A2 Collocation Neutre 1 min de lecture

방을 치우다.

bang-eul chiuda.

To clean up a room.

Entraîne-toi

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use '방을 치우다' to describe tidying up, picking up clutter, or organizing a messy room.

  • Means: To tidy, clear away, or organize a room's clutter.
  • Used in: Daily chores, responding to parents, or preparing for guests.
  • Don't confuse: '치우다' (organizing) with '청소하다' (deep cleaning like mopping).
📦 + ✨ = 방을 치우다

Explication à ton niveau :

This phrase means 'to tidy the room'. '방' is room. '치우다' is to move things to make it neat. You use it when your room is messy with toys or clothes. It is a very useful word for daily life at home.
At this level, you should know that '방을 치우다' focuses on organizing clutter. It is different from '청소하다', which means cleaning with water or a vacuum. You can use it with the object marker '을' or drop it in casual talk. It's common in family conversations.
This collocation describes the act of restoring order to a living space. While '청소하다' involves hygiene, '치우다' involves spatial management. It's often used with auxiliary verbs like '-어 놓다' to indicate the state of the room being maintained after the action is completed. It's essential for describing household chores.
The verb '치우다' functions as a transitive verb requiring an object. In the context of '방을 치우다', it implies a comprehensive action of putting things away. Learners should distinguish this from '정리하다', which is a Sino-Korean synonym that sounds more formal and suggests a more meticulous level of organization or categorization of items.
Linguistically, '치우다' is a native Korean root that emphasizes the physical displacement of objects to achieve a state of 'empty' or 'clear'. In '방을 치우다', the room is the location being cleared. Advanced learners should note the pragmatic nuance: using '치우다' as a command can carry a sharp, imperative tone compared to the more suggestive '정리하는 게 좋겠어요'.
The collocation '방을 치우다' serves as a primary example of how native Korean verbs handle spatial semantics. Unlike the Sino-Korean '정리(整理)', which implies a logical restructuring, '치우다' denotes the removal of 'disorder' as a physical obstruction. Mastery involves understanding its idiomatic extensions, such as clearing a table after a meal or removing an obstacle from one's path, reflecting a broader cognitive framework of 'clearing space' for new activity.

Signification

The act of tidying and organizing a living space.

🌍

Contexte culturel

Korean culture emphasizes 'cleanliness' as a sign of a diligent person. A messy room is often associated with a lazy or disorganized mind. Similar to Korea, Japan has a strong culture of 'Danshari' (decluttering). Tidying is seen as a way to improve one's mental state. In many Western cultures, 'making the bed' is the symbolic start of tidying a room, whereas in Korea, 'clearing the floor' is the priority. The term '치우다' is increasingly used by younger Koreans to mean 'deleting' or 'clearing' unwanted digital clutter on social media.

💡

Use '좀' for Politeness

Adding '좀' (a little) makes the request '방 좀 치워요' sound much softer and less like a harsh command.

⚠️

Don't say '방을 씻다'

Never use '씻다' for a room. It sounds like you are giving the room a bath with soap and water.

💡

Use '좀' for Politeness

Adding '좀' (a little) makes the request '방 좀 치워요' sound much softer and less like a harsh command.

⚠️

Don't say '방을 씻다'

Never use '씻다' for a room. It sounds like you are giving the room a bath with soap and water.

🎯

The '-어 놓다' trick

Use '치워 놓다' to emphasize that the room is NOW in a clean state because you did the work earlier.

Teste-toi

Choose the most appropriate verb for the situation: Your room is messy with clothes on the floor.

방이 너무 어지러워요. 빨리 방을 ( ).

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 치우세요

'치우세요' means to tidy up, which is the correct response to a messy (어지럽다) room.

Fill in the blank with the correct object marker.

내일 친구가 집에 와요. 그래서 오늘 방( ) 치웠어요.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 을

'방' is the object of the verb '치우다', so it needs the object marker '을'.

Complete the dialogue.

엄마: 방이 왜 이렇게 더러워? 아이: 죄송해요. 지금 바로 ( ).

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 치울게요

The child is promising to do it 'right now' (지금 바로), so the future/intentional form '치울게요' is correct.

Match the phrase to the correct situation.

When would you say '방을 치워야 해요'?

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : When you see trash and clothes on your floor

'방을 치우다' is used for tidying up clutter.

