Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 가슴 | gaseum | [ka̠sʰɯm] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 유방 | yubang | [juba̠ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
In Korean, the word used depends on whether you are speaking generally about the body or referring specifically to the milk-producing organ. 가슴 is the general, everyday word used for both the chest and the breast, whereas 유방 is the technical or medical term for the breast, often used in clinical contexts like 'breast cancer'.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 가슴 refers to the entire chest area of the body, not just the mammary glands.
Which one should you use?
가슴 is the general, everyday word used for both the chest and the breast and is much more common in casual conversation. In contrast, 유방 is the technical or medical term for the breast, often used in clinical contexts like 'breast cancer'.
How do you pronounce it?
gaseum
Did you know?
- In Korean, the term 가슴 can refer to the physical chest of a person, an animal or even the front part of a boat.
- The word 가슴 is used not only for the physical chest but also to describe the seat of human emotions, such as 'heartbreak' or 'tightness in the chest' caused by distress.
- While 유방 is the medical term for breast, the Sino-Korean root 유 (乳) specifically means 'milk' and is used in many other words related to lactation.
Examples in context
- 메리는 유방암으로 죽었어.Mary died of breast cancer.This sentence shows how to use the formal term 유방 in a medical context regarding cancer.Tatoeba #8361926 by Eunhee, translation #4473030 by Hybrid
- 울새는 가슴이 빨갛다.The robin has a red breast.This sentence shows the use of the common term 가슴 to describe the chest area of a bird.
- 유방 건강에 대해서 어떻게 생각하세요?How do you think about breast health?
- 가슴 수술에 대한 정보를 찾고 있습니다.I am looking for information about breast surgery.
- 오늘은 앞가슴이 좀 아프네요.My chest feels a bit painful today.
Example conversation
A doctor's office where a woman is describing her symptoms to a man assisting with her medical history.
- 지훈 Ji-hun서연 씨, 어디가 불편하세요?Seoyeon ssi, eodiga bulpyeonhaseyo?Seoyeon, where is the discomfort?
- 서연 Seo-yeon가슴 쪽이 계속 쑤셔요.Gaseum jjogi gyesok ssusyeoyo.My breast keeps aching.
- 지훈 Ji-hun언제부터 가슴이 아프셨나요?Eonjebuteo gaseumi apeusyeonnayo?Since when has your breast been hurting?
- 서연 Seo-yeon사흘 전부터 그랬어요.Sahul jeonbuteo geuraesseoyo.It has been like that since three days ago.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “breast” translations and entries 가슴, 유방, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 가슴, 유방, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
