복용하다

The Korean verb 복용하다 (服用--) is a specialized term that translates specifically to "to take medicine" or "to ingest medication." While the basic verb 먹다 (to eat) is frequently used in casual, everyday conversation to describe taking a pill (e.g., 약 먹었어? - Did you take your medicine?), 복용하다 is the standard, formal, and clinical term used in professional medical contexts, on prescription labels, and in instructional settings. It originates from Hanja, where 복 (服) means 'to obey' or 'to take' and 용 (用) means 'to use.' Together, they signify the disciplined and purposeful act of using medicine for a therapeutic effect. This word is exclusively reserved for internal medicine that is swallowed, such as tablets, capsules, powders, or liquids. You would never use 복용하다 for external treatments like ointments, eye drops, or injections; those require different verbs like 바르다 (to apply), 넣다 (to put in), or 맞다 (to receive/get hit with a needle).

Clinical Precision

In a hospital or pharmacy, a professional will always use 복용 to ensure clarity. It implies a regimen or a prescribed schedule rather than just a one-time casual action.

Formal Register

When writing formal reports, news articles, or academic papers regarding public health or pharmaceutical trials, this is the only appropriate term to describe human consumption of drugs.

Understanding the nuance of this word requires recognizing the cultural importance of 'Yak' (medicine) in Korea. Since Korean culture often emphasizes the 'proper' way of doing things, the shift from 'eating' medicine to '복용' reflects a shift from personal habit to medical compliance. For example, when a pharmacist explains how to take a new prescription, they will say "식후 30분에 복용하세요" (Take it 30 minutes after a meal). This phrasing commands more authority and emphasizes the importance of the biological timing. In contrast, if a mother tells her child to take medicine, she might use 먹다 to sound more gentle and familiar. However, as a learner reaching the B1 level, using 복용하다 shows a sophisticated grasp of register, demonstrating that you can distinguish between everyday activities and formal health-related procedures.

Furthermore, 복용하다 is often used in the context of long-term medication. If someone has a chronic condition like high blood pressure, they are described as 약을 장기 복용하고 있다 (taking medicine long-term). This specific noun-verb combination (장기 복용) is a common collocation in medical records. It suggests a sustained, disciplined use of a substance. In the context of sports, however, the word takes on a more serious tone. When discussing 'doping' or the use of prohibited substances, the term 금지 약물 복용 (taking prohibited substances) is used. Here, it maintains its formal tone but carries legal and ethical weight, highlighting that the substance was ingested into the body. This versatility within formal contexts makes it an essential word for anyone navigating Korean society beyond a basic tourist level.

Using 복용하다 correctly involves understanding its grammatical placement and the specific nouns it pairs with. As a transitive verb, it requires an object—usually 약 (medicine), 영양제 (supplements), or a specific drug name like 진통제 (painkillers). The basic structure is [Object] + 을/를 + 복용하다. Because it is a formal word, it is most commonly conjugated in the -습니다 or -아요/어요 styles, depending on the setting, but rarely appears in very casual 반말 unless reading from a text.

Instructional Use

When giving or receiving instructions, you will often see the imperative form 복용하십시오 or 복용하세요. This is standard on medicine bottles.

Describing Habits

To describe a current routine, use the present progressive or habitual present: "저는 매일 비타민을 복용합니다." (I take vitamins every day.)

A key aspect of using this verb is combining it with adverbial phrases that specify *how* or *when* the medicine should be taken. Common phrases include 식전 (before meals), 식후 (after meals), 취침 전 (before bed), and 일정한 간격으로 (at regular intervals). These modifiers are almost always paired with 복용하다 in medical literature. For example, "식후 30분에 복용하는 것이 원칙입니다" (The rule is to take it 30 minutes after a meal). This level of detail is what separates 복용하다 from the more general 먹다. While you can say 밥 먹고 약 먹어 in a casual setting, a professional setting demands 식사 후 약을 복용하십시오.

In advanced usage, you might encounter the passive or causative nuances, though 복용하다 itself is active. To say someone was made to take medicine, you might use 복용시키다. In clinical trials, researchers might talk about the 복용군 (the group taking the medicine) versus the 대조군 (control group). When you are discussing side effects, you use the structure: [Medicine] 복용 후 [Side Effect]가 나타났다 (After taking [medicine], [side effect] appeared). This structured way of speaking helps in providing a clear medical history. If you are ever at a Korean pharmacy and want to be very clear about your current medications, you can say: "현재 다른 약을 복용 중입니다" (I am currently in the middle of taking other medicine). The -중 (in the middle of) suffix works perfectly with the noun form 복용 to indicate an ongoing treatment plan.

You will encounter 복용하다 in several specific environments in Korea. The most common is the local 약국 (Pharmacy). When you receive a paper bag of medicine, the instructions printed on the front almost always use the term 복용법 (dosage instructions) and the verb 복용하다. Pharmacists use this word to maintain a professional distance and to provide clear, unambiguous instructions. If you watch Korean medical dramas (K-Dramas), you will hear doctors use this word during consultations or when discussing a patient's chart. It adds a layer of realism to the medical setting, distinguishing the professional dialogue from the emotional conversations characters have in their personal lives.

Public Health Announcements

During health crises or flu seasons, the government issues guidelines. These announcements will say things like "해열제를 복용하십시오" (Please take fever reducers).

