옷

Korean

Etymology

First attested in the Hunminjeong'eum haerye (訓民正音解例 / 훈민정음해례), 1446, as Middle Korean 옷〮 (Yale: wós).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key):
• Phonetic hangul:

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 옷의 / 옷에 / 옷까지

  Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch and also heightens the next suffixed syllable, unless it is 에.

Noun

옷 • (ot)

1. clothing; clothes

   옷을 벗다 ― os-eul beotda ― to take off clothes

   옷을 입다 ― os-eul ipda ― to wear clothes

   옷이 날개다. ― Os-i nalgae-da. ― The better dressed, the brighter looking. (literally, “clothing is a wing.”)

   할머니께서는 집을 나설 때마다 나의 옷을 여미어 주시고는 하였다.

   Halmeoni-kkeseo-neun jib-eul naseol ttae-mada na-ui os-eul yeomieo jusi-goneun hayeotda.

   My grandmother would straighten my clothes for me every time left the house.

   • 1964, 김승옥／金承鈺 [Kim Seung-ok], 무진기행／霧津記行:

     나는 우울한 유령들처럼 나를 내려다보고 있는 벽에 걸린 하얀 옷들을 흘겨보고 있었다.

     Na-neun uul-han yuryeong-deul-cheoreom na-reul naeryeodabogo inneun byeog-e geollin hayan ot-deur-eul heulgyeobogo isseotda.

     My eyes were sharply fixed on the clothes hung on the wall, which were staring down at me as if they were a bunch of depressed ghosts.

Derived terms

See also

• 衣 (ui), the hanja for clothes

Middle Korean

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ós/,

Noun

옷〮 (wós) (locative 오새〮 (wòs-áy))

1. clothing; clothes

Descendants

• Korean: 옷 (ot)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /òs/,

Noun

옷 (wòs)

1. lacquer

Descendants

• Korean: 옻 (ot)