Vocab: Kitchen Chores

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🎧 Iru Helper Note

Want to hear the rhythm of 설거지 (dishwashing), 식기 (tableware), or a full sentence like 남은 반찬은 냉장고에 보관하세요 (Store leftover side dishes in the refrigerator)? Type any Korean word or sentence into

Korean Helper Widgets and let your ears do a little kitchen prep too. 🔊

🌈 The Big Picture

• 설거지 = dishwashing / the dishes as a chore

• 보관하다 = to store / to keep properly

• 식기 = tableware, dishes, and eating utensils

• 위생 = hygiene / sanitation

• 부지런히 = diligently / industriously / with steady effort

🎨 The Core Kitchen Chores Family

🍽️ 1. 설거지 — dishwashing as a chore

• 설거지를 하다 = to do the dishes

• 설거지가 쌓이다 = dishes pile up

• 설거지를 미루다 = to put off doing the dishes

• 설거지를 끝내다 = to finish doing the dishes

🧊 2. 보관하다 — to store or keep properly

• N을/를 + place에 + 보관하다 = store N in/at a place

• 남은 음식을 냉장고에 보관하다 = store leftover food in the refrigerator

• 재료를 밀폐 용기에 보관하다 = store ingredients in an airtight container

• 깨끗한 식기를 찬장에 보관하다 = store clean tableware in the cupboard

• 젖은 수저를 바로 보관하지 않다 = not store wet spoons and chopsticks right away

🥢 3. 식기 — tableware as a category

• 식기를 씻다 = to wash tableware

• 식기를 말리다 = to dry tableware

• 식기를 정리하다 = to organize tableware

• 식기를 소독하다 = to disinfect tableware

• 식기 위생 = tableware hygiene

🧼 4. 위생 — hygiene linked to health and safety

• 주방 위생 = kitchen hygiene

• 개인 위생 = personal hygiene

• 위생 상태 = hygiene condition

• 위생에 신경 쓰다 = to pay attention to hygiene

• 위생을 지키다 = to maintain hygiene

🏃 5. 부지런히 — diligently, without being lazy

• 자주 청소해요. (I clean often.) — frequency

• 부지런히 청소해요. (I clean diligently.) — attitude and effort

🛠️ How They Work in a Sentence

1. 설거지가 싱크대에 많이 쌓였어요. (A lot of dishes piled up in the sink.) 🧽
싱크대 means “sink,” and 쌓이다 means “to pile up.” The subject marker 가 marks 설거지 as the thing piling up.

2. 남은 반찬은 밀폐 용기에 보관하는 것이 좋아요. (It is good to store leftover side dishes in an airtight container.) 🧊
남은 means “remaining/leftover,” 반찬 means “side dish,” and 밀폐 용기 means “airtight container.”

3. 주방 위생을 위해 식기를 완전히 말린 후 정리하세요. (For kitchen hygiene, organize the tableware after drying it completely.) 🍽️
위해 means “for the sake of,” 완전히 means “completely,” and 후 means “after.”

🧩 General Formation Rule

• 설거지 + 하다 / 쌓이다 / 미루다 / 끝내다
= do, pile up, put off, or finish the dishes

• 음식 / 반찬 / 재료 / 식기 + 보관하다
= store food, side dishes, ingredients, or tableware properly

• 식기 + 씻다 / 말리다 / 정리하다 / 소독하다
= wash, dry, organize, or disinfect tableware

• 위생 + 지키다 / 신경 쓰다 / 중요하다
= maintain hygiene, pay attention to hygiene, or be important

• 부지런히 + action verb
= do an action diligently, such as 청소하다 (to clean), 정리하다 (to organize), or 복습하다 (to review)

📚 Cross-check note

🪞 Synonym Alert

• 설거지 (dishwashing chore) vs. 그릇 씻기 (washing dishes/bowls; more literal and action-focused)

• 보관하다 (store/keep properly) vs. 저장하다 (save/store; often data, files, or large stored goods) vs. 넣다 (put in; simple movement)

• 식기 (tableware; general/formal) vs. 그릇 (dish/bowl) vs. 수저 (spoon and chopsticks)

• 위생 (hygiene/sanitation) vs. 청결 (cleanliness; often more general or formal)

• 부지런히 (diligently) vs. 열심히 (hard / with effort) vs. 꾸준히 (steadily/consistently)

