4 Ways to Say "It's Hot" in Korean (Beyond Just 덥다!)

 

Tired of only saying 덥다 (dop-da)? There's more than one way to say "hot" in Korean! This guide breaks down 4 essential words, their specific nuances, and 16 example sentences to help you sound like a native.

"Wow, it's so hot today!" When you started learning Korean, you probably learned the word 덥다 (dop-da). And that's perfect! It's the most common word for "hot" (when talking about weather).

But... if you've ever spent a summer in Korea, you know there are different *kinds* of hot. There's "sticky hot," "stifling hot," and "burning hot." Koreans have different words for all of these! If you want to level up your Korean and sound more natural, learning these nuances is key. 😊

Today, we're going to master 4 different ways to talk about the heat. Let's get started!

 

1. 덥다 (dop-da): The Standard "Hot" 

This is your go-to, all-purpose word for "hot." It refers to the general feeling of high temperature in the air. If you only learn one word, this is the one. It's a descriptive verb (형용사), so it conjugates like one.

📝 Examples (예문)

• 오늘 날씨 진짜 덥다.
  (Oneul nalssi jin-jja dop-da.)
  Today's weather is really hot.
• 한국 여름은 너무 더워요.
  (Hanguk yeoreum-eun neomu deo-wo-yo.)
  Korean summer is too hot.
• 방이 더워서 창문 좀 열었어요.
  (Bang-i deo-wo-seo changmun jom yeor-eos-seo-yo.)
  The room was hot, so I opened the window a bit.
• 날씨가 갑자기 더워졌어요.
  (Nalssi-ga gap-ja-gi deo-wo-jyeos-seo-yo.)
  The weather suddenly got hot.

2. 무덥다 (mu-deop-da): The "Humid-Hot" 

This is the word you need for a typical Korean summer day! 무덥다 (mu-deop-da) means it's not just hot, but also humid and sticky. It's the "sultry" or "sweltering" heat that makes you feel unpleasant and sticky.

💡 Quick Tip!
A good way to remember this is to associate the 무 (mu) with 물 (mul), the word for "water." It's a "wet" heat. The noun for this specific type of heat is 무더위 (mu-deo-wi).

📝 Examples (예문)

• 오늘 정말 무덥네요.
  (Oneul jeong-mal mu-deom-ne-yo.)
  It's really humid and hot today.
• 장마철에는 날씨가 아주 무더워요.
  (Jangma-cheor-e-neun nalssi-ga a-ju mu-deo-wo-yo.)
  During the rainy season, the weather is very sultry.
• 이렇게 무더운 날에는 에어컨이 최고예요.
  (I-reo-ge mu-deo-un nar-e-neun e-eo-keon-i choe-go-ye-yo.)
  Air conditioning is the best on humid days like this.
• 무더위 때문에 잠을 잘 못 잤어요.
  (Mu-deo-wi ttae-mun-e jam-eul jal mot jas-seo-yo.)
  I couldn't sleep well because of the sweltering heat.

3. 후텁지근하다 (hu-teop-ji-geun-ha-da): The "Stifling-Hot" 

This is one of my favorite Korean words! 후텁지근하다 (hu-teop-ji-geun-ha-da) describes a very specific, and very unpleasant, heat. It's similar to 무덥다 (humid), but it adds a feeling of being stifling, stuffy, and oppressive, often with no breeze.

This is the word you use when you walk outside and feel like you've hit a wall of hot, wet air. It's very expressive and perfect for complaining about the summer weather!

📝 Examples (예문)

• 바람도 안 불고 후텁지근해요.
  (Baram-do an bul-go hu-teop-ji-geun-hae-yo.)
  There's no wind and it's stiflingly hot.
• 비 오기 전이라 그런지 후텁지근하다.
  (Bi o-gi jeon-i-ra geu-reon-ji hu-teop-ji-geun-ha-da.)
  Maybe it's because it's about to rain, but it's really stuffy and hot.
• 지하철에 사람이 많아서 후텁지근했어요.
  (Jihacheol-e saram-i man-a-seo hu-teop-ji-geun-haes-seo-yo.)
  The subway was crowded, so it was hot and stuffy.
• 이런 후텁지근한 날씨 정말 싫어요.
  (I-reon hu-teop-ji-geun-han nalssi jeong-mal sir-eo-yo.)
  I really hate this kind of humid, stifling weather.

4. 뜨겁다 (tteu-geop-da): The "Burning-Hot" 

This word is the odd one out! 뜨겁다 (tteu-geop-da) means "hot," but it's NOT used for air temperature. Instead, it means "hot to the touch" or "burning hot."

You use this for a hot cup of coffee, a hot frying pan, or the burning rays of the sun. 

⚠️ Warning!
Do not use 뜨겁다 (tteu-geop-da) to say "The weather is hot."
- Use 덥다 (dop-da) for the air temperature.
- Use 뜨겁다 (tteu-geop-da) for the *sun* (햇볕이 뜨겁다 - the sunlight is hot).

📝 Examples (예문)

• 이 커피 너무 뜨거워요!
  (I keo-pi neo-mu tteu-geo-wo-yo!)
  This coffee is too hot!
• 햇볕이 정말 뜨겁네요.
  (Haet-byeot-i jeong-mal tteu-geom-ne-yo.)
  The sunlight is really burning hot.
• 프라이팬이 뜨거우니 조심하세요.
  (Peu-ra-i-paen-i tteu-geo-u-ni jo-sim-ha-se-yo.)
  Be careful, the frying pan is hot.
• 여름에는 아스팔트가 뜨거워요.
  (Yeo-reum-e-neun a-seu-pal-teu-ga tteu-geo-wo-yo.)
  In the summer, the asphalt is hot.

Summary: Hot vs. Hot vs. Hot 

Let's review the key differences one more time with a simple table.

Korean Word	Romanization	Core Nuance	Best Used For...
덥다	dop-da	Standard "Hot"	General air temperature.
무덥다	mu-deop-da	"Sultry" / "Humid-hot"	High temp + high humidity.
후텁지근하다	hu-teop-ji-geun-ha-da	"Stifling" / "Stuffy"	Unpleasant, humid heat with no wind.
뜨겁다	tteu-geop-da	"Burning" / "Hot to Touch"	Hot objects, liquids, or the sun's rays.

💡

Key "Hot" Words Summary

Standard "Hot" (Air): 덥다 (dop-da)

Humid "Hot" (Air): 무덥다 / 후텁지근하다

"Hot to Touch" (Object/Sun):

뜨겁다 (tteu-geop-da)

Use these words to describe the summer weather like a native!

Frequently Asked Questions ❓

Q: Can I use 덥다 and 무덥다 in the same way?

A: Mostly, yes! 덥다 is more general. If you say 무덥다, you are specifically emphasizing that it's humid as well as hot. All 무더운 days are 더운 days, but not all 더운 days are 무더운 (it could be a dry heat).

Q: Is 후텁지근하다 a common word? It seems long.

A: Yes, it's very common, especially when complaining! People often say "아, 후텁지근해!" (Ah, it's so stifling!) It perfectly captures that gross, sticky, no-wind feeling.

Q: What's the opposite of 덥다?

A: The opposite of 덥다 (hot) is 춥다 (chup-da), which means "cold." (e.g., "오늘 날씨 추워요." - The weather is cold today.)

Q: How do I say "It's a little hot"?

A: You can say "조금 더워요" (jo-geum deo-wo-yo) or "약간 더워요" (yak-gan deo-wo-yo). "조금" and "약간" both mean "a little" or "slightly."