> Learn Korean clothing vocabulary with practical terms for clothes, shoes, and accessories. Includes verbs for wearing different items and shopping phrases.
**URL:** https://migaku.com/blog/korean/korean-clothing-vocabulary
**Last Updated:** 2026-03-12
**Tags:** vocabulary, phrases
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[Learning Korean](https://migaku.com/learn-korean) clothing vocabulary might seem basic at first, but it's actually one of the most practical topics you'll tackle as a beginner. You'll use these words constantly when shopping, getting dressed, [talking about the weather](https://migaku.com/blog/korean/korean-weather-vocabulary), or just describing what someone's wearing. Plus, [Korean has some interesting quirks](https://migaku.com/blog/korean/learn-basic-korean-grammar) when it comes to clothing terms, especially the different verbs you use depending on what body part you're putting clothes on. Pretty cool stuff once you get into it.
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## Basic Korean clothing categories you need to know
Let's start with the everyday clothes you'll use. Korean organizes clothing vocabulary pretty logically, so once you learn the basic categories, everything else falls into place.
| Korean | English |
| - | - |
| 옷 | clothes (general word) |
| 셔츠 | shirt (borrowed from English) |
| 티셔츠 | t-shirt (English loanword) |
| 와이셔츠 | dress shirt / button-down (comes from "white shirt," even though it can be any color now) |
| 바지 | pants / trousers |
| 청바지 | jeans (literally "blue pants") |
| 치마 | skirt |
| 반바지 | shorts (반 means "half") |
| 재킷 | jacket (English loanword) |
| 코트 | coat (English loanword) |
| 점퍼 | jacket (from "jumper") |
| 패딩 | padded jacket / puffer coat (used in winter) |
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## Korean footwear vocabulary and 신발
| Korean | English |
| - | - |
| 신발 | shoes (general word, used constantly) |
| 구두 | dress shoes / formal footwear |
| 운동화 | sneakers / athletic shoes (literally "exercise shoes") |
| 샌들 | sandals |
| 슬리퍼 | slippers |
| 부츠 | boots |
The verb for wearing shoes is 신다 (sinda), which is different from the verb you use for wearing clothes on your body. So you'd say 신발을 신다 (sinbareul sinda) for "wear shoes." This distinction matters because Korean uses different verbs depending on what body part the clothing item goes on.
When you're shopping for shoes, you might need to know your size. Korean shoe sizes work differently than Western sizes, usually ranging from about 220 to 280 (measured in millimeters). A women's US size 7 is roughly 240 in Korean sizing.
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## Korean accessories and small items
Accessories round out your wardrobe vocabulary.
| Korean | English |
| - | - |
| 가방 | bag (purse, backpack, or tote) |
| 모자 | hat / cap |
| 스카프 | scarf |
| 장갑 | gloves |
| 양말 | socks |
| 안경 | glasses |
| 선글라스 | sunglasses |
| 목걸이 | necklace |
| 귀걸이 | earrings |
| 반지 | ring |
| 시계 | watch / clock |
| 벨트 / 허리띠 | belt (허리띠 is pure Korean, literally "waist band") |
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## Understanding 입다, 신다, 쓰다, and 끼다 in Korean language
Here's something that trips up every Korean learner at some point. Korean doesn't just have one verb for "wear." You use different verbs depending on what you're putting on and where it goes on your body.
- **입다 ** (ipda) is the main verb for wearing clothes on your torso and legs. You use this for shirts, pants, dresses, jackets, basically anything that covers your main body. 셔츠를 입다 (syeocheureul ipda) means "wear a shirt."
- **신다 ** (sinda) is specifically for footwear, as I mentioned earlier. Shoes, socks, anything that goes on your feet uses this verb.
- **쓰다 ** (sseuda) is for things you wear on your head. 모자를 쓰다 (mojareul sseuda) means "wear a hat." This same verb also means "to write" or "to use," so context matters.
- **끼다 ** (kkida) is for things you slip onto your fingers or hands. 반지를 끼다 (banjireul kkida) means "put on a ring," and 장갑을 끼다 (janggabeul kkida) is "put on gloves."
- There's also **두르다 ** (dureuda), which means to wrap around, used for scarves and belts. 스카프를 두르다 (seukapeureu dureuda) is "wear a scarf."
Getting these verbs right makes you sound way more natural when speaking Korean. Native speakers will definitely notice if you use the wrong one.
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## Describing clothes and talking about fit
Once you know the basic clothing words, you'll want to describe them. Korean has plenty of adjectives for this.
For size:
| Korean | English |
| - | - |
| 크다 | big / large |
| 작다 | small |
| 길다 | long |
| 짧다 | short |
| 꽉 끼다 | tight / snug |
| 헐렁하다 | loose / baggy |
[Colors are essential vocabulary](https://migaku.com/blog/korean/korean-colors).
| Korean | English |
| - | - |
| 빨간색 | red |
| 파란색 | blue |
| 검은색 | black |
| 흰색 | white |
| 노란색 | yellow |
You can drop the 색 (saek) suffix in casual speech, just saying 빨간 (ppalgan) or 파란 (paran).
