구토하다 in 30 Seconds
- The verb '구토하다' means to vomit or throw up.
- It's used when someone expels stomach contents due to illness or discomfort.
- Common in medical contexts and discussions about sickness.
- Literal Meaning
- The act of expelling stomach contents through the mouth. It's a physiological response often associated with illness, discomfort, or the consumption of something harmful.
- Common Situations
- People use '구토하다' when they are feeling very sick, perhaps due to food poisoning, a stomach virus, motion sickness, or even severe anxiety. It can also be used in medical contexts to describe symptoms. For instance, a doctor might ask, "언제부터 구토하기 시작하셨어요?" (When did you start vomiting?). In less severe but still uncomfortable situations, like after drinking too much alcohol, someone might say, "술을 너무 많이 마셔서 구토했어요." (I drank too much alcohol and vomited.) It's a direct and clear way to express this unpleasant bodily function.
- Figurative or Extended Use
- While primarily a literal term, '구토하다' can sometimes be used metaphorically to describe something being excessively unpleasant or disgusting, to the point where it makes one feel sick. For example, one might say a particularly vulgar or offensive piece of media "토할 것 같다" (makes me want to vomit), though this is a more informal and strong expression. However, the direct meaning of expelling stomach contents is the most common and intended use.
그는 심한 복통으로 인해 구토하다.
음식이 상했는지 먹고 나서 구토를 했다.
- Basic Structure
- The verb '구토하다' conjugates like other Korean verbs. The most common forms you'll encounter are the present tense ('구토해요'), past tense ('구토했어요'), and the infinitive ('구토하다'). When describing a past event, '구토했어요' is frequently used. For example, "어제 밤에 배탈이 나서 구토했어요." (Last night, I had a stomach ache and vomited.)
- Adding Cause or Reason
- You can connect the cause of vomiting to the action using various grammatical structures. For instance, using '때문에' (because of) or '때문이다' (it is because of): "심한 멀미 때문에 구토했어요." (I vomited because of severe motion sickness.) Or, you can use '-어서/-아서' to link sequential actions or causes: "음식이 상한 것을 모르고 먹어서 구토했어요." (I ate the food without knowing it was spoiled, so I vomited.)
- Describing Frequency or Intensity
- To add more detail, you can use adverbs. For example, '자주' (often) or '심하게' (severely): "그녀는 임신 초기라 자주 구토했어요." (She vomited often because she was in the early stages of pregnancy.) If someone is experiencing a single, strong episode, you might say, "갑자기 속이 메스꺼워서 심하게 구토했어요." (Suddenly I felt nauseous and vomited severely.)
독감 때문에 열이 나고 구토를 했어요.
여행 중에 배를 너무 많이 타서 구토할 뻔했다.
- Medical Settings
- This is perhaps the most frequent context. Doctors, nurses, and patients will use '구토하다' when discussing symptoms. A doctor might ask, "마지막으로 구토하신 게 언제인가요?" (When was the last time you vomited?). A patient might report, "밤새도록 구토해서 기운이 없어요." (I've been vomiting all night, so I have no energy.) This is a critical term for diagnosing and treating illnesses.
- Conversations about Illness
- Friends, family, or colleagues might discuss someone's health. If someone is sick, a common topic might be their symptoms. For example, "김 대리님, 어제 갑자기 몸이 안 좋아서 구토하셨다고 들었어요. 괜찮으신가요?" (Manager Kim, I heard you suddenly felt unwell yesterday and vomited. Are you okay?). This shows how '구토하다' is part of everyday conversation about well-being.
- Discussions about Food and Drink
- When someone consumes something that makes them ill, '구토하다' is the natural verb to use. This could be due to food poisoning, overeating, or drinking too much alcohol. For instance, "그 식당 음식이 좀 상한 것 같아. 먹고 나서 두 명이 구토했어." (I think the food at that restaurant was a bit spoiled. Two people vomited after eating.) Or, "어제 회식 때 술을 너무 많이 마셔서 아침에 구토했어요." (I drank too much at the company dinner yesterday, so I vomited this morning.)
- Travel and Motion Sickness
- For individuals prone to motion sickness, this word is very relevant. "배를 타면 항상 멀미해서 구토해요." (I always get seasick and vomit when I ride a boat.) Or, "이번 여행은 차를 오래 타서 그런지 아이가 좀 구토했어요." (Perhaps because we rode in the car for a long time on this trip, the child vomited a bit.)
병원에 갔더니 의사 선생님께서 구토 증상이 있다고 하셨어요.
