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Grammar Advanced TOPIK II · Level 5–6 Advanced Korean 2 · expression

-어 치우다

-어 치우다: Get It Done Fast — Finish Off Roughly

Auxiliary expression: get it done fast — finishing off, often roughly.

Before this, make sure you know: -어 버리다 , -아요 / -어요

How to form it

When Form Example
Action + 어/아 치우다 -어/아 치우다 먹어 치우다 / 해 치우다 / 팔아 치우다
Polite -어 치워요 일을 해 치웠어요

-어 치우다 finishes off — fast, often rough.

Auxiliary completion with disposal colour. Neighbour of -어 버리다, different flavour.

Why this is hard

Completion auxiliaries crowd. -어 버리다 is the textbook favourite. -어 치우다 smells of clearing away / knocking it out — eat it up, get the work done, sell it off.

What it does

밥을 먹어 치웠어요.
일을 해 치웠어요.
물건을 팔아 치웠어요.
숙제를 해 치웠어요.

The act is pushed to a brisk end.

Forms

-아/어 치우다 after action verbs.

먹다 → 먹어 치우다
하다 → 해 치우다
팔다 → 팔아 치우다

When not to use it

Do not use it for careful polite completion by default.

Do not mash it blindly with -어 버리다.

Do not invent it on every verb for decoration.

Neighbours — and why they differ

FormWhy it is not this slot
-어 버리다Completion / irreversible colour.
-어 보다Try — different auxiliary.

Ask: am I knocking it out / clearing it away? If yes, -어 치우다. If general completion, -어 버리다 may fit.

If English wants wolf down / knock out the work / sell off, you are here.

Do not confuse it with

-어 버리다

did it completely (with feelings of regret or relief)

Taught alongside this

On the jabi learning path, this appears in 표현 (expression) — Advanced Korean 2, Unit 4, on the theme of expression. These come with it:

-기 일쑤이다 always ends up… — what commonly / habitually happens (-기(가) 일쑤이다) -기 짝이 없다 extremely… — so much there is no comparison 는 마당에 in a situation where… — given this awkward context -는 한이 있어도 even if it kills me… — willing to pay any cost -을 바에 given you are (doing) that — the situation of that act (often with a better alternative) -으려도 even if one tries to… — attempt that still fails or contrasts -으리라는 the idea that one will… — naming a future claim 를 막론하고 regardless of — without picking and choosing among that set -는다는 the… that says / that will — framing a quoted claim as a noun 이라고는 as for… (only) — singled out under emphasis, usually before scarce/negative (이라고는) -는다던가1 is that the order…? — checking what you were told to do -으래서야 how can you only now…? — challenging the late order or claim -으리라고 that one will… — quoting a future claim -자면2 how about… / let's say… — suggesting a course

Words used above

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치우다chiudato clear away / finish off (aux)
-어 치우다-eo chiudaget it done / finish off
숙제sukjehomework

Quick check

No sign-up, no score saved — just see if it stuck.

1. The meal was knocked out, not merely finished and not a first try. Which line?

2. The work is cleared off your desk, brisk and a bit rough. Which line?

3. The stock is sold off, not just sold with care. Which line?

Common questions

Job?

Finish the act off — fast, often roughly or as disposal.

Vs -어 버리다?

-어 버리다 also completes. 치우다 leans clear-away / knock-out.

Common verbs?

Common examples are 먹어 치우다 (eat up), 해 치우다 (get it done) and 팔아 치우다 (sell off).

Register?

Spoken, vivid — can sound blunt.