Korean word

호흡곤란

Pronunciation

Romanizationhoheupkkollan

Meaning

  • nounshortness of breath

Example

갑자기 호흡곤란이 왔어요.kap jja gi ho heup kkol la ni wa sseo yo

I suddenly became short of breath.

Illustration for 호흡곤란 (shortness of breath)

More examples

약을 복용하면 호흡곤란이 조금 완화돼요.ya geul po gyong ha myeon ho heup kkol la ni cho geum wan hwa dwae yo

Taking medicine eases shortness of breath a little.

Core concept

Breathing becomes difficult, so air feels hard to take in or move out and the breath may become fast or strained.

Common phrases

  • 호흡곤란으로 숨이 차다ho heup kkol la neu ro su mi cha da

    experience breathing difficulty

  • 호흡곤란이 완화되다ho heup kkol la ni wan hwa doe da

    improvement in shortness of breath

  • 일시적인 호흡곤란il ssi jeo gin ho heup kkol lan

    temporary breathing difficulty

Similar words

숨가쁨sumgappeum: A feeling of shortness of breath with shallow, rapid breathing.
숨차기sumchagi: Breathlessness after exercise or physical movement that leaves the chest feeling tight.
숨막힘summakim: A feeling that air cannot pass easily because an airway is blocked or narrowed.
가슴 답답함kaseum tapttapam: A feeling of pressure or heaviness in the chest that makes breathing difficult.

Definition in Korean

숨을 들이쉬고 내쉬는 데 어려움이 있어 숨이 막히거나 숨이 빨라지는 등 호흡에 지장이 생기는 상태를 가리키는 명사다.su meul teu ri swi go nae swi neun te eo ryeo u mi i sseo su mi ma ki geo na su mi ppal la ji neun teung ho heu be chi jang i saeng gi neun sang tae reul ka ri ki neun myeong sa da

Word origin

This Sino-Korean compound joins 호흡 (hoheup, "breathing") and 곤란 (kkolran, "difficulty") to mean difficulty with breathing.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, English speakers often say "short of breath" or "out of breath," while this term sounds more medical and suits a clinic or emergency setting.

Related words

  • 호흡하다hoheupadabreatheverb
  • 호흡장애hoheupjjangaerespiratory disordernoun

Word lists with this word