간호사
ganhosa[ka̠nβo̞sʰa̠]
The Korean word for nurse is 간호사 (ganhosa). Wiktionary also lists 간호원 (ganhowon).
Meaning: person trained to provide care for the sick (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 간호사 | ganhosa | [ka̠nβo̞sʰa̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 간호원 | ganhowon | [ka̠nβo̞wʌ̹n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term refers to a person trained to provide care for the sick.
Which one should you use?
간호원 (ganhowon) was used in the past, but 간호사 (ganhosa) is the standard, modern term used in professional and medical contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
ganhosa
Did you know?
- In Korean hospitals, it is common for patients to address nurses using the title 선생님, which means 'teacher', as a sign of respect for their expertise.
- The term 간호 (ganho) itself is composed of two characters meaning 'to watch over' and 'to protect', framing the job as a duty of guardianship.
- The modern term 간호사 (ganhosa) ends with the suffix 사 (sa), which is the same character used for professional titles like 'lawyer' or 'accountant'.
Examples in context
- 실례합니다, 간호사님. 도와주실 수 있을까요?Excuse me, nurse. Can you help me?
- 언젠가는 간호사가 되고 싶어요.I want to become a nurse someday.
- 제 누나는 간호사예요.je nunaneun ganhosayeyo.My older sister is a nurse.
- 그 간호사는 아주 친절해요.geu ganhosaneun aju chinjeolhaeyo.That nurse is very kind.
- 저는 간호사가 되고 싶어요.jeoneun ganhosaga doego sipeoyo.I want to be a nurse.
Example conversation
Minjun and Minji are talking about their dream jobs at a cafe.
- 민준 Min-jun민지 씨는 꿈이 뭐예요?Minji ssi-neun kkumi mwoyeyo?Minji, what is your dream?
- 민지 Min-ji저는 멋진 간호사가 되고 싶어요.Jeoneun meotjin ganhosaga doego sipeoyo.I want to be a wonderful nurse.
- 민준 Min-jun정말 좋은 직업이네요.Jeongmal jo-eun jig-eob-ineyo.That is a really good job.
- 민지 Min-ji네, 사람들을 돕고 싶거든요.Ne, saramdeureul dopgo sipgeodeunyo.Yes, because I want to help people.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nurse” translations and entries 간호사, 간호원, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 간호사, 간호원, CC BY-SA 4.0.