- Confusing with '토하다' (to throw up/regurgitate)
- While '토하다' can also mean to vomit, '구토하다' is more specific to the expulsion of stomach contents and is generally considered more formal or medical. '토하다' can sometimes be used more broadly, even for things like throwing up words in anger or regretting something. However, in the context of physical sickness, they are often used interchangeably. A learner might overuse '토하다' in a medical context where '구토하다' would be more precise.
- Incorrect Conjugation
- Like any verb ending in '하다', '구토하다' follows specific conjugation rules. Mistakes might include incorrect endings, such as using an inappropriate politeness level or tense. For example, saying "구토하겠다" (I will vomit) when you mean "I vomited" (구토했어요) would be an error in tense. Or incorrectly conjugating to something like "구토합니다요" which is grammatically incorrect.
- Overuse of the Noun Form
- While '구토' (vomit) is a valid noun, learners might sometimes use it when the verb form '구토하다' is more appropriate. For example, instead of saying "I vomited" (나는 구토했어요), they might say "나는 구토했어요" (I did vomit), which is grammatically correct but '구토했어요' is more direct. However, the common construction '구토를 하다' (to do vomiting) is perfectly natural and frequent.
- Using it for Mild Nausea
- '구토하다' implies the actual act of throwing up. Learners might mistakenly use it when they only feel nauseous. For mild nausea, it's better to use phrases like "속이 안 좋아요" (I don't feel well in my stomach) or "메스꺼워요" (I feel nauseous). Using '구토하다' when you haven't actually vomited can be an overstatement.
Incorrect: 어제 토하다를 많이 했다. Correct: 어제 구토를 많이 했다.
- 토하다 (to vomit, to throw up)
- Usage: Very similar to '구토하다', often used interchangeably in everyday conversation. '토하다' can sometimes have a slightly more informal feel or be used in a broader sense (e.g., throwing up words in anger), but for physical vomiting, it's a direct synonym.
- Example: "배가 너무 아파서 결국 토했어요." (My stomach hurt so much that I ended up vomiting.) vs. "배가 너무 아파서 결국 구토했어요." (My stomach hurt so much that I ended up vomiting.)
- 게우다 (to vomit, to throw up - esp. for babies/animals)
- Usage: This word is often used for babies or animals when they vomit. It can also be used for adults, but it might sound a bit gentler or more childish than '구토하다' or '토하다'.
- Example: "아기가 우유를 게웠어요." (The baby vomited the milk.) vs. "아기가 우유를 구토했어요." (The baby vomited the milk - sounds more clinical.)
- 메스껍다 (to feel nauseous)
- Usage: This is not a direct synonym but describes the feeling *before* vomiting. It means 'to feel sick to one's stomach' or 'to feel nauseous'. It's crucial to distinguish this from the act of vomiting itself.
- Example: "너무 메스꺼워서 아무것도 못 먹었어요." (I felt so nauseous that I couldn't eat anything.) This implies the possibility of vomiting but doesn't state it happened.
- 속이 안 좋다 (to not feel well in one's stomach)
- Usage: A more general phrase for stomach discomfort. It can include nausea, pain, or indigestion, and may or may not lead to vomiting. It's less specific than '메스껍다' or '구토하다'.
- Example: "오늘 속이 안 좋아서 일찍 집에 갈게요." (I'm not feeling well in my stomach today, so I'll go home early.) This doesn't necessarily mean they will vomit.
Context matters: '구토하다' is clinical, '토하다' is common, '게우다' is for babies/animals, '메스껍다' is nausea.
How Formal Is It?
Fun Fact
The character 吐 (토) is quite old and appears in ancient Chinese texts describing various forms of expulsion, not just vomiting. However, in modern Korean, '토하다' and '구토하다' are primarily associated with expelling stomach contents due to sickness. The repetition of the meaning in the characters '구토' emphasizes the action strongly.
Pronunciation Guide
- Mispronouncing the 'ㄱ' (g) sound as 'ㅋ' (k) or 'ㅇ' (ng).
- Not clearly distinguishing between 'ㅜ' (u) and 'ㅡ' (eu) vowels.
- Incorrectly stressing syllables other than the first.
- Omitting the aspiration in 'ㅎ' (h) or adding it where it's not needed.
- Pronouncing the final '다' as if it were a question or exclamation without appropriate intonation.
Difficulty Rating
At A2 CEFR level, learners can understand simple sentences and common expressions. '구토하다' is a direct verb for a physical action, often encountered in contexts related to health. Understanding its basic meaning is achievable with contextual clues or simple explanations. The challenge might lie in differentiating it from similar words or understanding more complex sentence structures involving it.
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Grammar to Know
Using '-어서/-아서' to connect cause and effect.
음식이 상한 것을 모르고 먹어서 구토했어요.
