Signs in Korean
When you understand these important signs in Korean you’ll never walk into the wrong restroom, light up in a no-smoking area, or worse – miss out on a sale!
Most of the time you’ll probably only need to recognize the written Korean word or phrase, but we’ve included audio so you can listen to the Korean pronunciation. This way you’ll be able to find out if something is open or closed, or more importantly, a bargain!
Resources for further reading:
Did you know?
Did you know that many public stalls in Korea have squat-style toilets? If you’re wondering what these are, they're basically porcelain holes in the ground with a little "splash guard" at the front. Start working on your flexibility as these “squat toilets” require flexibility and thigh strength!
At the other extreme of toilet “styles,” there are some toilet seats with super-fancy buttons - they heat the seat, auto wash, and even play a tune for you. It’s a luxurious toilet experience you don’t want to miss!
Now, let’s get on with some basics. What does the sign on the door of the restroom say? Would you know which one is for you, and which one you shouldn’t go into? What does “shinsa” (gentleman) mean? You are about to find out…
Pronouncing signs in Korean
Practice Your Pronunciation With Rocket Record
Rocket Record lets you perfect your Korean pronunciation. Just listen to the native speaker audio and then use the microphone icon to record yourself. Once you’re done, you’ll get a score out of 100 on your pronunciation and can listen to your own audio playback. (Use a headset mic for best results.) Problems? Click here!
숙녀
sooknyuh
ladies
신사
shinsa
gentleman
당기시오
dangishio
pull
미시오
mishio
push
열었음
yurutseum
open
닫았음
datchutseum
closed
사용중
sayongjoong
occupied
청소중
chungsojoong
cleaning
미끄러움
Mikgeuruwoom
Watch your step
Now that you’re familiar with essential public toilet signs, let’s move on to the topic of public smoking in Korea. If you’re a smoker, this may be bad news for you – since 2011, Korea has moved to ban smoking in public spaces, both indoor and outdoor! For now, it might be helpful to learn what “금연/geumyun” means.
흡연 구역
Heubyun gooyuk
Smoking Area
금연 구역
Geumyun gooyuk
Non-smoking Area
금역석 주세요.
Geumyunsuk jooseyo.
Please give me a non-smoking seat.
Seoul is well-known for being a shopping mecca. Head to the thriving shopping heaven Myeong-dong, where you can really shop till you drop! Watch out for the big bright colored signs in the store window. That’s where you'll find a sale!
세일
Seil
Sale
염가 세일
Yumga seil
Bargain
이십오프로 세일
Ee ship oh peuro seil
25% off
That’s it for this lesson. I hope you had fun!
For more lessons on Korean vocabulary I recommend these!
- Break the ice by using vocab to do with sports in Korean.
- DIY while in Korea? This lesson covers the essential vocab for tools in Korean.
- Learn the words and phrases used around the airport in Korean.
Anyoung hee gaseyo!
Sujung Lee: Rocket Korean
Make It Stick With Rocket Reinforcement
Reinforce your learning from this lesson with the Rocket Reinforcement activities!