For patterns and styles:
| Korean | English |
| - | - |
| 줄무늬 | striped |
| 꽃무늬 | floral pattern |
| 체크무늬 | checkered / plaid |
---
## Korean formal wear and traditional clothing
Korean has specific terms for formal occasions.
| Korean | English |
| - | - |
| 정장 | formal wear / suit |
| 양복 | Western-style suit |
| 넥타이 | necktie |
| 드레스 | dress |
For traditional Korean clothing:
| Korean | English |
| - | - |
| 한복 | general term for traditional Korean clothing |
| 저고리 | upper garment |
| 치마 | skirt (for women's hanbok) |
| 바지 | pants (for men's hanbok) |
You'll see hanbok worn at traditional holidays, weddings, and cultural events.
School uniforms are 교복 (gyobok), which most Korean students wear through high school. These have become somewhat iconic in Korean media and pop culture.
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## Seasonal clothing and specific items
| Korean | English |
| - | - |
| 겨울옷 | winter clothes |
| 여름옷 | summer clothes |
| 수영복 | swimsuit |
| 비키니 | bikini |
| 래시가드 | rash guard |
| 잠옷 / 파자마 | sleepwear / pajama |
| 가운 | robe / gown |
| 속옷 | underwear |
| 브래지어 / 브라 | bra |
| 팬티 | underwear / panties |
---
## Clothing parts and components
Getting more detailed, Korean has specific words for parts of garments.
| Korean | English |
| - | - |
| 소매 | sleeve |
| 깃 / 칼라 | collar |
| 주머니 / 포켓 | pocket |
| 지퍼 | zipper |
| 단추 / 버튼 | button |
| 벨크로 | velcro |
| 후드 | hood (like on a hoodie) |
| 후디 | hoodie |
| 끈 | string / strap / lace |
---
## Shopping for clothes in Korean
When you're actually shopping, you'll need some practical phrases.
- **사이즈 ** (saijeu) is size. Korean clothing sizes often use numbers like 55, 66, 77, 88, 95, which roughly correspond to XS through XL.
- **입어봐도 돼요? ** (ibeo-bwado dwaeyo?) means "Can I try this on?" The fitting room is 탈의실 (taryisil) or 피팅룸 (pitinglum).
- If something doesn't fit, you might say **더 큰 거 있어요? ** (deo keun geo isseoyo?), meaning "Do you have a bigger one?" or **더 작은 거 있어요? ** (deo jageun geo isseoyo?) for "Do you have a smaller one?"
- Korean stores often have sales, **세일 ** (seil), and you'll see signs for **할인 ** (harin), which means discount.
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## Building your Korean fashion vocabulary
The best way to learn Korean clothing vocabulary is through real context.
1. Watch Korean dramas and variety shows where people talk about what they're wearing. Follow Korean fashion influencers on social media. Look at Korean online shopping sites like Musinsa or W Concept.
2. [Create flashcards with images](https://migaku.com/blog/korean/best-korean-anki-decks) of clothing items and their Korean names. Practice the different verbs for wearing by making example sentences. "I wear a shirt" becomes 셔츠를 입어요, "I wear shoes" becomes 신발을 신어요.
3. Don't just memorize isolated words. Learn them in phrases and sentences you'd actually use. "This shirt is too small" (이 셔츠는 너무 작아요) is more useful than just knowing 셔츠 and 작다 separately.
4. Pay attention to how native speakers describe clothes in casual conversation. Korean uses a lot of onomatopoeia and descriptive words that don't translate directly but add color to descriptions.
5. The vocabulary you need depends on your level and interests. A beginner needs basic everyday items. Someone interested in Korean fashion might want industry-specific terms. Someone planning to shop in Korea needs practical purchasing vocabulary.
Anyway, if you want to learn Korean vocabulary through actual Korean content, Migaku's browser extension and app let you look up words instantly while watching shows or reading Korean websites. Makes picking up clothing vocabulary from real contexts way easier. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.
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## FAQs
Korean fashion has its own aesthetic that's gained international attention. The general style doesn't have one specific name in Korean, but you'll hear terms like K-패션 (K-paesyeon) or 한국 스타일 (hanguk seutail) to describe the overall look. Street fashion in areas like Hongdae or Gangnam has influenced global trends. The Korean approach to layering, oversized fits, and mixing casual with dressy elements has become recognizable worldwide.
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## Learn clothing vocabulary fast through immersion
Most PDF lists cover basic clothing items, but they usually do not include trendy clothing styles or fashion details you may be interested in. A more efficient way to learn clothing vocabulary is to watch Korean fashion vlogs, documentaries, reality shows, movies, or dramas, and mine the sentences and words while you are enjoying the content. That way, you can collect the fashion words that you are genuinely interested in.
> If you consume media in Korean, and you understand at least some of the messages and sentences within that media, you will make progress. _Period_.
Follow your curiosity.🔥🍵