This page in your language

فارسی

العربية

Deutsch

Español

Français

日本語

한국어

Português

中文

हिन्दी

Home
Learn
Korean
Vocabulary
완치하다

A2 verb #7,000 most common 7 min read

완치하다

Top 7,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 완치하다 in 30 Seconds

Explanation 완치하다 in your Level:

At the A1 level, you don't need to use '완치하다' often, but it is good to recognize it. It means 'to get 100% better.' Usually, beginners use the word '낫다' (to get better). For example, if you have a cold, you say '감기가 나았어요.' But if you see a story about a very sick person who is now healthy, you might see the word '완치.' Think of '완' as 'finish' and '치' as 'doctor work.' So, the doctor's work is finished because you are healthy! It is a very happy word. You might see it on signs in a hospital. Just remember: '완치' is for big sicknesses, and '낫다' is for small sicknesses. If you want to say 'I am cured,' you say '완치되었어요.' It's like a level-up from just feeling 'okay.'

At the A2 level, you can start using '완치하다' to talk about serious health situations. It is a formal verb that means 'to cure completely.' You will notice it has the '하다' ending, which means it is an action. Usually, a doctor '완치하다' (cures) a patient. If you are the patient, you are '완치되다' (cured). You should use this word when talking about finishing a long treatment at a hospital. For example, '3개월 동안 치료를 받고 완치했어요' (I received treatment for 3 months and was completely cured). This word is more formal than '낫다.' Using it shows you know more specific medical Korean. It's helpful when reading basic news articles or watching dramas where a character gets healthy after being very sick.

At the B1 level, you should understand the distinction between '완치하다' and other similar verbs like '치료하다' (to treat) and '회복하다' (to recover). '완치하다' is specifically about the end result of a medical process where the disease is totally gone. You can use it in more complex sentences with connectors like '-기 위해서' (in order to) or '-은 후에' (after). For instance, '병을 완치하기 위해서 꾸준히 약을 먹어야 합니다' (In order to completely cure the illness, you must take medicine consistently). You will also encounter this word in health-related discussions or when talking about public health successes, such as a country 'curing' or 'eradicating' a specific disease. It carries a sense of finality and clinical success.

At the B2 level, you can use '완치하다' in a variety of contexts, including metaphorical ones. While it is primarily medical, you might use it to discuss solving deep-rooted problems. You should also be comfortable with the noun form '완치' and how it combines with other words, like '완치 판정' (a diagnosis of being fully cured) or '완치율' (cure rate). At this level, you should be able to explain the nuance: why a doctor might hesitate to use '완치' for certain chronic conditions and instead use '관리하다' (to manage). You can participate in debates about medical ethics or the effectiveness of new treatments using this vocabulary. Your sentences should show a clear grasp of the active/passive distinction and the formal register of the word.

At the C1 level, you should be able to use '완치하다' with precision in professional or academic settings. This includes understanding its Hanja roots (完治) and how it contrasts with '완쾌' (total recovery from an injury/illness with a focus on 'cheerfulness') or '치유' (holistic healing). You can use it to discuss complex medical cases, clinical trial results, or the socioeconomic impact of 'curing' widespread diseases. You should be able to write formal reports or essays where '완치' is used to define the success criteria of a medical intervention. Furthermore, you can appreciate its use in literature to symbolize a character's return to wholeness or the resolution of a long-standing conflict that was described in 'sickly' terms.

At the C2 level, you possess a native-like grasp of '완치하다.' You understand the subtle legal and medical implications of declaring a patient '완치' versus 'remission' (관해). You can use the word in high-level medical discourse, discussing the statistical probability of '완치' in terminal cases. You also understand its rarer, highly metaphorical uses in sociopolitical commentary—for instance, describing the 'curing' of corruption or systemic inequality in a way that implies these issues are 'diseases' of the state. Your usage is indistinguishable from a highly educated native speaker, utilizing the word's formal weight to add gravity and precision to your speech and writing in any context, from a medical symposium to a philosophical essay on the nature of health.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

완치하다 in 30 Seconds

완치하다 means 'to cure completely.' It is a formal verb used for significant medical recoveries where a disease is totally eradicated from the body.
The word is built from Hanja: 'Wan' (complete) and 'Chi' (heal). It signifies the final, successful result of a medical treatment process.
While '낫다' is used for minor colds, '완치하다' is reserved for serious conditions like cancer, pneumonia, or long-term chronic illnesses.
In daily life, the passive form '완치되다' (to be cured) is more common when patients describe their own successful recovery journey.

