Discussing medical conditions in a foreign language requires specific vocabulary. This guide focuses on how to talk about pyelonephritis, commonly known as a kidney infection, in Korean. You’ll learn the core term, related symptoms, useful phrases for doctor visits, and cultural context surrounding healthcare in Korea, equipping you to communicate effectively in medical situations.
Table Of Content
Core Term
-
Expression: 신우신염
Pronunciation: sin-u-sin-yeom
Meaning: Pyelonephritis (an infection of the kidney, often specifically involving the renal pelvis and kidney tissue)
Symptoms and Related Terms
-
Expression: 증상
Pronunciation: jeung-sang
Meaning: Symptom -
Expression: 열
Pronunciation: yeol
Meaning: Fever -
Expression: 오한
Pronunciation: o-han
Meaning: Chills -
Expression: 옆구리 통증
Pronunciation: yeop-gu-ri tong-jjeung
Meaning: Flank pain / Side pain -
Expression: 허리 통증
Pronunciation: heo-ri tong-jjeung
Meaning: Back pain -
Expression: 메스꺼움
Pronunciation: me-seu-kkeo-um
Meaning: Nausea -
Expression: 구토
Pronunciation: gu-to
Meaning: Vomiting -
Expression: 배뇨 시 통증
Pronunciation: bae-nyo si tong-jjeung
Meaning: Pain during urination (Dysuria) -
Expression: 빈뇨
Pronunciation: bin-nyo
Meaning: Frequent urination -
Expression: 소변 검사
Pronunciation: so-byeon geom-sa
Meaning: Urine test (Urinalysis) -
Expression: 신장
Pronunciation: sin-jang
Meaning: Kidney -
Expression: 감염
Pronunciation: gam-yeom
Meaning: Infection
Phrases for Describing Symptoms
-
Expression: 열이 나요.
Pronunciation: yeo-ri na-yo.
Meaning: I have a fever. -
Expression: 오한이 있어요.
Pronunciation: o-ha-ni i-sseo-yo.
Meaning: I have chills. -
Expression: 옆구리가 아파요.
Pronunciation: yeop-gu-ri-ga a-pa-yo.
Meaning: My side (flank) hurts. -
Expression: 허리가 너무 아파요.
Pronunciation: heo-ri-ga neo-mu a-pa-yo.
Meaning: My back hurts a lot. -
Expression: 속이 메스꺼워요.
Pronunciation: so-gi me-seu-kkeo-wo-yo.
Meaning: I feel nauseous. -
Expression: 토했어요.
Pronunciation: to-hae-sseo-yo.
Meaning: I vomited. -
Expression: 소변 볼 때 아파요.
Pronunciation: so-byeon bol ttae a-pa-yo.
Meaning: It hurts when I urinate. -
Expression: 소변을 너무 자주 봐요.
Pronunciation: so-byeo-neul neo-mu ja-ju bwa-yo.
Meaning: I urinate too frequently. -
Expression: 몸살 기운이 있어요.
Pronunciation: mom-sal gi-u-ni i-sseo-yo.
Meaning: I feel like I have body aches / I feel unwell all over. -
Expression: 기운이 없어요.
Pronunciation: gi-u-ni eop-seo-yo.
Meaning: I have no energy / I feel weak. -
Expression: 소변 색깔이 이상해요.
Pronunciation: so-byeon saek-kka-ri i-sang-hae-yo.
Meaning: My urine color is strange.
Phrases for Doctor’s Visit
-
Expression: 의사 선생님을 뵙고 싶어요.
Pronunciation: ui-sa seon-saeng-ni-meul boep-go si-peo-yo.
Meaning: I’d like to see a doctor. -
Expression: 진료 예약을 하고 싶어요.
Pronunciation: jil-lyo ye-ya-geul ha-go si-peo-yo.
Meaning: I want to make a medical appointment. -
Expression: 어디가 불편하세요?
Pronunciation: eo-di-ga bul-pyeon-ha-se-yo?
Meaning: What is bothering you? / Where do you feel uncomfortable? (Doctor might ask this) -
Expression: 언제부터 아프셨어요?
Pronunciation: eon-je-bu-teo a-peu-syeo-sseo-yo?
Meaning: Since when have you been feeling pain/sick? (Doctor might ask this) -
Expression: 어떤 검사가 필요한가요?
Pronunciation: eo-tteon geom-sa-ga pi-ryo-han-ga-yo?
Meaning: What tests are needed? -
Expression: 소변 검사를 해야 합니다.
Pronunciation: so-byeon geom-sa-reul hae-ya ham-ni-da.
Meaning: You need to have a urine test. (Doctor might say this) -
Expression: 진단 결과가 어떻게 나왔나요?
Pronunciation: jin-dan gyeol-gwa-ga eo-tteo-ke na-wan-na-yo?
Meaning: What are the diagnosis results? -
Expression: 신우신염인 것 같습니다.
Pronunciation: sin-u-sin-yeo-min geot gat-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: It seems to be pyelonephritis. (Doctor might say this) -
Expression: 약을 처방해 주세요.
Pronunciation: ya-geul cheo-bang-hae ju-se-yo.
Meaning: Please prescribe medication. -
Expression: 항생제가 필요합니다.
Pronunciation: hang-saeng-je-ga pi-ryo-ham-ni-da.