News and Media

News reports on drug safety, new pharmaceutical breakthroughs, or even illegal drug use (마약 복용) will exclusively use this term.

Another place you will frequently see this word is on the packaging of 건강기능식품 (Health Functional Foods), such as red ginseng, probiotics, or vitamins. Since these are marketed as health-improving substances, the manufacturers use 복용하다 or the similar 섭취하다 (to ingest/intake) to make the product seem more scientifically backed and effective. On a daily basis, if you work in a Korean office and a colleague looks ill, you might ask "약 먹었어요?" (Did you eat medicine?), but if you are filling out a formal HR form for sick leave, you would write "약물 복용 및 휴식 필요" (Requires medication and rest). This distinction between spoken casualness and written formality is a hallmark of the Korean language.

Finally, in the context of legal proceedings or police reports, 복용하다 is used to describe the consumption of any controlled substance. Whether it is a prescribed sleeping pill or an illegal narcotic, the act of putting it into the body is termed 복용. You might see headlines like "수면제 과다 복용" (Overdose of sleeping pills). This usage highlights that the word is about the *act* of administration, regardless of whether the substance is helpful or harmful. For a language learner, recognizing this word in a news crawl or a newspaper headline immediately tells you the story involves medicine, health, or drugs, allowing you to narrow down the context quickly.

The most frequent mistake learners make with 복용하다 is using it too broadly for anything that enters the mouth. Remember, 복용하다 is strictly for *medicine* or *supplements*. You cannot use it for food, water, or candy. For example, saying "사과를 복용해요" (I consume an apple) would sound incredibly strange and robotic, as if you are treating the apple as a pharmaceutical drug. For food and drink, always stick to 먹다 or the more formal 드시다.

External vs. Internal

Another common error is using 복용하다 for ointments or creams. If you apply a skin cream, you must use 바르다. 복용하다 literally implies 'using by mouth' in most contexts.

Register Mismatch

Using 복용하다 when talking to a close friend about a simple headache can sound overly stiff. While not grammatically 'wrong,' it feels out of place. Use 약 먹었어? instead of 약 복용했어? in casual settings.

Learners also sometimes confuse 복용하다 with 복용시키다. 복용하다 is what the patient does (takes the medicine), while 복용시키다 is what a caregiver or nurse does (administers the medicine to someone else). If you say "의사가 약을 복용했어요", it means the doctor took the medicine themselves because they were sick. If you mean the doctor gave the medicine to a patient, you should use "의사가 환자에게 약을 처방하거나 투여했다" or "복용하게 했다". Understanding the direction of the action is crucial in a medical context.

Lastly, pay attention to the particles. While 약을 복용하다 is standard, some learners accidentally use 약에 복용하다 or 약을 복용되다. The former is a particle error (medicine is the direct object), and the latter is an incorrect attempt at a passive form. Medicine doesn't 'get taken' in this way in Korean; rather, the person 'takes' the medicine. Also, ensure you don't confuse 복용 with 복장 (attire/clothing), even though they share the same '복' (服) Hanja. One refers to 'wearing' clothes on the body, the other to 'taking' medicine into the body. Context usually clears this up, but it's a common point of etymological confusion for students of Hanja.

While 복용하다 is the most common formal term for taking medicine, several other words share the same space depending on the context. Understanding these nuances will help you choose the right word for the right situation. The most obvious alternative is 먹다, which is the universal 'to eat/consume' verb. In daily life, almost everyone says 약 먹었어? because it feels natural and less clinical. However, in any written or professional context, 복용하다 is preferred.

복용하다 vs. 섭취하다 (Ingest/Intake)

복용하다 is specifically for medicine. 섭취하다 is broader and used for nutrients, calories, or food in a scientific sense (e.g., 'daily calorie intake'). You '복용' a pill, but you '섭취' Vitamin C from an orange.

복용하다 vs. 투여하다 (Administer)

복용하다 is from the patient's perspective (taking it). 투여하다 is from the medical professional's perspective (giving it). A nurse '투여's a drug to a patient.

복용하다 vs. 바르다/넣다/맞다

These are route-specific. 바르다 is for topical creams, 넣다 is for eye/ear drops, and 맞다 is for injections or IV drips.

Another related term is 오남용하다 (to misuse or abuse). This is a combination of 오 (error) and 남용 (overuse/abuse). It is frequently seen in public service announcements: "약물 오남용을 주의합시다" (Let's be careful of drug misuse and abuse). While 복용하다 is the neutral act of taking, 남용하다 implies a negative, excessive use. There is also 투약하다, which is very similar to 투여하다 but specifically refers to the act of 'dosage' or 'medication administration' in a hospital setting. As a patient, you might see 투약구 (medication window) at a hospital where you pick up your drugs, but once you take them home, the act of you swallowing them is 복용.

Lastly, in very formal or archaic speech, you might encounter 들다 (the honorific of 먹다). While a doctor might tell an elderly patient "약 좀 드세요" (Please have some medicine), the written instructions will still say 복용. The word 복용하다 acts as a linguistic anchor in the medical world—it is stable, unchanging, and carries the weight of scientific authority. By mastering these distinctions, you move from simply communicating basic needs to being able to navigate the complex social and professional hierarchies of Korean life, especially when health is on the line.