The Korean verb 완치하다 (wanchi-hada) is a powerful and hopeful word used primarily in medical and health contexts. It is composed of two Hanja (Chinese characters): 완 (完), meaning 'complete' or 'finished,' and 치 (治), meaning 'to heal' or 'to govern.' Together, they literally translate to 'to heal completely' or 'to reach a state of full recovery.' Unlike the more common verb 낫다 (natda), which can mean simply 'to get better' or 'to recover from a minor cold,' 완치하다 implies a total eradication of a disease or a permanent end to a medical condition. It is the word patients long to hear from their doctors after battling serious illnesses like cancer, pneumonia, or chronic infections.

Medical Context: This word is most frequently used in hospitals and clinical settings to describe the successful conclusion of a treatment plan. It signifies that the patient no longer requires medication or surgery for that specific ailment.
Formal Tone: Because of its Hanja roots, it carries a more formal and professional weight than purely Korean words. You will see it in news reports, medical journals, and official health announcements.

의사 선생님이 제 병을 완치하셨습니다. (The doctor completely cured my illness.)

In a broader social sense, 완치하다 can occasionally be used metaphorically to describe the complete 'healing' of a societal ill or a deep-seated structural problem, though this is less common than its medical usage. When a community recovers from a collective trauma or an economic crisis is 'cured' through policy, a writer might use this term to emphasize the total and final nature of the resolution. However, for daily conversation, stick to health-related topics. If you tell a friend you '완치'ed your hunger after eating a sandwich, they will find it quite strange and overly dramatic, as the word is reserved for significant health milestones. It represents the triumph of medicine and the human body over pathology.

Using 완치하다 correctly requires understanding its grammatical role as a transitive verb. This means it needs an object—the disease or the person being cured. In most cases, the subject is the doctor, the medicine, or the treatment method. For example, '신약이 폐렴을 완치했다' (The new drug cured the pneumonia). However, in everyday speech, Koreans frequently switch to the passive 완치되다 because the focus is usually on the patient's state rather than the agent of the cure.

Active Usage (Subject: Doctor/Medicine): 현대 의학은 많은 불치병을 완치하고 있습니다. (Modern medicine is curing many incurable diseases.)
With Adverbs: It is often paired with '기적적으로' (miraculously) or '완전히' (completely) to emphasize the success of the recovery.

그는 암을 완치하기 위해 수술을 받기로 결심했습니다. (He decided to undergo surgery to completely cure his cancer.)

When constructing sentences, pay attention to the particles. The disease being cured takes the object particle -을/를. If you are talking about a person being cured, they also take the object particle. For instance, '의사가 환자를 완치했다' (The doctor cured the patient). In more poetic or emotional contexts, you might see it used with '마음의 상처' (wounds of the heart), though '치유하다' (to heal) is more common for emotional pain. 완치하다 implies a clinical, definitive end to a physical condition. If you use it in a sentence, you are making a strong claim that the problem is 100% gone and will not return.

You will most likely encounter 완치하다 in high-stakes environments. One of the most common places is the evening news. When a new virus breaks out and the first patients are released from the hospital, the news anchor will triumphantly announce, '첫 번째 환자가 완치되었습니다' (The first patient has been completely cured). It is a word of victory and relief. In K-Dramas, particularly medical dramas like 'Hospital Playlist' or 'Dr. Romantic,' doctors use this word when giving good news to the family of a patient who has survived a difficult surgery.

드디어 병이 완치되었다는 소식을 들었습니다! (I finally heard the news that the disease has been completely cured!)