🎉 Score : /4

Aides visuelles

Tidying vs. Cleaning

치우다 (Tidy)
옷 Clothes
책 Books
청소하다 (Clean)
먼지 Dust
바닥 Floor

Banque d exercices

5 exercices
Choisis la bonne réponse Fill Blank

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte :
Choose the most appropriate verb for the situation: Your room is messy with clothes on the floor. Choose A2

방이 너무 어지러워요. 빨리 방을 ( ).

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 치우세요

'치우세요' means to tidy up, which is the correct response to a messy (어지럽다) room.

Fill in the blank with the correct object marker. Fill Blank A1

내일 친구가 집에 와요. 그래서 오늘 방( ) 치웠어요.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 을

'방' is the object of the verb '치우다', so it needs the object marker '을'.

Complete the dialogue. dialogue_completion A2

엄마: 방이 왜 이렇게 더러워? 아이: 죄송해요. 지금 바로 ( ).

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 치울게요

The child is promising to do it 'right now' (지금 바로), so the future/intentional form '치울게요' is correct.

Match the phrase to the correct situation. situation_matching A2

When would you say '방을 치워야 해요'?

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : When you see trash and clothes on your floor

'방을 치우다' is used for tidying up clutter.

🎉 Score : /5

Questions fréquentes

4 questions

Yes, '책상을 치우다' means to clear the desk of clutter. However, '책상을 정리하다' is more common for organizing it.

The word itself is neutral. Its politeness depends on the ending (e.g., 치우세요 vs 치워).

'치우다' is to tidy/put away. '버리다' is to throw away in the trash.

You say '방을 치우고 있어요'.

Expressions liées

🔄

정리 {整理|정리}하다

synonym

To organize or arrange.

🔗

청소 {淸掃|청소}하다

similar

To clean.

🔗

어지르다

contrast

To make a mess.

🔗

상을 치우다

builds on

To clear the dining table.

Où l'utiliser

👩

Mom nagging

Mom: 방 좀 치워! 이게 뭐야?

Son: 지금 치우고 있어요.

informal
🏠

Guest coming over

A: 곧 손님이 오니까 방을 좀 치워야겠어요.

B: 제가 도와줄게요.

neutral
🔍

Looking for something

A: 내 열쇠 어디 있지?

B: 방을 좀 치워 봐. 그럼 찾을 수 있을 거야.

informal
📦

Moving out

Tenant: 이삿짐 다 쌌어요. 이제 방을 치워야죠.

Landlord: 네, 깨끗하게 치워 주세요.

neutral
📅

New Year's Resolution

A: 새해 목표가 뭐예요?

B: 매일 아침 방을 치우는 거예요.

neutral
😠

Roommate conflict

Roommate A: 제발 네 방 좀 치워. 냄새나.

Roommate B: 알았어, 알았어. 이따가 치울게.

informal

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Think of 'Chi-u-da' as 'Cheer-up-da' room. When you tidy up, the room cheers up!

Association visuelle

Imagine a giant broom sweeping away the 'mess' (clutter) to reveal a shiny floor. The word '치' looks a bit like a person holding a broom.

Rhyme

방을 치워, 기분 좋아! (Bang-eul chi-wo, gi-bun jo-wa! - Tidy the room, feel good!)

Story

Min-su's room was a disaster zone. His mom shouted '방 치워!' (Tidy the room!). Min-su moved his clothes to the closet and his books to the shelf. Now the room is clear and he can finally see the floor.

In Other Languages

In Japanese, '片付ける' (katazukeru) is almost an exact match, meaning to put things where they belong. In English, 'tidy up' captures the nuance better than 'clean'.

Word Web

방 (Room)치우다 (To tidy)정리 (Organization)청소 (Cleaning)쓰레기 (Trash)깨끗하다 (To be clean)어지럽다 (To be messy)물건 (Object/Stuff)

Défi

Go to your room right now and '치우다' just 3 items. Say '방을 치워요' out loud while you do it.

Review this phrase on day 1, 3, and 7. Try to use it every time you pick something up from the floor.

Prononciation

Stress Korean is syllable-timed; give each syllable equal length.

The 'ng' sound flows into the 'eu' sound.

The 'ch' is aspirated (strong puff of air).

Spectre de formalité

Formel
방을 치우십시오.

방을 치우십시오. (General request)

Neutre
방을 치우세요.

방을 치우세요. (General request)

Informel
방 좀 치워.

방 좀 치워. (General request)

Argot
방 구석 좀 치워라.

