Korean word

경련

Pronunciation

Romanizationkyeongnyeon

Meaning

  • nouncramp

Example

밤에 다리에 경련이 났어요.pa me ta ri e kyeong nyeo ni na sseo yo

I got a cramp in my leg at night.

Illustration for 경련 (cramp)

More examples

회의 중 눈꺼풀에 경련이 나서 집중하기 어려웠어요.hoe ui chung nun kkeo pu re kyeong nyeo ni na seo chip jjung ha gi eo ryeo wo sseo yo

I had an eyelid twitch during the meeting, so it was hard to concentrate.

Core concept

A muscle suddenly tightens and causes pain or uncontrolled movement.

Common phrases

  • 눈꺼풀에 경련이 생기다nun kkeo pu re kyeong nyeo ni saeng gi da

    get an eyelid twitch

  • 손가락에 경련이 오다son ga ra ge kyeong nyeo ni o da

    get a finger cramp

Similar words

쥐chwi: A painful muscle cramp in which the affected area suddenly becomes hard.
떨림tteollim: Small, repeated shaking of the body or one of its parts.

Definition in Korean

근육이 갑자기 수축하여 통증이나 떨림 같은 이상한 움직임이 생기는 상태이다.keu nyu gi kap jja gi su chu ka yeo tong jeung i na tteol lim ka teun i sang han um ji gi mi saeng gi neun sang tae i da

Word origin

Its Sino-Korean formation combines meanings linked to sudden contraction and being pulled tight, creating a memorable picture of a muscle spasm.

Usage tips

  • Although this is a medical-sounding noun, it works in ordinary symptom descriptions and gives the report a neutral, clinical tone.

Other meanings

  • convulsionnoun

Opposites

  • 이완iwanrelaxationnoun

Word lists with this word