Many Ways to Say WEAR in Korean
This is the second
part of my many-ways-to-say series and if you missed the first part, you may
read it here. We realized how wide Korean vocabulary is having several
equivalents for a single English word. From noun, let's take a look at the case
of the verb to wear.
We can also
say put on, but we can use both of them to whatever stuff we put at
different parts of the body. In Korean, that is not the case. We use
specific verbs when we wear something on the head, foot, hands, and so on. It's
crazy but that's how it is.
First is 매다 which
is used for things we put around our neck such as scarf (스카프)
and necktie (넥타이). But if you want to ask someone if he/she wear a scarf,
you can ask 스카프를 매요?
or 스카프를 해요?
Second is 끼다 which
is used for things we put in the hand area such as ring (반지), 장갑 (glove),
and 팔찌 (bracelet).
Third is 신다 which
is used for things we wear in the foot area such as shoes (신발), 양말 (socks),
and stocking (스타킹).
Fourth is 입다 which
is used for things we wear in the main part of the body (torso and legs).
Examples of these are shirt (셔츠), 바지 (jeans),
and 치마 (skirt).
Fifth is 쓰다 which
is used for thing we put on the head area as in hat (모자),
glasses (안경), and 귀걸이 (earrings).
Sixth is 메다 which
sounds the same with the first word. It is used for things we hang on the
shoulder such as backpack (배낭가방) and rifle (라이플총).