Another common place is in health advertisements or pharmacy posters. Supplements and medicines often claim to help you '완치' a condition, although Korean law is quite strict about using this word in advertising because it implies a 100% guarantee. You might also hear it in personal testimonials. If someone is sharing their life story about overcoming a long-term illness, they will use 완치하다 to mark the end of that chapter of their life. It is not a word used for a common cold (you'd just say '다 나았어요'), but rather for something that required a 'process' of healing. In military or sports contexts, it's used when an athlete or soldier returns to full duty after a major injury, signifying they are no longer limited by their previous physical state.

News Headlines: '신기술로 암 완치 가능성 열려' (New technology opens possibility of curing cancer completely.)
Sports News: '부상에서 완치한 선수가 선발로 복귀합니다.' (The player who cured his injury completely returns to the starting lineup.)

The most frequent mistake learners make with 완치하다 is using it for minor or trivial health issues. While technically you *could* say you 'cured' a paper cut, it sounds very unnatural in Korean. For minor things, use 낫다 (to get better) or 회복하다 (to recover). Using 완치하다 for a small headache is like saying 'I have achieved a total clinical remission of my cephalalgia' when you just mean your head stopped hurting.

❌ 감기가 완치했어요. (Grammatically wrong: 'The cold cured.')
✅ 감기가 다 나았어요. (Correct: The cold is all better.)

Another common error is confusing 완치하다 (active) with 완치되다 (passive). If you say '저는 완치했어요,' you are saying 'I cured [something],' but you haven't mentioned what you cured. If you mean 'I am cured,' you must say '저는 완치되었어요.' This is a common pitfall for English speakers because 'cure' can sometimes function flexibly in English, but in Korean, the distinction between the agent doing the curing and the person receiving the cure is very strict. Finally, avoid using 완치하다 to mean 'fixing' an object like a car or a computer. For machines, use 고치다 or 수리하다. 완치하다 is strictly for biological or, occasionally, social 'bodies.'

Korean has several words for healing and recovery, each with its own nuance. Understanding these will help you choose the right word for the right situation. While 완치하다 is the 'gold standard' for total medical success, other words might be more appropriate depending on the context.

치료하다 (Chiryo-hada): This means 'to treat' or 'to provide medical care.' It focuses on the process, not necessarily the result. You can '치료' a patient for years without ever reaching '완치'.
치유하다 (Chiyu-hada): This word has a more holistic or emotional connotation. It is often used for healing the mind, soul, or deep emotional wounds. It's common in 'healing' culture (힐링 문화) in Korea.
회복하다 (Hoebok-hada): This means 'to recover' or 'to return to a former state.' It is used for health, but also for the economy, strength, or reputation.

비교: '치료'는 과정이고, '완치'는 결과입니다. (Comparison: 'Treatment' is the process, and 'Complete Cure' is the result.)

If you are talking to a friend about a cold, use 다 낫다. If you are talking about a broken bone that is now fine, you could use 완쾌하다 (wankwae-hada), which is a near-synonym to 완치하다 but often implies a more cheerful or pleasant recovery. 완치하다 remains the most formal and clinically definitive term of the bunch. Choosing between these words shows your level of fluency and your understanding of Korean social and medical etiquette.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The character '治' (chi) is the same one used in 'Jeong-chi' (Politics), implying that healing a body and governing a country were seen as similar acts of 'bringing order' in ancient philosophy.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /wʌn.tɕʰi.ɦa.da/

US /wɑn.tʃi.hɑ.dɑ/

The stress is balanced, but a slight emphasis is often placed on the 'wan' to highlight the 'completion' aspect of the word.

Rhymes With

잔치하다 (to feast) 방치하다 (to neglect) 조치하다 (to take measures) 자치하다 (to self-govern) 납치하다 (to kidnap) 설치하다 (to install) 합치하다 (to coincide) 일치하다 (to match)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'chi' (치) as 'si' (시).
Making the 'h' in 'ha' silent (it should be lightly audible).
Over-emphasizing the 'da' at the end.
Merging 'wan' and 'chi' into one syllable.
Pronouncing 'wan' like 'van'.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

The Hanja roots make it recognizable but require some study for beginners.

Writing 4/5

Distinguishing between active '하다' and passive '되다' can be tricky.

Speaking 3/5

Pronunciation is straightforward, but finding the right context is key.