⚠️ Pitfalls to Dodge

• ❌ 위생을 냉장고에 보관했어요. → ✅ 음식을 냉장고에 보관했어요. (You store food, not hygiene.) 🧊

• ❌ 식기를 부지런히 상했어요. → ✅ 식기를 부지런히 정리했어요. (상하다 means spoil/go bad; use an action like organize.) 🥢

• ❌ 보관을 설거지했어요. → ✅ 설거지를 했어요. (설거지를 하다 is the natural chore expression.) 🍽️

• ❌ 책상 위생이 예뻐요. → ✅ 책상이 깔끔해요. (Use 위생 for health-related cleanliness, not visual tidiness.) 🧼

• ❌ 젖은 식기를 바로 보관했어요. → ✅ 젖은 식기를 말린 후 보관했어요. (Dry tableware before storing it.) 💧

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🎯 Practice Hub — Vocab: Kitchen Chores

 

Welcome to your kitchen chore training zone: fewer mystery nouns, more natural household Korean. 🍽️ You’ll practice choosing the right collocation, separating similar words, and noticing when hygiene, storage, drying, and diligence change the sentence meaning.

 

🔊 Audio reminder: Use

Korean Helper Widgets whenever you want to hear a word or full sentence before answering.

 

📝 Instructions: Complete each sentence with the most natural Korean word or phrase. Say the completed sentence aloud, check the English meaning, then open the Answer toggle for the usage note.

 

Exercise 1 — Dishwashing Collocations 🍽️

A. 아침 식사 후에 민재가 ＿＿＿＿ 맡았어요.

After breakfast, Minjae took charge of doing the dishes. 🍳

Answer

설거지를 — 설거지를 맡다 means to take responsibility for the dishwashing chore.

B. 회의가 늦게 끝나서 설거지를 ＿＿＿＿.

The meeting ended late, so I put off doing the dishes. 🕰️

Answer

미뤘어요 — 미루다 means to postpone or put off.

C. 간식을 만든 뒤 싱크대에 설거지가 ＿＿＿＿.

After making snacks, dishes piled up in the sink. 🥨

Answer

쌓였어요 — 설거지가 쌓이다 is a natural way to say dishes pile up.

D. 그릇에 기름이 많아서 두 번 ＿＿＿＿.

There was a lot of oil on the bowls, so I washed them twice. 🥣

Answer

씻었어요 — Use 그릇을 씻다 when focusing on washing specific dishes/bowls.

E. 설거지를 끝낸 후에 싱크대를 ＿＿＿＿.

After finishing the dishes, wipe the sink. 🧽

Answer

닦으세요 — 닦다 means to wipe or clean a surface.

F. 룸메이트들은 요일별로 설거지를 ＿＿＿＿.

The roommates take turns doing the dishes by day of the week. 🗓️

Answer

번갈아 해요 — 번갈아 하다 means to take turns doing something.

G. 냄비가 무거워서 설거지를 ＿＿＿＿ 어려웠어요.

The pot was heavy, so finishing the dishes was difficult. 🍲

Answer

끝내기 — 끝내기 어렵다 means “it is difficult to finish.”

H. 요리 도중에 나온 작은 그릇은 바로 ＿＿＿＿.

I wash the small bowls that come out during cooking right away. 🥘

Answer

씻어요 — For specific bowls, 그릇을 씻다 sounds natural.

I. 설거지가 너무 많아서 식기세척기를 ＿＿＿＿.

There were too many dishes, so I used the dishwasher. 🤖

Answer

사용했어요 — 사용하다 means to use.

J. 손님이 돌아간 뒤에 가족이 함께 ＿＿＿＿.

After the guests left, the family did the dishes together. 👨‍👩‍👧

Answer

설거지를 했어요 — This focuses on the whole dishwashing chore after guests leave.

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Vocabulary Box

• 아침 식사 → breakfast

• 민재 → Minjae, a person’s name

• 설거지 → dishwashing / doing the dishes

• 맡다 → to take charge of

• 회의 → meeting

• 늦게 → late

• 끝나다 → to end

• 미루다 → to postpone

• 간식 → snack

• 만들다 → to make

• 싱크대 → sink

• 쌓이다 → to pile up

• 그릇 → bowl/dish

• 기름 → oil

• 씻다 → to wash

• 닦다 → to wipe

• 룸메이트 → roommate

• 번갈아 하다 → to take turns

• 냄비 → pot

• 사용하다 → to use

Tip 💡 Use 설거지를 하다 for the whole chore, but 그릇을 씻다 for washing specific dishes.

