Learn Korean: Hobbies

Talking about what you enjoy in your free time is one of the best ways to connect with others and build new friendships in a new language. In Korean, the word for hobby is 취미 (chwi-mi). Whether you are meeting someone for the first time or catching up with friends, being able to describe your interests helps you express your personality and find common ground. This lesson covers a wide variety of activities, from outdoor adventures like 등산 (deung-san) for hiking to creative pursuits like 요리 (yo-ri) for cooking.

As you study these terms, you will notice two interesting patterns in Korean vocabulary. First, many modern hobbies are loanwords adapted from English. Words like 쇼핑 (syo-ping) for shopping, 테니스 (te-ni-seu) for tennis, and 캠핑 (kaem-ping) for camping are often easy for English speakers to recognize because they retain their original phonetic character. Second, several terms are Sino-Korean words, which are based on historical roots. For example, the word for reading is 독서 (dok-seo) and the word for exercise is 운동 (un-dong). Learning these distinct types of words will help you understand how the Korean language incorporates both historical and global influences. From active sports like 수영 (su-yeong) for swimming to relaxing pastimes like 명상 (myeong-sang) for meditation, mastering these words will provide a solid foundation for discussing your passions.