Listening 3/5

Common in news and dramas, making it a good word for listening practice.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

병 (Illness) 낫다 (To get better) 의사 (Doctor) 치료 (Treatment) 건강 (Health)

Learn Next

완쾌 (Complete recovery) 회복 (Recovery) 재발 (Relapse) 부작용 (Side effect) 면역 (Immunity)

Advanced

관해 (Remission) 후유증 (Aftereffect) 임상 (Clinical) 항체 (Antibody) 난치병 (Hard-to-cure disease)

Grammar to Know

Passive form -되다

병이 완치되다 (The disease is cured).

Purpose -기 위해(서)

완치하기 위해 노력하다 (To effort to cure).

Causative -시키다

환자를 완치시키다 (To make the patient cured).

Noun + 판정 (Judgment)

완치 판정 (Diagnosis of cure).

Verb stem + ㄴ/은 후 (After)

완치한 후 (After curing).

Examples by Level

병이 완치되었어요.

The illness is completely cured.

Passive form: 완치 + 되다 (to become).

할아버지가 완치해서 기뻐요.

I'm happy because my grandfather is cured.

Using -아서/어서 for reason.

빨리 완치하세요!

Please get well soon (completely)!

Imperative -세요 for polite requests.

의사가 병을 완치해요.

The doctor cures the disease.

Active voice with object particle -를.

완치하고 싶어요.

I want to be completely cured.

Using -고 싶다 for desire.

어제 완치 판정을 받았어요.

I received the 'fully cured' diagnosis yesterday.

Noun '완치' used with '판정' (judgment).

완치할 수 있어요.

It can be cured completely.

Using -ㄹ 수 있다 for possibility.

이 약은 완치에 좋아요.

This medicine is good for a complete cure.

Noun '완치' followed by particle -에.

수술 후에 병이 완치되었습니다.

After the surgery, the illness was completely cured.

Formal ending -습니다.

그는 암을 완치하기 위해 노력했습니다.

He worked hard to completely cure his cancer.

Using -기 위해 for purpose.

완치된 환자들이 퇴원했어요.

The cured patients were discharged from the hospital.

Adjective form: 완치된 (cured).

의사 선생님이 저를 완치해 주셨어요.

The doctor cured me (as a favor).

Using -아/어 주다 for an action done for someone.

이 병은 완치하기가 어렵지 않아요.

This disease is not difficult to cure completely.

Using -기(가) 쉽다/어렵다.

완치했다는 소식을 듣고 울었어요.

I cried after hearing the news that I was cured.

Quoting form -했다는 소식.

어떻게 하면 완치할 수 있을까요?

How can I be completely cured?

Conditional -면 and question -ㄹ까요.

완치 후에 다시 운동을 시작했어요.

I started exercising again after being cured.

Noun '완치' + '후' (after).

꾸준한 치료 덕분에 병을 완치할 수 있었습니다.

Thanks to consistent treatment, I was able to cure the disease.

Using '덕분에' (thanks to).

완치 판정을 받기까지 1년이 걸렸어요.

It took one year to receive the 'fully cured' diagnosis.

Using -기까지 (until doing).

그 약은 폐렴을 완치하는 데 효과적입니다.

That medicine is effective in curing pneumonia.

Using -는 데 (in the matter of).

완치되지 않은 상태에서 퇴원하면 안 됩니다.

You should not leave the hospital if you are not fully cured.

Negative -지 않은 and conditional -면 안 되다.

많은 사람들이 그 병이 완치되기를 기도했습니다.

Many people prayed for that disease to be cured.

Using -기를 기도하다 (pray for).

완치할 확률이 얼마나 됩니까?

What is the probability of a complete cure?

Noun phrase '완치할 확률' (probability to cure).

그는 자신의 병을 완치했다고 믿고 있습니다.

He believes that he has cured his own illness.

Indirect quote -고 믿다.

정부는 전염병을 완치하기 위한 대책을 세웠습니다.

The government established measures to completely cure/eradicate the epidemic.

Using -기 위한 for intended purpose.

현대 의학의 발전으로 암 완치율이 높아졌습니다.

With the development of modern medicine, the cancer cure rate has increased.

Noun '완치율' (cure rate).

의사는 환자가 완치될 때까지 최선을 다했습니다.