방 구석 좀 치워라. (General request)

The word '치우다' is a native Korean verb. Its root '치-' is related to movement and displacement. Historically, it appeared in Middle Korean as '치우다', maintaining its meaning of 'to put away' or 'to move something out of sight'.

15th Century:
Modern Era:

Le savais-tu ?

The word '치우다' can also be used for finishing a meal, as in '상을 치우다' (to clear the table).

Notes culturelles

Korean culture emphasizes 'cleanliness' as a sign of a diligent person. A messy room is often associated with a lazy or disorganized mind.

“성공하려면 방부터 치워라. (If you want to succeed, start by tidying your room.)”

Similar to Korea, Japan has a strong culture of 'Danshari' (decluttering). Tidying is seen as a way to improve one's mental state.

“The popularity of Marie Kondo's 'Spark Joy' method.”

In many Western cultures, 'making the bed' is the symbolic start of tidying a room, whereas in Korea, 'clearing the floor' is the priority.

“Make your bed every morning.”

The term '치우다' is increasingly used by younger Koreans to mean 'deleting' or 'clearing' unwanted digital clutter on social media.

“인스타 피드 좀 치워야겠다. (I should clear up my Instagram feed.)”

Amorces de conversation

“

방을 얼마나 자주 치워요?

“

방을 치울 때 가장 먼저 하는 일이 뭐예요?

“

방을 안 치우면 어떤 기분이 들어요?

Erreurs courantes

✗

방을 세탁하다

✓

방을 치우다 / 청소하다

wrong context
'세탁하다' is only for laundry (clothes). You cannot 'wash' a room in the laundry sense.

L1 Interference

0 1
✗

방을 씻다

✓

방을 청소하다

wrong context
'씻다' is for washing parts of the body or objects with water. For a room, use '청소하다' or '치우다'.

L1 Interference

0
✗

방에 치우다

✓

방을 치우다

wrong conjugation
The room is the direct object being acted upon, so it needs the object marker '을', not the location marker '에'.

L1 Interference

0
✗

방을 만들다 (when meaning to tidy)

✓

방을 치우다

literal translation
In some languages, you 'make' your room (like 'make the bed'). In Korean, '방을 만들다' literally means to build a room.

L1 Interference

0 1

In Other Languages

Japanese Very Similar

部屋を片付ける (Heya o katazukeru)

Japanese uses '片付ける' while Korean uses '치우다'.

Chinese moderate

整理房间 (Zhěnglǐ fángjiān)

Chinese relies more on the 'organize' root than the 'clear away' root.

English Very Similar

Tidy up the room

English often uses 'clean' as a catch-all, whereas Korean distinguishes '치우다' and '청소하다' more strictly.

Spanish moderate

Ordenar el cuarto

Spanish 'ordenar' is more like '정리하다' (organize).

French Very Similar

Ranger la chambre

French 'ranger' is used for both objects and rooms, similar to '치우다'.

German Very Similar

Das Zimmer aufräumen

German uses a separable verb, but the core meaning is identical.

Arabic moderate

ترتيب الغرفة (Tartib al-ghurfa)

Arabic focuses on 'order' rather than the act of 'clearing away'.

Portuguese Very Similar

Arrumar o quarto

Portuguese 'arrumar' can also mean 'to fix' something broken, which '치우다' does not.

Spotted in the Real World

📺

(2015)

“방 좀 치워라, 이 녀석아!”

The mother is yelling at her children to tidy their messy shared room.

🎵

(2020)

“방을 치워봐도 똑같아”

Singing about being stuck in a room during the pandemic.

Facile à confondre

방을 치우다. vs 청소하다 vs 치우다

Learners often use '청소하다' for everything related to cleaning.

If you are picking up clothes, it's '치우다'. If you are using a vacuum, it's '청소하다'.

방을 치우다. vs 정리하다 vs 치우다

Both mean making things neat.

'정리하다' is like 'organizing' (putting books in alphabetical order). '치우다' is like 'clearing' (getting the books off the floor).

Questions fréquentes (4)

Yes, '책상을 치우다' means to clear the desk of clutter. However, '책상을 정리하다' is more common for organizing it.

usage contexts

The word itself is neutral. Its politeness depends on the ending (e.g., 치우세요 vs 치워).

grammar mechanics

'치우다' is to tidy/put away. '버리다' is to throw away in the trash.

comparisons

You say '방을 치우고 있어요'.

grammar mechanics

Learning Path

Prerequisites

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