Korean word

불통

Pronunciation

Romanizationpultong

Meaning

  • nounout of service

Example

핸드폰이 불통이라서 통화가 안 돼요.haen deu po ni pul tong i ra seo tong hwa ga an twae yo

My cell phone is out of service, so I can't make a call.

Illustration for 불통 (out of service)

More examples

집 전화가 불통이라 택시를 못 불렀어요.chip cheon hwa ga pul tong i ra taek ssi reul mot pul leo sseo yo

I couldn't call a taxi because my home phone wasn't working.

Core concept

A line of communication cannot get through, so people cannot call, contact one another, or exchange messages.

Common phrases

  • 핸드폰 불통haen deu pon pul tong

    cell phone not working

  • 인터넷 불통in teo net pul tong

    internet not working

  • 전화 불통cheon hwa pul tong

    phone not working

Similar words

연락두절yeollakttujeol: A person's communication channels are cut off, leaving that person unreachable.
연락불능yeollakppulleung: A condition in which no contact can be made through available means.
끊김kkeunkim: An unstable connection repeatedly cuts out during a call, video, or audio stream.

Definition in Korean

사람들 사이의 소통이 끊겨 연락이나 의견 교환이 안 되는 상태를 가리키는 명사.sa ram deul sa i ui so tong i kkeun kyeo yeol la gi na ui gyeon kyo hwa ni an toe neun sang tae reul ka ri ki neun myeong sa

Word origin

The word joins elements meaning not and pass through, linking its literal formation to a breakdown in contact or exchange.

Usage tips

  • In conversation, this term is stronger than saying someone is simply away because it suggests that contact has stopped working altogether.

Other meanings

  • unreachablenoun
  • communication outagenoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 통신불통tongsinbultongcommunication outagenoun
  • 교통불통kyotongbultongtraffic disruptionnoun

Word lists with this word