The doctor did their best until the patient was fully cured.

Using -을 때까지 (until the time when).

이 질병은 완치하기보다는 관리하는 것이 중요합니다.

It is more important to manage this disease than to try to cure it completely.

Using -기보다는 (rather than).

완치했다는 확신이 들 때까지 기다려야 합니다.

You must wait until you feel certain that you are cured.

Noun clause '완치했다는 확신'.

그는 병을 완치한 후 의료 봉사를 시작했습니다.

After curing his illness, he started medical volunteer work.

Using -ㄴ 후 (after).

완치 가능성이 희박하다는 말을 듣고도 포기하지 않았어요.

Even after hearing that the possibility of a complete cure was slim, they didn't give up.

Using -고도 (even after).

그의 목표는 아프리카의 말라리아를 완치하는 것입니다.

His goal is to completely cure/eradicate malaria in Africa.

Using -는 것 (nominalizing the verb).

완치 판정은 단순히 증상이 없는 것과는 다릅니다.

A diagnosis of being fully cured is different from simply having no symptoms.

Comparison -와/과 다르다.

임상 시험 결과, 신약이 환자들의 90%를 완치했습니다.

As a result of clinical trials, the new drug cured 90% of the patients.

Professional terminology: '임상 시험' (clinical trial).

완치라는 용어는 의학적으로 매우 신중하게 사용되어야 합니다.

The term 'complete cure' must be used very carefully from a medical perspective.

Passive obligation -어야 합니다.

그는 병을 완치함으로써 삶에 대한 새로운 희망을 얻었습니다.

By completely curing his illness, he gained new hope for life.

Using -음으로써 (by doing/means of).

완치 여부를 확인하기 위해 정밀 검사가 필요합니다.

A precise examination is necessary to confirm whether a complete cure has been achieved.

Noun '완치 여부' (whether or not cured).

사회적 갈등을 완치하기 위해서는 근본적인 원인을 해결해야 합니다.

In order to 'cure' social conflict, the fundamental cause must be solved.

Metaphorical usage.

그는 완치된 이후에도 꾸준히 건강 관리에 힘쓰고 있습니다.

Even after being cured, he is consistently putting effort into managing his health.

Using -ㄴ 이후에도 (even after).

완치에 이르는 과정은 환자의 의지에 달려 있습니다.

The process of reaching a complete cure depends on the patient's will.

Using -에 달려 있다 (depends on).

불치병으로 여겨졌던 질환들이 이제는 완치 가능한 영역에 들어왔습니다.

Diseases that were once considered incurable have now entered the realm of the curable.

Passive '여겨졌던' (was considered).

완치 판정 이후의 삶의 질에 대한 연구가 활발히 진행되고 있습니다.

Research on the quality of life after a diagnosis of being fully cured is actively being conducted.

Formal noun phrase '삶의 질' (quality of life).

의학계에서는 '완치' 대신 '완전 관해'라는 표현을 선호하기도 합니다.

In the medical community, the expression 'complete remission' is sometimes preferred over 'complete cure.'

Contrastive particle -는 and -기도 하다.

그 약물은 특정 유전적 결함을 교정하여 질병을 완치하는 기전을 가집니다.

The drug has a mechanism of curing the disease by correcting specific genetic defects.

Scientific term '기전' (mechanism).

완치에 대한 지나친 낙관은 오히려 치료를 방해할 수 있습니다.

Excessive optimism about a complete cure can actually hinder treatment.

Noun '낙관' (optimism) and verb '방해하다' (hinder).

바이러스의 변이는 완치를 목전에 둔 인류에게 새로운 과제를 던져주었습니다.

The mutation of the virus has thrown a new challenge to humanity, which was on the verge of a complete cure.

Idiom '목전에 두다' (to be on the verge of).

그는 자신의 투병기를 통해 완치에 이르는 고통스러운 과정을 가감 없이 서술했습니다.

Through his record of fighting the disease, he described the painful process of reaching a complete cure without any exaggeration.

Idiom '가감 없이' (without adding or subtracting).

완치라는 목적지에 도달하기 위해 환자와 의료진은 긴밀히 협력해야 합니다.

