여드름
yeodeureum[jʌ̹dɯɾɯm]
The English word pimple is 여드름 (yeodeureum) in Korean.
여드름 refers to an inflamed spot on the surface of the skin. To express the act of a pimple appearing or breaking out, you use the verb 나다 (to occur/appear) with the noun, resulting in the phrase 여드름이 나다.
Meaning: inflamed spot on the surface of the skin (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
yeodeureum
Did you know?
- If a pimple is particularly large and painful, it might be colloquially referred to as a 왕여드름, where 왕 means 'king' to denote its massive size.
- When discussing skincare, Koreans often talk about 트러블 (trouble) as a polite, indirect way to refer to breakouts or pimples.
- The word 여드름 is thought to have evolved from the combination of 'heat' 열 and 'entering' 들음, suggesting that pimples are caused by heat entering the skin.
Examples in context
- 오늘은 여드름 때문에 신경이 쓰여.I'm worried about my pimple today.
- 여드름 크림Acne cream
- 여드름이 났어요.I got a pimple.
- 얼굴에 여드름이 났어요.eolgure yeodeureumi nasseoyo.I have a pimple on my face.
- 여드름 때문에 스트레스 받아요.yeodeureum ttaemune seuteureseu badayo.I'm stressed because of my pimples.
- 갑자기 여드름이 생겼어요.gapjagi yeodeureumi saenggyeosseoyo.A pimple suddenly appeared.
Example conversation
Jihoon and Jieun are talking about skincare in a cafe.
- 지훈 Ji-hun지은 씨, 얼굴에 여드름이 났네요.Jieun ssi, eolgure yeodeureumi nanneyo.Jieun, you have a pimple on your face.
- 지은 Ji-eun네, 그래서 너무 속상해요.Ne, geuraeseo neomu soksanghaeyo.Yes, so I'm very upset about it.
- 지훈 Ji-hun여드름 연고를 발라 보세요.Yeodeureum yeongoreul balla boseyo.Try applying some pimple ointment.
- 지은 Ji-eun고마워요, 지훈 씨.Gomawoyo, Jihoon ssi.Thank you, Jihoon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pimple” translations and entries 여드름, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 여드름, CC BY-SA 4.0.