Meaning: Antibiotics are needed. (Doctor might say this) -
Expression: 입원해야 하나요?
Pronunciation: i-bwon-hae-ya ha-na-yo?
Meaning: Do I need to be hospitalized? -
Expression: 물을 많이 마셔야 합니다.
Pronunciation: mu-reul ma-ni ma-syeo-ya ham-ni-da.
Meaning: You need to drink a lot of water. (Doctor might say this)
Korean Healthcare Notes
When seeking medical help in Korea, it’s useful to know that you can often visit specialists directly without a referral, though general clinics (의원, ui-won) are available for initial consultations. For conditions like pyelonephritis, visiting a department of internal medicine (내과, nae-gwa) or urology (비뇨기과, bi-nyo-gi-gwa) is common.
Be prepared to describe your symptoms clearly and specifically. Mentioning the location of pain (e.g., 옆구리 vs. 허리), the onset (언제부터, eon-je-bu-teo), and associated symptoms like fever or chills is crucial for accurate diagnosis.
Korean doctors often explain conditions and treatment plans concisely. Don’t hesitate to ask clarifying questions using phrases like “다시 한번 설명해 주시겠어요?” (da-si han-beon seol-myeong-hae ju-si-ge-sseo-yo? – Could you explain that again?).
Prescriptions (처방전, cheo-bang-jeon) are typically taken to a pharmacy (약국, yak-guk), often located near the clinic or hospital. Pharmacists will dispense the medication, usually packaged per dose, and explain how to take it.
Follow-up appointments (재진, jae-jin) are important, especially after treatment for infections like pyelonephritis, to ensure recovery. Make sure you understand when you need to return.
Real Conversation Example
Situation: A patient (A) visits a doctor (B) complaining of severe flank pain and fever.
-
Expression: B: 안녕하세요. 어디가 불편해서 오셨어요?
Pronunciation: an-nyeong-ha-se-yo. eo-di-ga bul-pyeon-hae-seo o-syeo-sseo-yo?
Meaning: Hello. What brings you here today? / Where are you feeling uncomfortable? -
Expression: A: 어제부터 갑자기 열이 나고 오른쪽 옆구리가 너무 아파요. 오한도 있고요.
Pronunciation: eo-je-bu-teo gap-ja-gi yeo-ri na-go o-reun-jjok yeop-gu-ri-ga neo-mu a-pa-yo. o-han-do it-go-yo.
Meaning: Since yesterday, I suddenly developed a fever and my right side hurts a lot. I have chills too. -
Expression: B: 메스껍거나 토하지는 않으셨어요? 소변 볼 때 불편한 점은 없으셨고요?
Pronunciation: me-seu-kkeop-geo-na to-ha-ji-neun a-neu-syeo-sseo-yo? so-byeon bol ttae bul-pyeon-han jeo-meun eop-seu-syeot-go-yo?
Meaning: Have you felt nauseous or vomited? Any discomfort when urinating? -
Expression: A: 조금 메스꺼운데 토하지는 않았어요. 소변 볼 때 약간 아픈 것 같아요.
Pronunciation: jo-geum me-seu-kkeo-un-de to-ha-ji-neun a-na-sseo-yo. so-byeon bol ttae yak-kkan a-peun geot ga-ta-yo.
Meaning: I feel a little nauseous but haven’t vomited. I think it hurts a little when I urinate. -
Expression: B: 열도 높고 옆구리 통증이 있으니 신우신염이 의심됩니다. 소변 검사랑 혈액 검사를 해보겠습니다.
Pronunciation: yeol-do nop-go yeop-gu-ri tong-jjeung-i i-sseu-ni sin-u-sin-yeo-mi ui-sim-doem-ni-da. so-byeon geom-sa-rang hyeo-raek geom-sa-reul hae-bo-ge-sseum-ni-da.
Meaning: With the high fever and flank pain, pyelonephritis is suspected. Let’s do a urine test and a blood test. -
Expression: A: 네, 알겠습니다. 결과는 언제쯤 알 수 있나요?
Pronunciation: ne, al-ge-sseum-ni-da. gyeol-gwa-neun eon-je-jjeum al su in-na-yo?
Meaning: Yes, I understand. When can I know the results? -
Expression: B: 소변 검사는 금방 나오고 혈액 검사는 시간이 좀 걸립니다. 우선 검사 결과 보고 항생제 치료를 시작해야 할 것 같습니다.
Pronunciation: so-byeon geom-sa-neun geum-bang na-o-go hyeo-raek geom-sa-neun si-ga-ni jom geol-lim-ni-da. u-seon geom-sa gyeol-gwa bo-go hang-saeng-je chi-ryo-reul si-ja-kae-ya hal geot gat-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: The urine test results come out quickly, but the blood test takes some time. First, based on the test results, it seems we’ll need to start antibiotic treatment.
Practice Tips
Dealing with health issues in a foreign language can be stressful, but knowing the right terms makes a big difference! Try practicing the symptom descriptions out loud~ Imagine explaining your condition to a doctor. Role-playing with a friend can be really helpful too!
Focus on mastering the core term 신우신염 (sin-u-sin-yeom) and key symptom phrases like 열이 나요 (yeo-ri na-yo) and 옆구리가 아파요 (yeop-gu-ri-ga a-pa-yo). Remember, clear communication is essential for getting the right medical care. Stay healthy and keep practicing! Fighting!
