힘줄
himjul[çimt͡ɕ͈uɭ]
The English word 'tendon' is translated into Korean as 힘줄 (himjul). Wiktionary also lists 심줄 (simjul).
Meaning: band of fibrous tissue (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 심줄 | simjul | [ɕʰimt͡ɕ͈uɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 힘줄 | himjul | [çimt͡ɕ͈uɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term refers to a band of fibrous tissue.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 힘줄 is a compound of 힘, meaning strength or power and 줄, meaning string or cord.
How do you pronounce it?
himjul
What mistakes should you avoid?
While 심줄 is a common phonetic misspelling or dialectal variation, 힘줄 is the standard orthography.
Did you know?
- The word 힘줄 is also used as a metaphor for the most essential or vital part of an organization or system.
- The middle sound '-ㅅ-' in 힘줄 is an archaic grammatical marker that has been preserved within the word.
- While 힘줄 means 'tendon', the root word 힘 is so versatile that it also refers to physical energy, electrical power and political influence.
Examples in context
- 오늘 헬스에서 힘줄을 다 끊었어.I tore my tendon at the gym today.
- 힘줄이 끊어지면 수술이 필요해요.himjul-i kkeun-eo-jimyeon susul-i piryo-haeyo.If the tendon is torn, surgery is necessary.
- 발목 힘줄이 너무 아파요.balmok himjul-i neomu apayo.The tendon in my ankle hurts a lot.
- 운동하다가 힘줄을 다쳤어요.undong-hadaga himjul-eul dachyeosseoyo.I injured a tendon while exercising.
Example conversation
Subin is asking Hyunwoo about his recent injury at the gym.
- 수빈 Su-bin현우 씨, 어디 다쳤어요?Hyunwoo ssi, eodi dachyeosseoyo?Hyunwoo, are you injured somewhere?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo손목 힘줄을 조금 다쳤어요.sonmok himjul-eul jogeum dachyeosseoyo.I injured my wrist tendon a little.
- 수빈 Su-bin정말 큰 부상이 아니길 바라요.jeongmal keun busang-i anigil barayo.I hope it is not a serious injury.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo네, 금방 나을 거예요.ne, geumbang naeul geoyeyo.Yes, I will recover quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tendon” translations and entries 심줄, 힘줄, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 심줄, 힘줄, CC BY-SA 4.0.
