복장

When we talk about 복장, we are talking about more than just clothes; we are talking about the presentation of oneself. It is the Korean word for 'dress' or 'attire'.

You will hear this word often when discussing rules. For example, if a workplace has a 복장 규정 (dress code), they are telling you what is acceptable to wear. It carries a slight nuance of formality compared to just saying 'clothes' (옷).

The word 복장 is rooted in Sino-Korean characters (Hanja). '복' (服) comes from the character for clothes or to wear, while '장' (裝) relates to decoration, equipment, or packing.

Historically, these characters were used to describe the official uniforms or ceremonial robes of government officials. Over centuries, the meaning broadened from strictly 'official regalia' to the general 'attire' or 'dress' that we use in daily life today.

You will most commonly see 복장 in professional or formal settings. It is a standard term used in employee handbooks and school rules.

Common collocations include 복장 불량 (improper attire) or 복장 자율화 (casual dress policy). It is rarely used when talking about casual, everyday clothes between close friends, where '옷' is preferred.

1. 복장이 단정하다: To be neatly dressed. Example: '면접에는 복장이 단정해야 합니다.' (You must be neatly dressed for the interview.)

2. 복장을 갖추다: To get dressed properly. Example: '등산할 때는 복장을 잘 갖춰야 해요.' (You must dress properly for hiking.)

3. 복장 규정을 어기다: To violate the dress code. Example: '복장 규정을 어기면 벌점이 있습니다.' (There are demerits for violating the dress code.)

4. 복장 검사: Dress inspection. Example: '학교에서 복장 검사를 해요.' (The school conducts a dress inspection.)

5. 복장 자유: Freedom of dress. Example: '우리 회사는 복장 자유가 있습니다.' (Our company has a casual dress policy.)

복장 is a non-count noun in the sense that it refers to the concept of attire. It is pronounced as [복짱] due to the tense sound rule in Korean.

It functions as the head noun in many compound phrases. It is often followed by particles like -이, -을, or -으로 depending on the sentence structure.