Korean Dictionary
How to say "Duty-Free Shop" in Korean
“Duty-Free Shop” in Korean is 면세점 (pronounced "myeon-se-jeom").
면세점
myeon-se-jeom
Usage & Context
면세점 is a duty-free shop where goods are sold without taxes. Duty-free shops are popular at airports and tourist areas in Korea.
Example Sentence
면세점에서 향수를 샀어요.
I bought perfume at the duty-free shop.
How to use 면세점 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Duty-Free Shop” is 면세점, romanized as myeon-se-jeom.
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 면세점.
Pronunciation Guide
면 (myeon) sounds like 'myun' in 'myun-mar,' with the 'eo' like the 'u' in 'but.' 세 (se) sounds like 'say.' 점 (jeom) sounds like 'jum' in 'jump' without the 'p,' with the 'eo' like the 'u' in 'but.' The overall pronunciation is 'myun-say-jum,' with even stress.
More Example Sentences
Talking about shopping before an international flight.
공항 면세점에서 화장품을 많이 샀어요.
I bought a lot of cosmetics at the airport duty-free shop.
Discussing exclusive products available only at duty-free locations.
면세점에서만 살 수 있는 한정판이 있어요.
There are limited editions that you can only buy at duty-free shops.
Anticipating future shopping opportunities.
다음 여행 때 면세점에서 뭐 살지 벌써 고민 중이에요.
I'm already thinking about what to buy at the duty-free shop on my next trip.
Cultural Context
Duty-free shops (면세점) are incredibly popular in Korea, especially at major international airports like Incheon and in prominent tourist districts. For many Koreans, duty-free shopping is an integral part of international travel, offering a chance to purchase luxury goods, cosmetics, and alcohol at reduced prices. There are also '시내 면세점' (si-nae myeon-se-jeom, downtown duty-free shops) where you can shop before your trip and pick up your purchases at the airport.
Editorial note
We review entries like 면세점 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
공항 면세점
airport duty-free shop
시내 면세점
downtown duty-free shop
면세점에서 쇼핑하다
to shop at a duty-free shop
Related Expressions
면세
myeon-se
duty-free / tax exemption
세금
se-geum
tax
백화점
baek-hwa-jeom
department store
쇼핑
syo-ping
shopping
More Shopping Words
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