 

Exercise 2 — Storing Food Properly 🧊

A. 남은 국은 식힌 뒤 냉장고에 ＿＿＿＿.

Store leftover soup in the refrigerator after cooling it. 🍲

Answer

보관하세요 — 보관하다 emphasizes safe/proper keeping.

B. 잘게 썬 파는 밀폐 용기에 ＿＿＿＿ 좋아요.

It is good to store chopped green onion in an airtight container. 🧅

Answer

보관하는 것이 — 밀폐 용기에 보관하다 is a natural food-storage phrase.

C. 뜨거운 찌개를 바로 냉장고에 ＿＿＿＿ 마세요.

Do not put hot stew in the refrigerator right away. 🔥

Answer

넣지 — 넣다 means to put in; here the warning is about the action of putting it in too soon.

D. 김밥은 오래 두면 쉽게 ＿＿＿＿.

Gimbap spoils easily if left for a long time. 🍙

Answer

상해요 — 상하다 means to spoil or go bad.

E. 양념은 작은 병에 담아 찬장에 ＿＿＿＿.

Put the seasoning in a small jar and store it in the cupboard. 🧂

Answer

보관했어요 — 찬장에 보관하다 means to store in the cupboard.

F. 냉동실에 고기를 ＿＿＿＿ 날짜를 적어 두세요.

Write down the date when storing meat in the freezer. 🥩

Answer

보관할 때 — -할 때 means “when doing.”

G. 마른 재료는 습기가 없는 곳에 ＿＿＿＿.

Store dry ingredients in a place without moisture. 🌾

Answer

보관해야 해요 — -아/어야 하다 means “must/should.”

H. 남은 밥은 용기에 담아 냉장 보관을 ＿＿＿＿.

Put leftover rice in a container and refrigerate it. 🍚

Answer

하세요 — 냉장 보관을 하다 means to refrigerate / keep refrigerated.

I. 유통기한이 지난 소스는 ＿＿＿＿.

Throw away sauce that is past its expiration date. 🗑️

Answer

버리세요 — 버리다 means to throw away.

J. 생선은 냄새가 퍼지지 않도록 따로 ＿＿＿＿.

Store fish separately so the smell does not spread. 🐟

Answer

보관하세요 — 따로 보관하다 means to store separately.

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Vocabulary Box

• 남은 → leftover / remaining

• 국 → soup

• 식히다 → to cool something

• 냉장고 → refrigerator

• 보관하다 → to store / keep properly

• 잘게 썰다 → to chop finely

• 파 → green onion

• 밀폐 용기 → airtight container

• 뜨겁다 → to be hot

• 찌개 → stew

• 넣다 → to put in

• 김밥 → gimbap

• 상하다 → to spoil

• 양념 → seasoning

• 병 → bottle/jar

• 찬장 → cupboard

• 냉동실 → freezer

• 고기 → meat

• 재료 → ingredient

• 습기 → moisture

• 버리다 → to throw away

Tip 💡 보관하다 is about keeping something properly; 넣다 only means “put in.”

 

Exercise 3 — Tableware Care 🥢

A. 깨끗이 씻은 식기는 선반에서 ＿＿＿＿.

Dry washed tableware on the shelf. 🍽️

Answer

말리세요 — 식기를 말리다 means to dry tableware.

B. 아이들이 쓰는 숟가락은 자주 ＿＿＿＿.

Disinfect the spoons children use often. 🥄

Answer

소독하세요 — 소독하다 means to disinfect.

C. 마른 접시는 크기별로 ＿＿＿＿.

Organize dry plates by size. 🍽️

Answer

정리하세요 — 정리하다 means to organize or put in order.

D. 젖은 컵을 찬장에 바로 ＿＿＿＿ 안 돼요.

You should not store wet cups in the cupboard right away. 🥤

Answer

보관하면 — Store tableware only after drying it.

E. 새로 산 그릇은 사용하기 전에 한 번 ＿＿＿＿.

Wash newly bought dishes once before using them. 🛒

Answer

씻으세요 — 씻다 means to wash.

F. 수저와 젓가락은 같은 칸에 ＿＿＿＿.

Put spoons and chopsticks in the same compartment. 🥢

Answer

넣었어요 — 넣다 fits simple placement.