To reach the destination called 'complete cure,' the patient and medical staff must cooperate closely.

Metaphorical '목적지' (destination).

유전자 가위 기술은 선천적 질환을 완치할 수 있는 획기적인 도구로 주목받고 있습니다.

Gene-editing technology is gaining attention as a groundbreaking tool that can cure congenital diseases.

Passive '주목받고 있다' (is receiving attention).

Common Collocations

병을 완치하다

암을 완치하다

완치 판정을 받다

완치율이 높다

기적적으로 완치하다

완치에 성공하다

완치될 가능성

완치 후 관리

완치 소식

완치에 힘쓰다

Common Phrases

완치되기를 바랍니다

— I hope you get fully cured soon. Used in letters or formal well-wishing.

쾌유와 함께 완치되기를 바랍니다.

완치 판정

— A medical declaration of being cured. This is a specific milestone.

드디어 완치 판정을 받았어요!

완치 환자

— A patient who has been cured. Often used in statistics or news.

오늘 완치 환자 10명이 퇴원했습니다.

완치 불가능

— Incurable. Used for terminal or permanent conditions.

완치 불가능한 병은 없습니다.

완치 기념

— In celebration of being cured. Often used for parties or gifts.

완치 기념 파티를 열었어요.

완치 단계

— The stage of reaching a full cure. Used during long treatments.

이제 거의 완치 단계에 접어들었습니다.

완치 증명서

— A certificate of health/cure. Sometimes needed for work or school.

학교에 완치 증명서를 제출해야 해요.

완치 사례

— A case of a successful cure. Used in medical research.

이것은 매우 드문 완치 사례입니다.

완치 경험

— The experience of being cured. Used in testimonials.

나의 암 완치 경험을 공유하고 싶다.

완치 노력

— Effort toward a cure. Refers to both medical and personal work.

완치 노력이 헛되지 않았습니다.

Often Confused With

완치하다 vs 낫다

낫다 is general and casual; 완치하다 is specific and formal.

완치하다 vs 치료하다

치료하다 is the process (treatment); 완치하다 is the result (total cure).

완치하다 vs 완쾌하다

완쾌하다 is similar but often implies a more cheerful recovery from an injury.

Idioms & Expressions

"병을 뿌리 뽑다"

— To pull out a disease by the roots. This is the idiomatic way to say 'cure completely.'

이번 기회에 병을 뿌리 뽑아야 해요.

Metaphorical

"씻은 듯이 낫다"

— To be cured as if washed away. Describes a very clean and total recovery.

약을 먹었더니 감기가 씻은 듯이 나았어요.

Informal

"죽다 살아나다"

— To die and come back to life. Used when someone is cured from a life-threatening illness.

수술 후에 정말 죽다 살아났습니다.

Informal/Emotional

"뼈를 깎는 노력으로"

— With bone-carving effort. Often used to describe the hard work to reach a cure.

뼈를 깎는 노력으로 병을 완치했습니다.

Formal/Dramatic

"기적을 일으키다"

— To perform a miracle. Used when a doctor cures a 'hopeless' case.

의사 선생님이 기적을 일으켜 저를 완치하셨어요.

Emotional

"새 삶을 얻다"

— To get a new life. Used by patients after being cured of a major disease.

완치 판정을 받고 새 삶을 얻은 기분입니다.

Poetic

"골칫덩이를 해결하다"

— To solve a headache/nuisance. Sometimes used for curing a nagging minor ailment.

드디어 이 비염이라는 골칫덩이를 완치했어요.

Casual

"마음의 병을 고치다"

— To cure a sickness of the heart. Refers to emotional healing.

그녀는 여행을 통해 마음의 병을 완치했다.

Literary

"천운으로 낫다"

— To be cured by heavenly luck. Used for unexpected recoveries.

천운으로 병이 완치되었습니다.

Traditional

"병마와 싸워 이기다"

— To fight and win against the 'disease demon.' Standard way to describe overcoming illness.

그는 병마와 싸워 이겨 완치에 성공했다.

Formal

Easily Confused

완치하다 vs 완쾌하다

Both mean 'full recovery.'

