Weather Vocab in Korean

I’ve mentioned the 4 seasons and broken down the traditional Korean seasonal calendar but have yet to talk about weather vocab in Korean! Learning how to talk about the weather helps you advance within regular conversation and talk about daily life with Koreans, so it’s important to at least learn the basics.

What is the Weather like in South Korea?

Korea experiences all 4 seasons so there’s wind, rain, snow, and heat throughout the year. One thing that you might find different from the weather in English-speaking countries is the concept of “미세 먼지” or fine dust/yellow dust. When Koreans talk about the weather in their daily life it can come up the same as other weather conditions so it’s an important concept to know about; especially if you plan to visit and travel!

What is Korean fine dust or 미세 먼지?

South Korea and Japan regularly experience dust storms every spring from the dry desert regions of Mongolia and China. When the fine dust levels are too high it can be tied to health and respiratory risks for vulnerable people and everyone in the area. Even to the extent that people avoid going outside for long periods of time, wear face masks as protection, and use air purifiers in their homes to protect against it inside. The level of 미세 먼지 can be affected by weather (rain can help flush it out, so especially in dry periods it can build up more), the area you are in, and any air pollution keeping the dust in or carrying more dust over.

If you’re interested I looked more into 미세 먼지 but with all that said, for now, let’s get into some of the weather vocab in Korean:

Weather Vocab in Korean

날씨: weather
온도: temperature

구름: clouds
비: rain
빗방울: raindrops
소나기: rain showers
보슬비: drizzle
이슬비: sprinkle/light rain
폭우: heavy rain

무지개: rainbow
눈: snow
눈송이: snowflake
얼음: ice

하늘: sky
태양: sun
햇빛: sunshine
별: stars

바람: wind
안개: fog/mist
공기: air
먼지: dust
미세 먼지: fine dust

Weather Verbs

맑다: clear
따뜻하다: warm
습하다: humid
덥다: to be hot
흐리다: cloudy
바람 불다: windy
비가 오다: rainy
춥다: to be cold
쌀쌀하다: to be chilly
퍼붓다: to pour

Storm Vocab in Korean

폭풍: storm
자연재해: natural disaster
지진: earthquake
진눈깨비: sleet

허리케인: hurricane
토네이도: tornado
돌개바람: whirlwind

장마: monsoon
홍수: flood
태풍: typhoon
가몸: drought

천둥: thunder
번개: lightning
뇌우: thunderstorm