Korean Conversation · Level 402
15 words
Korean word
식은땀
Pronunciation
Romanizationsigeunttam
Meaning
- nouncold sweat
Example
면접장에서 긴장해서 식은땀이 났다.myeon jeop jjang e seo kin jang hae seo si geun tta mi nat tta
I was so nervous at the interview that I broke out in a cold sweat.
More examples
밤에 이유 없이 갑자기 식은땀이 났다.pa me i yu eop ssi kap jja gi si geun tta mi nat tta
At night, I suddenly broke out in a cold sweat for no reason.
Core concept
Chilly sweat breaks out as a visible sign of sudden anxiety, surprise, or emotional shock.
Common phrases
식은땀이 나다si geun tta mi na da
break out in a cold sweat
Similar words
진땀chinttam: A large amount of sweat brought on by strenuous work, exercise, or heat.
땀ttam: Thin, salty moisture that comes through the skin as the body cools itself.
한기hangi: The sudden sensation of chill that makes the body feel cold and shivery.
긴장kinjang: A tense mental and physical state that makes normal actions feel difficult.
Definition in Korean
주로 '식은땀이 나다'로 쓰여 놀람·불안·충격으로 생기는 차가운 땀을 가리키는 명사chu ro si geun tta mi na da ro sseu yeo nol lam pu ran chung gyeo geu ro saeng gi neun cha ga un tta meul ka ri ki neun myeong sa
Word origin
This native Korean compound joins 식은 (sigeun, "cooled") and 땀 (ttam, "sweat"), so its literal image naturally developed into the meaning of a stress-induced chill.
Usage tips
- The expression describes an involuntary response, so it fits a person who feels alarmed even when the surrounding temperature is normal.