완치 is more clinical/medical (focus on the disease being gone). 완쾌 is more social/emotional (focus on the person feeling great again).

병이 완치되었다 (The disease is clinically gone). 수술 후 완쾌했다 (Recovered wonderfully after surgery).

완치하다 vs 치유하다

Both mean 'heal.'

완치 is for physical diseases. 치유 is for emotional, mental, or spiritual wounds.

암을 완치하다. 마음을 치유하다.

완치하다 vs 회복하다

Both involve getting better.

회복 is returning to a normal state (can be 80% or 90%). 완치 is strictly 100% cure.

기력을 회복하다 (Regain strength). 병을 완치하다 (Cure the disease).

완치하다 vs 수리하다

Both mean 'to fix.'

수리 is for machines/objects. 완치 is for living bodies.

차를 수리하다. 병을 완치하다.

완치하다 vs 개선하다

Both involve making something better.

개선 is 'to improve' a situation or habit. 완치 is to end a medical condition.

제도를 개선하다 (Improve a system). 병을 완치하다.

Sentence Patterns

N(병)이/가 완치되다

감기가 완치되었어요.

N을/를 완치하기 위해 V

폐렴을 완치하기 위해 약을 먹어요.

완치되었다는 소식/소문

그가 완치되었다는 소식을 들었다.

완치 여부에 따라 V

완치 여부에 따라 퇴원일이 정해집니다.

완치를 목전에 두다

우리는 암 완치를 목전에 두고 있다.

완치 판정을 받다

드디어 완치 판정을 받았습니다.

완치한 후에 V

완치한 후에 여행을 갈 거예요.

완치될 확률이 높다/낮다

이 병은 완치될 확률이 낮아요.

Word Family

Nouns

완치 (Complete cure)

완치자 (Cured person)

완치율 (Cure rate)

Verbs

완치되다 (To be cured)

완치시키다 (To make someone cured)

Adjectives

완치된 (Cured/In a state of being cured)

치료 (Treatment)

완쾌 (Recovery)

건강 (Health)

병원 (Hospital)

의학 (Medicine)

How to Use It

frequency

High in medical contexts; Medium in general conversation.

Common Mistakes

감기가 완치했어요. → 감기가 다 나았어요.
Using '완치' for a cold is too formal and dramatic. '다 낫다' is better for minor illnesses.
저는 완치했어요. → 저는 완치되었어요.
If you are the patient, you should use the passive '완치되다' (to be cured).
고장 난 컴퓨터를 완치했어요. → 고장 난 컴퓨터를 수리했어요.
'완치' is only for living beings or society, not for broken machines.
병을 완치하는 중이에요. → 병을 치료하는 중이에요.
'완치' is a result. You can't be 'in the middle' of a complete cure; you are in the middle of 'treatment' (치료).
완치하고 싶어서 약을 먹어요. → 완치되기 위해서 약을 먹어요.
When expressing desire as a patient, the passive '되다' is more natural.

Tips

Hospital Talk

When at a Korean hospital, wait for the doctor to use '완치' before you claim it yourself. It's a definitive medical term.

Active vs Passive

If you are the doctor, you '완치하다'. If you are the patient, you '완치되다'.

Root Study

Remember '완' (完) means finish. It's in '완성' (completion) and '완료' (done). This helps you remember it's a 'finished' cure.

Congratulating

If someone tells you they are '완치', a great response is '정말 고생 많으셨어요. 축하드려요!' (You've been through a lot. Congratulations!)

Headline Reading

Look for '완치' in health headlines. It's almost always followed by positive news about medical breakthroughs.

Politeness

Always use '완치되셨어요' (honorific) when talking about an elder who was cured.

Essay Writing

Use '완치' when writing about public health goals, like '전염병 완치를 위한 국가적 노력'.

Clear Vowels

Ensure the 'a' in 'wan' is clear and short. Don't drag it out.

Memory Hack

Wan (One) + Chi (Cure) = One final cure. The one and only cure you need.

Total vs Partial

Never use '완치' if there is still treatment needed. It implies 100% completion.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'WAN' as 'ONE hundred percent' and 'CHI' as 'CHEER.' You are 100% better, so you CHEER because you are 'WANCHI'-ed!

