Meaning
To deactivate a light source.
Cultural Background
Energy saving is a national priority. Many office buildings have centralized systems that automatically '불을 끄다' at a certain time to ensure no electricity is wasted. The term 'Bul-geum' (Burning Friday) refers to a night of partying. When the night ends, people say they are 'extinguishing the fire' of the night. In the past, the 'house fire' (화로) was never supposed to be fully extinguished. '불을 끄다' in that context was sometimes seen as a bad omen for the family's prosperity. Korea actively participates in 'Earth Hour' (지구촌 전등 끄기), where people nationwide turn off lights for one hour to support the environment.
The 'ㅡ' Drop
Always remember 끄다 -> 꺼요. If you say '끄어요', people will understand but know you're a beginner.
Gas Safety
When talking about a gas stove, '불을 끄다' is a safety command. Use it loudly if you see someone forgot the stove!
Meaning
To deactivate a light source.
The 'ㅡ' Drop
Always remember 끄다 -> 꺼요. If you say '끄어요', people will understand but know you're a beginner.
Gas Safety
When talking about a gas stove, '불을 끄다' is a safety command. Use it loudly if you see someone forgot the stove!
Metaphorical Fire
Using '급한 불을 끄다' in an office makes you sound very natural and fluent.
Test Yourself
Choose the correct form of the verb to complete the sentence.
너무 밝아요. 불을 ( ).
'끄다' becomes '꺼요' in the polite present tense. '닫아요' (close) and '잠가요' (lock) are incorrect for lights.
Fill in the blank with the correct past tense form of '불을 끄다'.
어제 잠을 자기 전에 ( ).
The past tense of '끄다' is '껐어요'.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
급한 불을 끄다
This is the metaphorical use of the phrase.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 나갈 때 ( ) 잊지 마세요. B: 네, 알겠습니다.
You should remember to turn off the lights when leaving.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
끄다 vs. 켜다
Practice Bank
4 exercises너무 밝아요. 불을 ( ).
'끄다' becomes '꺼요' in the polite present tense. '닫아요' (close) and '잠가요' (lock) are incorrect for lights.
어제 잠을 자기 전에 ( ).
The past tense of '끄다' is '껐어요'.
급한 불을 끄다
This is the metaphorical use of the phrase.
A: 나갈 때 ( ) 잊지 마세요. B: 네, 알겠습니다.
You should remember to turn off the lights when leaving.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, you can say '핸드폰을 끄다' to mean turning it off completely.
'끄다' is everyday language; '소등하다' is formal/military.
Yes, '산불을 끄다' is the standard way to say extinguish a forest fire.
It's an irregular verb where the 'ㅡ' vowel disappears before '-어'.
No, that sounds very strange in Korean. Stick to '끄다'.
You can say 'TV를 꺼요'.
In this context, it can mean fire, electric light, or even a screen's glow.
Yes, '불 좀 꺼 주시겠어요?' is very polite.
The opposite is '불을 켜다' (to turn on the light).
Yes, '담배 불을 끄다' means to put out a cigarette.
Related Phrases
불을 켜다
contrastTo turn on the light
소등하다
specialized formTo turn off lights (formal/institutional)
불이 나다
similarA fire breaks out
불을 지피다
similarTo kindle a fire
전원을 차단하다
specialized formTo cut the power
