What does 추워 (chuwo) mean?
- 추워chuwo
It's cold / I'm cold
Casual: friends and people younger than you
추워 (chuwo) means "It's cold" or "I'm cold" in casual Korean. It is used for cold weather or a chilly room.
Where it comes from
It is the casual form of 춥다 (to be cold). The ㅂ changes to 우 when an ending is added, giving 추워.
How to use 추워
Say 추워 on a winter morning, in a freezing office, or when you're shivering. Like with heat, Koreans exaggerate: 추워 죽겠어 (I'm freezing to death).
추워 is for air and weather, and for how your body feels. For something cold to touch, like ice or a cold drink, use 차가워. 시원해 means pleasantly cool, as in a cool breeze or a refreshing drink.
The polite form is 추워요. 안 추워? (Aren't you cold?) is a caring question you will hear a lot in dramas, often right before someone offers their jacket.
Examples
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Opening the door on a winter morning
Telling a coworker about the weather
Checking on a friend in a thin jacket
Other ways to say it
| Korean | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|
| 추워요 | It's cold | Polite form. |
| 추워 죽겠어 | I'm freezing | Casual exaggeration. |
| 안 추워? | Aren't you cold? | Casual, caring question. |
| 차가워 | It's cold (to touch) | For cold objects, food and drinks. |
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between chuwo and chagawo?
추워 is for cold weather or feeling cold. 차가워 is for things that are cold to touch, like ice.
How do you say it's cold politely?
Say 추워요, or 춥네요 when you are commenting on the weather.
What does chuwo jukgesseo mean?
추워 죽겠어 means "I'm freezing". Literally it is "I'm so cold I could die", a common casual exaggeration.