Korean word

암

Pronunciation

Romanizationam

Meaning

  • nouncancer

Example

걱정돼서 암 검사를 받았어요.keok jjeong dwae seo am keom sa reul pa da sseo yo

I got tested for cancer because I was worried.

Illustration for 암 (cancer)

More examples

항암 치료로 암이 많이 줄었어요.hang am chi ryo ro a mi ma ni chu reo sseo yo

The cancer has shrunk considerably with anticancer treatment.

Core concept

A malignant growth in one part of the body, along with the illness it causes.

Common phrases

  • 암 검사am keom sa

    cancer screening

  • 암 치료am chi ryo

    cancer treatment

  • 암 환자am hwan ja

    cancer patient

Similar words

종양chongyang: An abnormal mass of cells that develops inside the body and may be harmless or harmful.
악성종양aksseongjongyang: A cancerous tumor that can invade nearby tissue and spread to distant organs.
전이cheoni: Spread of cancer or diseased tissue from its original site to another organ.

Definition in Korean

신체의 특정 부위에 생긴 악성의 덩어리나 그로 인한 병적 상태를 가리키는 명사.sin che ui teuk jjeong pu wi e saeng gin ak sseong ui teong eo ri na keu ro in han pyeong jeok sang tae reul ka ri ki neun myeong sa

Word origin

The word entered Korean as a Sino-Korean medical term based on a Chinese character for cancer and came to refer to a malignant tumor or the illness it causes.

Usage tips

  • Korean often places the affected body part before this noun in medical compounds, so the location is usually stated first.

Opposites

  • 양성종양yangseongjongyangbenign tumornoun
  • 정상세포cheongsangseponormal cellnoun

Related words

  • 암세포amsepocancer cellnoun
  • 유방암yubangambreast cancernoun

Word lists with this word