Korean word

전염

Pronunciation

Romanizationcheonyeom

Meaning

  • nouncontagion

Example

전염 예방을 위해 손을 자주 씻어요.cheo nyeom ye bang eul wi hae so neul cha ju ssi seo yo

We wash our hands often to prevent contagion.

Illustration for 전염 (contagion)

More examples

공공장소에서는 전염 확산을 막기 위해 마스크를 쓴다.kong gong jang so e seo neun cheo nyeom hwak ssa neul mak kki wi hae ma seu keu reul sseun da

People wear masks in public places to prevent the spread of infection.

Core concept

An illness or germ moves from one person to another through contact or shared objects and begins spreading.

Common phrases

  • 전염 위험cheo nyeom wi heom

    risk of transmission

  • 전염 확산cheo nyeom hwak ssan

    spread of infection

Similar words

감염kamyeom: An infection that begins when a disease-causing germ enters the body and multiplies.
전파cheonpa: Movement of a pathogen or virus from one person or place to another.
전염병cheonyeombyeong: A disease that passes from person to person.
전염성cheonyeomseong: The quality that makes a disease or germ easy to pass on.

Definition in Korean

한 사람에게 있던 질병이나 균이 사람이나 물건을 통해 다른 사람에게 옮겨 붙어 퍼지는 현상han sa ra me ge it tteon chil byeong i na kyu ni sa ra mi na mul geo neul tong hae ta reun sa ra me ge om gyeo pu teo peo ji neun hyeon sang

Word origin

The Sino-Korean noun 전염 (jeonyeom, "contagious spread") combines elements associated with passing something on and becoming affected, creating a picture of illness moving between people.

Usage tips

  • English speakers can use this word for the transmission itself, not simply for having an illness, which separates the spread of a cold from the cold as a condition.

Opposites

  • 면역myeonyeokimmunitynoun

Related words

  • 전염되다cheonyeomdoedabe infectedverb
  • 전염시키다cheonyeomsikidainfectverb

Word lists with this word