G. 식기 위생을 위해 행주를 자주 ＿＿＿＿.

Wash the dishcloth often for tableware hygiene. 🧼

Answer

빨아야 해요 — 빨다 means to launder/wash cloth items.

H. 손님용 컵은 먼지가 없도록 따로 ＿＿＿＿.

Store guest cups separately so they do not get dusty. ☕

Answer

보관했어요 — 따로 보관하다 means to store separately.

I. 뜨거운 냄비는 식탁 위에 바로 ＿＿＿＿ 마세요.

Do not place a hot pot directly on the dining table. 🍲

Answer

올려놓지 — 올려놓다 means to place something up/on a surface.

J. 식기를 정리한 뒤 서랍을 조용히 ＿＿＿＿.

Close the drawer quietly after organizing the tableware. 🤫

Answer

닫으세요 — 닫다 means to close.

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Vocabulary Box

• 깨끗이 → cleanly

• 식기 → tableware

• 선반 → shelf

• 말리다 → to dry

• 아이들 → children

• 쓰다 → to use

• 숟가락 → spoon

• 소독하다 → to disinfect

• 마른 → dry

• 접시 → plate

• 크기별로 → by size

• 정리하다 → to organize

• 젖은 → wet

• 컵 → cup

• 찬장 → cupboard

• 보관하다 → to store

• 그릇 → dish/bowl

• 수저 → spoon and chopsticks

• 젓가락 → chopsticks

• 행주 → dishcloth

• 빨다 → to launder

• 닫다 → to close

Tip 💡 식기 is the category; actions like drying, organizing, disinfecting, and storing make it sound natural.

 

Exercise 4 — Hygiene and Diligence 🧼

A. 날고기를 만진 뒤에는 손을 깨끗이 ＿＿＿＿.

Wash your hands thoroughly after touching raw meat. 🥩

Answer

씻으세요 — This is a hygiene-related action, so 깨끗이 씻다 fits well.

B. 주방 ＿＿＿＿을 지키려면 도마를 구분해서 쓰세요.

To maintain kitchen hygiene, use separate cutting boards. 🔪

Answer

위생 — 위생을 지키다 means to maintain hygiene.

C. 소라는 퇴근 후에도 ＿＿＿＿ 도시락을 준비해요.

Sora diligently prepares lunch boxes even after work. 🍱

Answer

부지런히 — It describes steady effort, not just frequency.

D. 식당의 ＿＿＿＿ 상태가 좋아서 손님들이 안심했어요.

The restaurant’s hygiene condition was good, so the guests felt relieved. 🍜

Answer

위생 — 위생 상태 means hygiene condition.

E. 하루에 한 번보다 더 자주 환기를 ＿＿＿＿.

Ventilate more often than once a day. 🌬️

Answer

하세요 — 환기를 하다 means to ventilate.

F. 민호는 주말마다 냉장고 안을 ＿＿＿＿ 정리해요.

Minho diligently organizes the inside of the refrigerator every weekend. 🧊

Answer

부지런히 — This shows manner: diligent, steady effort.

G. 음식 냄새가 남지 않도록 뚜껑을 꼭 ＿＿＿＿.

Close the lid tightly so food smells do not remain. 🍲

Answer

닫으세요 — 닫다 means to close.

H. 개인 ＿＿＿＿을 위해 개인 컵을 사용해요.

Use a personal cup for personal hygiene. 🥤

Answer

위생 — 개인 위생 means personal hygiene.

I. 유나는 아침마다 부엌 바닥을 ＿＿＿＿ 닦아요.

Yuna diligently wipes the kitchen floor every morning. 🧹

Answer

부지런히 — This describes the effortful, steady way Yuna cleans.

J. 식재료를 다룰 때는 위생에 ＿＿＿＿ 써야 해요.

When handling ingredients, you need to pay attention to hygiene. 🥬

Answer

신경 — 위생에 신경 쓰다 means to pay attention to hygiene.

📚

Vocabulary Box

• 날고기 → raw meat

• 만지다 → to touch

• 손 → hand

• 씻다 → to wash

• 주방 → kitchen

• 위생 → hygiene

• 지키다 → to maintain / protect

• 도마 → cutting board

• 구분하다 → to separate / distinguish

• 소라 → Sora, a person’s name

• 부지런히 → diligently

• 도시락 → lunch box

• 식당 → restaurant

• 상태 → condition

• 안심하다 → to feel relieved

• 환기 → ventilation

• 냉장고 → refrigerator

• 뚜껑 → lid

• 닫다 → to close

• 개인 → personal

• 식재료 → food ingredient

• 신경 쓰다 → to pay attention

Tip 💡 위생 is health-related cleanliness; 부지런히 describes steady effort.

