청소

cheongso

Cleaning

TOPIK 1

Meaning and Usage

"청소" means "cleaning" or "clean-up" in Korean. It is a noun commonly used to describe the act of cleaning a place such as a house, room, or office.

Common Contexts

You will often hear "청소" in daily life when talking about household chores or tidying up spaces. It can refer to both the process and the result of cleaning.

Collocations and Patterns

  • "청소하다": to clean (verb form derived from the noun)
  • "청소 도구": cleaning tools or supplies
  • "청소를 하다": to do cleaning
  • "청소를 끝내다": to finish cleaning

Register and Politeness

"청소" is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. When combined with verbs like "하다" (to do), it becomes a common expression.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse "청소" with "세탁" (laundry). Remember, "청소" is for cleaning spaces or surfaces, while "세탁" is for washing clothes.

Example Sentences

매주 토요일에 집 청소를 합니다.

Maeju toyoire jip cheongsoreul hamnida.

I clean the house every Saturday.

청소를 끝내고 나서 친구를 만났어요.

Cheongsoreul kkeutnaego naseo chingureul mannasseoyo.

I met my friend after finishing cleaning.

청소 도구를 어디에 두었는지 모르겠어요.

Cheongso dogureul eodie du-eonneunji moreugesseoyo.

I don't know where I put the cleaning tools.