Korean Dictionary
How to say "Clothesline" in Korean
“Clothesline” in Korean is 빨랫줄 (pronounced "Ppallaetjul").
빨랫줄
Ppallaetjul
Usage & Context
Clotheslines are used in Korean homes for air drying laundry. Outdoor clotheslines are common in rural areas and on balconies of Korean apartments.
Example Sentence
빨랫줄에 세탁한 옷을 널어요.
I hang washed clothes on the clothesline.
How to use 빨랫줄 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Clothesline” is 빨랫줄, romanized as Ppallaetjul.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 빨랫줄.
Pronunciation Guide
빨 (ppal) has a tense 'p' sound, like a sharp, aspirated 'p' (similar to 'sp' in 'spin' but without the 's'). 랫 (laet) sounds like 'let' in 'let's' but with a softer 'l'. 줄 (jul) sounds like 'jool' in 'jewel'. The double consonant ㅃ indicates a strong, tense sound.
More Example Sentences
Reacting to unexpected weather.
비가 와서 빨랫줄에 널어둔 옷을 걷어야 해요.
It's raining, so I need to take in the clothes hung on the clothesline.
Setting up laundry facilities at home.
베란다에 빨랫줄을 설치해서 옷을 말려요.
I installed a clothesline on the veranda to dry clothes.
Describing the sensory experience of sun-dried laundry.
햇볕에 말린 옷은 빨랫줄 냄새가 나요.
Clothes dried in the sun have a clothesline smell.
Cultural Context
While clothes dryers (건조기) are increasingly popular, air-drying laundry on a '빨랫줄' (clothesline) remains very common in Korea, especially for delicate garments or to save energy. Many apartment balconies (베란다) are equipped with retractable clotheslines or drying racks. There's a cultural appreciation for the 'freshness' and natural scent of clothes dried outdoors in the sun.
Editorial note
We review entries like 빨랫줄 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
빨랫줄에 널어놔.
Hang it on the clothesline.
빨랫줄이 끊어졌어요.
The clothesline broke.
빨랫줄에 옷이 가득해요.
The clothesline is full of clothes.
Related Expressions
건조기
geonjogi
Dryer (appliance)
세탁기
setakgi
Washing machine
빨래
ppallae
Laundry (the act or items)
건조대
geonjodae
Drying rack (portable)
More Home & Furniture Words
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