 

Exercise 5 — Mixed Mastery + Pitfall Patrol 🛡️

A. 책상이 ＿＿＿＿ 말하고 싶을 때는 위생보다 깔끔하다고 해요.

When you want to say a desk is tidy, use “tidy” rather than hygiene. 🪑

Answer

정돈되어 있다고 — ❌ 책상 위생 sounds odd for visual tidiness. ✅ 책상이 깔끔해요 or 정돈되어 있어요 is natural.

B. 음식을 냉장고에 제대로 ＿＿＿＿ 위생에도 좋아요.

Storing food properly in the refrigerator is also good for hygiene. 🧊

Answer

보관하면 — 보관하다 fits safe keeping; pronunciation links smoothly in 보관하면.

C. 설거지를 ＿＿＿＿ 싱크대 냄새가 심해졌어요.

Because I put off the dishes, the sink smell got worse. 👃

Answer

미뤄서 — ❌ Do not use 보관하다 with dishes as a chore. ✅ 설거지를 미루다 means to postpone doing the dishes.

D. 식기를 완전히 ＿＿＿＿ 보관해야 해요.

You should store tableware after drying it completely. 💧

Answer

말린 후 — ❌ 젖은 식기를 바로 보관하다 is unsafe. ✅ Dry first, then store.

E. 수저만 말할 때는 식기보다 ＿＿＿＿가 더 정확해요.

When talking only about spoons and chopsticks, “spoon and chopsticks” is more precise than “tableware.” 🥢

Answer

수저 — 식기 is broader; 수저 specifically means spoon and chopsticks.

F. 매일 한다는 뜻이면 부지런히보다 ＿＿＿＿가 더 직접적이에요.

If you mean “doing it every day,” “every day” is more direct than “diligently.” 📅

Answer

매일 — ❌ 부지런히 is manner/attitude, not pure frequency. ✅ 매일 or 자주 marks frequency.

G. 냉장고에 음식을 ＿＿＿＿ 것은 넣는 것보다 관리 느낌이 강해요.

Storing food in the refrigerator feels more like managing it than simply putting it in. 🧊

Answer

보관하는 — 보관하다 adds the idea of proper/safe keeping; 넣다 only means to put in.

H. 식기를 자주 ＿＿＿＿ 위생 상태를 좋게 유지할 수 있어요.

By disinfecting tableware often, you can keep the hygiene condition good. 🧼

Answer

소독하면 — 소독하다 means to disinfect; it naturally connects to 위생 상태.

I. 바쁜 날에도 지훈이는 부엌을 ＿＿＿＿ 정리했어요.

Even on a busy day, Jihun diligently organized the kitchen. 🏃

Answer

부지런히 — This describes Jihun’s diligent manner.

J. 식기를 발음할 때 두 번째 ㄱ 소리가 ＿＿＿＿.

When pronouncing “tableware + object marker,” the second ㄱ sound becomes tightened. 🔊

Answer

된소리에 가까워져요 — 식기 is commonly heard close to 식끼, so 식기를 sounds close to 식끼를. Keep the sound crisp.

📚

Vocabulary Box

• 책상 → desk

• 정돈되다 → to be organized

• 깔끔하다 → to be tidy

• 음식 → food

• 냉장고 → refrigerator

• 제대로 → properly

• 보관하다 → to store / keep properly

• 위생 → hygiene

• 설거지 → dishwashing

• 미루다 → to postpone

• 싱크대 → sink

• 냄새 → smell

• 식기 → tableware

• 말리다 → to dry

• 수저 → spoon and chopsticks

• 매일 → every day

• 자주 → often

• 부지런히 → diligently

• 소독하다 → to disinfect

• 상태 → condition

• 유지하다 → to maintain

• 이어지다 → to connect / link

Tip 💡 Pitfall patrol: store food, dry tableware, maintain hygiene, and use 부지런히 for effort — not simple frequency.

 

🎉 Great work — your kitchen Korean is now cleaner, safer, and much less likely to leave wet cups hiding in a cupboard. Keep listening, keep speaking, and let the chores become vocabulary reps. 🧽✨