Korean Dictionary
How to say "Lock" in Korean
“Lock” in Korean is 자물쇠 (pronounced "jamulswae").
자물쇠
jamulswae
Usage & Context
A lock is used for securing doors and valuables. The term 자물쇠 is commonly used in Korean homes. Security is important in Korean culture.
Example Sentence
문을 자물쇠로 잠가요.
I lock the door with a lock.
How to use 자물쇠 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Lock” is 자물쇠, romanized as jamulswae.
Usage tip
Practice this word inside a full daily-life sentence, because particles and sentence endings make the Korean sound natural.
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 자물쇠.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounce 'ja' like 'ja' in 'jar'. 'mul' sounds like 'mool' in 'pool'. 'swae' is like 'sweh' in 'sweat', but with a slightly softer 's' sound.
More Example Sentences
Securing a bicycle in a public place.
자전거에 자물쇠를 채웠어요.
I put a lock on my bicycle.
Asking about a combination lock.
이 자물쇠 비밀번호가 뭐예요?
What's the password for this lock?
Describing the condition of an old lock.
오래된 자물쇠라 녹슬었어요.
It's an old lock, so it's rusted.
Cultural Context
While '자물쇠' refers to traditional padlocks, digital door locks (도어락, doeorak) are overwhelmingly common in modern Korean apartments and homes. You'll still see '자물쇠' used for bikes, lockers, or gates, but for main entrances, digital security is the norm. This reflects a strong emphasis on security in daily Korean life.
Editorial note
We review entries like 자물쇠 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
자물쇠를 채우다
to put on a lock
자물쇠를 풀다
to unlock (literally, to untie a lock)
자물쇠로 잠그다
to lock with a padlock
Related Expressions
잠그다
jamgeuda
to lock (verb)
열쇠
yeolswae
key
도어락
doeorak
digital door lock (loanword)
비밀번호
bimilbeonho
password/PIN (for digital locks)
More Daily Life Words
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