Korean Antonyms Vocabulary List | Opposites

Koreanstudyjunkie입니다! A very good way to memorize adjectives is by learning the antonyms - in other words learning the opposite vocabulary. By doing so, you'll double your vocabulary.

Today, I'll introduce you to some simple adjectives (and their counterparts)

뜨거워요 (뜨겁다) - Hot

Examples:

국이 뜨거우니까 조심하세요.

Be careful, the soup is hot.

나는 참 뜨거운 음식이 좋아.

I like my food very hot.

그는 뜨거운 차를 마시다가 입을 데었습니다.

He burned his mouth on the scalding-hot tea.

*not to be confused with 덥다/더워요 which is used to describe "hot" weather. this word describes things that are hot to the touch.

차가워요 (차갑다) - Cold

Examples:

네 손은 손대면 항상 차가워!

Your hands are always cold to the touch.

커피가 차갑게 식었어요.

The coffee's gone cold.

그녀는 내 얼굴에 차가운 물을 튀겼어요.

She splashed my face with cold water.

*like the note above, this word is ysed for things that are cold to touch. 추워요 (춥다) describes cold weather

길어요 (길다) - Long

Examples:

그녀는 긴 금발 머리를 하고 있는데요.

She has long blonde hair.

외국어를 배우는 데는 긴 시간이 걸려요.

It takes a long time to learn a foreign language.

여자가 남자보다 평균수명이 더 길어요.

On the average, women live longer than men.

짧아요 (짧다) - Short

Examples:

요즘은 하루가 더 짧아요.

Days are shorter these days.

지수는 긴 머리를 남자처럼 짧게 잘랐어요.

Jisoo cut her hair short like a guys.

그렇게 짧은 치마를 입으면 춥겠어요.

It would be cold to wear such a short skirt.

멀어요 (멀다) - Far

Example:

도심에서 멀리 떨어진 지역에 살고 있는 것 같아요.

I think he lives in an area far from downtown.

가까워요 (가깝다) - Close

Example:

너무 가깝게 앉으면 움직이기 불편하잖아.

If we sit too close, moving is uncomfortable.

키가 커요 (크다) - Tall (height)

Example:

우리 형은 키가 더 커요.

My older brother is taller.

크다 - to be big

키가 작아요 (작다) - Short (height)

Example:

메리는 반에서 다른 누구보다도 키가 작습니다.

Marys shorter than any other girl in the class.

작다 - to be small

빠르다 - Fast

Examples:

기차보다 비행기를 타고 가는 게 훨씬 빠르니까 비행기를 타고 가.

Riding the plane is so much faster than the train, so let’s take a plane.

서울은 살고 있는 곳보다 15시간 빨라요.

Seoul is 14 hours ahead of where I stay.

느리다 - Slow

Examples:

우리는 느린 음악에 맞추어 춤을 추었어요.

We danced to slow music.

내 여동생은 설거지하는 게 느려요.

My sister is slow in washing the dishes.

나 걸음이 느린 사람이 진짜 싫어해.

I hate people who are slow walkers.

시작 - Start

Examples:

처음부터 다시 시작하세요.

Please start over again from the beginning.

모든 일은 시작이 어려운 법이에요.

Everything is hard at the start.

열두시에 공부를 시작했습니다.

I started studying at 12 pm

그만하다 - Stop

Examples:

승규는 하루 종일 하던 공부를 이제 그만하고 조금 쉬기로 했어.

Seungyu decided to stop studying and take a break

오늘은 그만하고 집에 가자!

Let’s call it a day and go home!