Visual Association

Imagine a hospital progress bar that finally hits 100% and turns bright green with the word '완치' appearing in bold gold letters.

Word Web

완료 (Completion) 완벽 (Perfection) 치료 (Treatment) 치안 (Public safety) 완공 (Completion of construction) 정치 (Politics) 완성 (Completion/Success) 치유 (Healing)

Challenge

Try to use '완치되다' in a sentence about a historical disease that was eradicated, like smallpox. This helps you practice the passive form in a formal context.

Word Origin

Derived from Sino-Korean Hanja characters: 完 (완) and 治 (치).

Original meaning: 完 (Complete/Whole) + 治 (Govern/Heal). Literally: 'To heal to completion.'

Sino-Korean (Hanja-based vocabulary).

Cultural Context

Be careful using this word with patients who have terminal illnesses; it can sound insensitive if a cure is not medically possible. In such cases, '호전되다' (to improve) is safer.

In English, we often say 'I'm all better,' but '완치' is closer to the medical term 'full recovery' or 'clinical cure.'

Medical dramas like 'Hospital Playlist' (슬기로운 의사생활) frequently feature '완치' scenes. News reports on the '완치율' of COVID-19 were daily occurrences in Korea. Biographies of famous Korean figures often mention their '완치' from tuberculosis in the early 20th century.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Hospital Visit

완치될 수 있을까요?
완치 판정은 언제 받나요?
수술 후 완치되었습니다.
완치를 위해 입원했습니다.

News Report

완치자 수가 늘고 있습니다.
신약의 완치율이 발표되었습니다.
전염병이 완치 단계입니다.
첫 번째 완치 사례입니다.

Talking to Friends

나 드디어 완치했어!
완치 축하해!
부모님이 완치되셔서 기뻐.
완치 기념으로 밥 먹자.

Medical Journal

완치 기전을 분석하다.
완치 여부를 확인하는 검사.
완치율 향상을 위한 연구.
완치된 환자들의 통계.

Self-Improvement

마음의 상처를 완치하다.
나쁜 습관을 완치하고 싶다.
과거의 아픔을 완치했다.
완치된 마음으로 시작하다.

Conversation Starters

"어제 드디어 병이 완치되었다는 소식을 들었어요. 정말 기쁘지 않나요?"

"한국에서는 암 완치율이 세계적으로 높은 편이라고 들었는데, 알고 계셨나요?"

"혹시 주변에 큰 병을 완치하고 건강해진 분이 계신가요?"

"의사 선생님이 완치 판정을 내려주셨을 때 어떤 기분이셨어요?"

"어떤 병이 완치하기 가장 힘들다고 생각하시나요?"

Journal Prompts

만약 내가 가진 모든 작은 질병(비염, 두통 등)을 한꺼번에 완치할 수 있다면 내 삶이 어떻게 변할지 써보세요.

내가 아는 누군가가 병을 완치했을 때 느꼈던 감동에 대해 서술해 보세요.

사회의 어떤 '병'(부패, 차별 등)을 완치하고 싶은지, 그리고 그 방법은 무엇일지 적어보세요.

'완치'라는 단어가 나에게 주는 희망의 의미에 대해 깊이 생각해 보세요.

병을 완치한 후에 가장 먼저 하고 싶은 일 5가지를 리스트로 작성해 보세요.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

It sounds a bit too formal. For a cold, '다 나았어요' is much more natural.

완치하다 is active (to cure someone/something), while 완치되다 is passive (to be cured). Patients usually use 완치되다.

No, it can be used for any serious illness like pneumonia, hepatitis, or even long-term skin conditions, as long as they are fully gone.

Usually, '다 붙었다' (the bone joined) or '완쾌했다' is used for injuries. '완치' is more for internal diseases.

Yes, it is a standard medical term used across the entire Korean peninsula.

Yes, it is a common metaphorical use for deep emotional trauma or depression.

완치 is a noun. Adding '하다' or '되다' turns it into a verb.

It means 'cure rate'—the percentage of people who are successfully cured of a disease.

You can say '꼭 완치되시길 바랍니다.'

Not really, but young people might say '완전 다 나음' (Totally all better).