Korean Dictionary
How to say "Customs Duty" in Korean
“Customs Duty” in Korean is 관세 (pronounced "gwan-se").
관세
gwan-se
Usage & Context
관세 is customs duty charged on imported goods. When ordering from abroad, customers may need to pay customs duties.
Example Sentence
관세를 내야 해요?
Do I need to pay customs duty?
How to use 관세 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Customs Duty” is 관세, romanized as gwan-se.
Usage tip
Shopping Korean usually sounds more natural when you use short polite questions instead of translating English directly.
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 관세.
Pronunciation Guide
관 (gwan) sounds like 'gwan' in 'Gwangju,' with the 'a' like in 'father.' 세 (se) sounds like 'say' in English. Put them together as 'gwan-say,' with even stress.
More Example Sentences
Explaining potential costs when online shopping internationally.
해외 직구하면 관세가 붙을 수 있어요.
If you buy directly from overseas, customs duty might be added.
Asking about tax exemptions at customs or a store.
이 물건은 관세가 면제되나요?
Is customs duty exempt for this item?
Expressing surprise about an unexpected charge after an international purchase.
예상보다 관세가 많이 나와서 놀랐어요.
I was surprised the customs duty was higher than expected.
Cultural Context
Customs duty (관세) is a common concern for Koreans engaging in '해외 직구' (hae-oe jik-gu), or direct overseas purchases. There's a specific duty-free threshold (면세 한도) for personal use items, typically around $150-200 USD, which is a frequent topic in online shopping communities. Understanding these rules is crucial for K-pop fans buying merchandise or anyone ordering unique items from abroad.
Editorial note
We review entries like 관세 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
관세를 내다
to pay customs duty
관세가 붙다
customs duty is applied/attached
관세 면제
customs duty exemption
Related Expressions
면세
myeon-se
duty-free / tax exemption
세금
se-geum
tax
수입품
su-ip-pum
imported goods
수출품
su-chul-pum
exported goods
More Shopping Words
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