Korean Dictionary
How to say "Shorts" in Korean
“Shorts” in Korean is 반바지 (pronounced "banbaji").
반바지
banbaji
Usage & Context
Short pants worn during warm weather and casual occasions in Korea. Popular for summer fashion and outdoor activities.
Example Sentence
여름에 반바지를 많이 입어요.
I wear shorts a lot in summer.
How to use 반바지 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Shorts” is 반바지, romanized as banbaji.
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 반바지.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'BAN-ba-ji' — literally 'half-pants'. '반' rhymes with 'bahn', and '바지' is 'bah-jee'. The 'ㄴ' batchim links cleanly into the next '바'. Steady even rhythm.
More Example Sentences
Workout outfit
헬스장 갈 때 반바지를 자주 입어요.
I often wear shorts to the gym.
Summer fashion tip
반바지에 샌들이 여름 스타일이에요.
Shorts with sandals is a summer style.
Describing a school dress code
학교에서는 반바지를 못 입어요.
We can't wear shorts at school.
Cultural Context
반바지 literally means 'half-pants' (반 = half, 바지 = pants). Historically, Korean men were conservative about wearing 반바지 in public — even in summer, older generations preferred long trousers — but attitudes shifted sharply in the 2010s, and now they're standard summer wear. In the Korean military, '하계 반바지' (summer shorts) were officially approved for training uniforms only in recent years, which made national news. '청반바지' specifically means denim shorts.
Editorial note
We review entries like 반바지 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
반바지 입어도 돼요?
Is it okay to wear shorts?
여름엔 반바지가 최고예요.
Shorts are the best in summer.
반바지가 너무 짧아요.
The shorts are too short.
Related Expressions
청반바지
Cheongbanbaji
Denim shorts
핫팬츠
Hatpaencheu
Hot pants (very short shorts)
운동복
Undongbok
Athletic wear
카고 반바지
Kago banbaji
Cargo shorts
More Clothing Words
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