신장
sinjang[ɕʰiɲd͡ʑa̠ŋ]
The English word 'kidney' can be translated into Korean as 신장 (sinjang) or 콩팥.
Meaning: an organ in the body (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 신장 | sinjang | [ɕʰiɲd͡ʑa̠ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ˈɕʰi(ː)ɲd͡ʑa̠ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 콩팥 | kongpat | [kʰo̞ŋpʰa̠t̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
Both terms refer to the organ in the body. 신장 is the technical or medical term, while 콩팥 is the more common, everyday word used in a non-medical context.
Which one should you use?
신장 is the technical term for the kidney, whereas 콩팥 is the native Korean word used in casual conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
sinjang
Did you know?
- The common word 콩팥 is a combination of the words for 'soybean' 콩 and 'red bean' 팥. This is because the organ's shape and color remind Koreans of these two types of legumes.
- Because 신장 can be derived from the Hanja for 'body' and 'length', it can also be used to describe the 'stature' or 'height' of a person.
- While 신장 is the standard medical term, the word 신장 can also refer to the 'Xinjiang' region in China, which may cause confusion in certain geographic or political contexts.
Examples in context
- 저는 신장 이식 수술을 받았어요.I have undergone a kidney transplant surgery.
- 콩팥이 아파서 병원에 갔어요.I went to the hospital because my kidney hurts.
- 신장은 노폐물을 걸러주는 역할을 합니다.sinjang-eun no pyemu-reul geolleojuneun yeokhal-eul hamnida.The kidney plays a role in filtering waste.
- 그는 신장 건강을 위해 물을 많이 마셔요.geuneun sinjang geongang-eul wihae mul-eul mani masyeoyo.He drinks a lot of water for his kidney health.
- 신장 기능이 조금 떨어졌어요.sinjang gineung-i jogeum tteoreojyeosseoyo.The kidney function has dropped a little.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are discussing health results at a clinic.
- 도현 Do-hyeon서연 씨, 신장 수치가 괜찮아요?Seoyeon ssi, sinjang suchiga gwaenchanayo?Seoyeon, are your kidney levels okay?
- 서연 Seo-yeon네, 다행히 신장은 아주 건강하대요.Ne, dahaenghi sinjang-eun aju geonganghadaeyo.Yes, fortunately they said my kidney is very healthy.
- 도현 Do-hyeon정말 다행이네요. 걱정했어요.Jeongmal dahaengineyo. Geokjeonghaesseoyo.That is a relief. I was worried.
- 서연 Seo-yeon도현 씨도 건강 관리 잘 하세요.Dohyeon ssi-do geongang gwan-ri jal haseyo.You should also take good care of your health, Dohyeon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kidney” translations and entries 신장, 콩팥, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 신장, 콩팥, CC BY-SA 4.0.
