Korean Dictionary
How to say "Hot" in Korean
“Hot” in Korean is 덥다 (pronounced "deobda").
덥다
deobda
Usage & Context
Describes high temperature conditions. Korean summers are very hot and humid, often reaching over 30 degrees Celsius. Heat-related health concerns are common.
Example Sentence
오늘 날씨가 정말 더워요.
It is really hot today.
How to use 덥다 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Hot” is 덥다, romanized as deobda.
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 덥다.
Pronunciation Guide
Say "Deob-da." "Deob" sounds like "dub" in "dubstep" but with a slightly softer 'd' and a quick stop at the 'b' sound. "Da" sounds like "dah" in "dah-ling." When followed by '다', the 'ㅂ' at the end of '덥' often sounds like a 'p'.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
덥습니다
deopseumnida
Formal declarative form of 'to be hot'.
Casual (반말)
더워
deowo
Casual declarative form of 'to be hot'.
More Example Sentences
Feeling uncomfortably hot indoors and asking for AC.
에어컨 좀 켜주세요, 너무 더워요.
Please turn on the air conditioner, it's too hot.
Complaining about the intense summer heat.
여름에는 정말 더워서 밖에 나가기 싫어요.
In summer, it's so hot I don't want to go outside.
Referring to a weather forecast or news report.
오늘 날씨가 덥다고 하네요.
They say the weather will be hot today.
Cultural Context
Korean summers are known for being extremely hot and humid, often leading to '찜통더위' (jjimtongdeowi), meaning 'steaming hot weather.' Koreans combat the heat with air conditioning, electric fans, and by eating refreshing foods like naengmyeon (cold noodles), patbingsu (shaved ice dessert), or samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup, believed to restore energy).
Editorial note
We review entries like 덥다 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
날씨가 덥다
the weather is hot
더워 죽겠다
I'm dying of heat (exaggeration)
너무 덥다
it's too hot
Related Expressions
뜨겁다
tteugeopda
To be hot (to the touch, burning hot)
후덥지근하다
hudeopjigeunhada
To be hot and humid, muggy
시원하다
siwonhada
To be cool, refreshing
땀나다
ttamnada
To sweat
More Weather Words
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