쓰다

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [s͈ɯda̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [쓰다]

From Middle Korean 쓰〮다〮 (Yale: ssú-tá), 스〮다〮 (Yale: sú-tá).

First attested in the Worin seokbo (月印釋譜 / 월인석보), 1459, as Middle Korean 쓰〮다〮 (Yale: ssú-tá).

쓰다 • (sseuda) (infinitive 써, sequential 쓰니) (transitive)

1. to wear, to put on (a hat, helmet, etc., on one's head; a mask, pair of glasses, etc.)

   Synonym: 착용(着用)하다 (chagyonghada)

   모자를 쓰다

   moja-reul sseuda

   to wear a hat

   안경을 쓰다

   an'gyeong-eul sseuda

   to put on glasses

2. to put up, to hold (an umbrella over one's head)

   우산을 쓰다

   usan-eul sseuda

   to put up an umbrella

   양산을 쓰다

   yangsan-eul sseuda

   to put up a parasol

3. to be accused of, to be suspected of (an offence)

   Antonym: 벗다 (beotda)

   혐의를 쓰다

   hyeomui-reul sseuda

   to be suspected of an offence

   누명을 쓰다

   numyeong-eul sseuda

   to be falsely accused

4. to be covered (with dust, powder, etc.)

   청소를 했더니 온몸에 먼지를 썼다.

   Cheongso-reul haetdeoni onmom-e meonji-reul sseotda.

   After cleaning, [my] body was covered with dust.

   광부들은 온통 석탄 가루를 썼다.

   Gwangbu-deur-eun ontong seoktan garu-reul sseotda.

   The mineworkers were covered with coal dust.

From Middle Korean 쓰〮다〮 (Yale: ssú-tá), 스〮다〮 (Yale: sú-tá).

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 쓰〮다〮 (Yale: ssú-tá).

쓰다 • (sseuda) (infinitive 써, sequential 쓰니) (transitive)

1. to write (in general)

   Synonym: 적다 (jeokda)

   연필로 쓰다

   yeonpil-lo sseuda

   to write with a pencil

   영어로 쓰다

   yeong'eo-ro sseuda

   to write in English

2. to compose (a song, a piece of writing, etc.)

   소설을 쓰다

   soseor-eul sseuda

   to write a novel

   노래를 쓰다

   norae-reul sseuda

   to compose a song

First attested in the Yongbi eocheon'ga (龍飛御天歌 / 용비어천가), 1447, as Middle Korean ᄡᅳ〮다〮 (Yale: psú-tá).

쓰다 • (sseuda) (infinitive 써, sequential 쓰니)

1. (transitive) to use (in general)

   Synonyms: 사용(使用)하다 (sayonghada), 이용(利用)하다 (iyonghada)

   1. (transitive) to spend, to consume, to expend (money, time, resources, etc.)

      이런 거에 시간 쓰고 싶지는 않아.

      Ireon geo-e sigan sseugo sipji-neun ana.

      I don't want to spend my time on something like this.

      돈을 너무 많이 쓰는 것 같지 않아?

      don-eul neomu mani sseuneun geot gatji ana?

      Don't you think you are spending a bit too much money?

   2. (transitive) to speak (a language, a dialect, etc.)

      그는 영어와 불어를 모국어로 쓴다.

      Geu-neun yeong'eo-wa bureo-reul mogugeo-ro sseunda.

      He speaks English and French as a native language.

      그는 서울말과 사투리를 둘 다 쓴다.

      Geu-neun seoulmal-gwa saturi-reul dul da sseunda.

      He speaks both the Seoul dialect and his [local] dialect.

   3. (transitive) to hire, to employ

      일손이 부족하니 한 명 더 써야겠다.

      Ilson-i bujokhani han myeong deo sseoyagetda.

      Since [we] are in need of an extra hand, I will hire an extra person.

      그 회사는 직원 다섯 명을 쓴다.

      Geu hoesa-neun jigwon daseot myeong-eul sseunda.

      The company employs five employees.

2. (intransitive, in questions after -어서 (-eoseo), -으면 (-eumyeon)) to be appropriate, to be right

   사람이 그딴 식으로 행동하면 쓰나?

   saram-i geuttan sig-euro haengdongha-myeon sseuna?

   Is it okay for somebody to act like that?

   그렇게 입버릇이 고약해서 쓰겠나?

   geureoke ipbeoreus-i goyakhae-seo sseugenna?

   It's no good being foul-mouthed like that.

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean ᄡᅳ〮다〮 (Yale: psú-tá).

쓰다 • (sseuda) (infinitive 써, sequential 쓰니)

1. to be bitter

   Antonym: 달다 (dalda, “to be sweet”)

   몸에 좋은 약은 쓰다. (proverb) ― Mom-e jo'eun yag-eun sseuda. ― Medicine that is good for the body is bitter.