Using '-ㄹ/을 뻔하다' to indicate 'almost did something'.
배멀미 때문에 구토할 뻔했어요.
Using '-는 바람에' for unfortunate consequences.
심한 독감 증상으로 밤새 구토하는 바람에 병원에 입원했습니다.
Using the noun form '구토' with '하다' (to do).
어제 밤새 구토를 했어요.
Using adjectives like '심하다' (severe) or '반복적이다' (repeated) with '구토'.
그녀는 반복적인 구토로 고생했다.
Examples by Level
아파요. 토해요.
I'm sick. I'm vomiting.
Simple present tense for immediate action.
어제 배탈이 나서 구토했어요.
I had a stomach ache yesterday, so I vomited.
Past tense (-했어요) to describe a completed action.
음식이 상한 것을 모르고 먹어서 구토할 뻔했어요.
I ate the food without knowing it was spoiled, so I almost vomited.
'-ㄹ 뻔했어요' indicates 'almost did something'.
심한 독감 증상으로 인해 밤새도록 구토하는 바람에 병원에 입원했습니다.
Due to severe flu symptoms, I vomited all night, which led to my hospitalization.
'-는 바람에' indicates an unfortunate consequence.
그가 묘사한 끔찍한 경험은 듣는 이로 하여금 구토를 유발할 만큼 생생했다.
The horrific experience he described was so vivid that it made the listener want to vomit.
'-ㄹ 만큼' indicates 'to the extent that'.
식중독으로 인한 격렬한 구토는 신체가 유해한 물질을 배출하려는 자연스러운 방어 기제입니다.
Violent vomiting caused by food poisoning is the body's natural defense mechanism to expel harmful substances.
Using the noun form '구토' in a scientific context.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
— I vomited.
어제 밤에 배탈이 나서 구토했어요.
— I feel like I'm going to vomit.
멀미가 너무 심해서 구토할 것 같아요.
— I have symptoms of vomiting.
오늘 아침부터 구토 증상이 있어요.
— I tried to hold back vomiting.
힘들었지만 구토를 참으려고 했어요.
— The vomiting didn't stop.
약을 먹어도 구토가 멈추지 않았어요.
— I have no energy because of vomiting.
구토 때문에 기운이 하나도 없어요.
— A smell that causes vomiting.
그 쓰레기통에서는 구토를 유발하는 냄새가 났다.
— A patient who is vomiting.
의사는 구토를 하는 환자를 진찰했다.
— Dehydration due to vomiting.
심한 구토로 인한 탈수 증상이 나타났다.
— Food that causes vomiting.
상한 음식이 구토를 유발하는 음식이었다.
Idioms & Expressions
— A severe, sudden illness characterized by vomiting and diarrhea. It implies a very strong and unpleasant bout of sickness.
갑자기 토사곽란을 일으켜서 병원에 실려 갔다.
Idiomatic/Medical— To experience morning sickness, a common symptom of early pregnancy involving nausea and vomiting.
임신 초기에는 입덧을 심하게 해서 힘들었다.
Specific to pregnancy— Often used for babies or animals vomiting. It can also be used for adults but sounds gentler or more childish.
아기가 우유를 게웠어요.
Informal/Childish— Literally 'feels like I will vomit'. Used when someone feels intensely nauseous or disgusted.
그 냄새를 맡으니 정말 토할 것 같았다.
Informal/Figurative (can be literal or for disgust)— Literally 'one's insides are flipped over'. This idiom describes a feeling of severe nausea, stomach upset, or intense emotional distress that makes one feel sick.
그 이야기를 듣고 속이 뒤집히는 줄 알았다.
Idiomatic/Emotional or Physical Distress— A euphemism for vomiting, meaning 'to bring up'. Softer than '토하다'.
너무 많이 먹어서 결국 올렸다.
Euphemistic/Informal— A more formal or medical term for vomiting.
급성 위염으로 인해 토사하는 환자가 많았다.
Formal/Medical— To vomit blood. A specific and serious medical condition.
심한 기침 후에 토혈을 했다.
Medical/Serious— To feel nauseous or gag. It's the sensation before vomiting.
그 광경을 보고 구역질이 났다.
Descriptive/Related to vomiting— To experience a severe, sudden illness with vomiting and diarrhea.
여행 중에 갑자기 토사곽란을 겪어서 고생했다.
Idiomatic/MedicalSentence Patterns
Subject + Cause + 구토했어요.
어제 상한 음식을 먹<mark class='bg-emerald-200 dark:bg-emerald-800 px-0.5 rounded'>어서</mark> 구토했어요.
Subject + Noun (구토) + 를/을 했어요.
배가 너무 아파서 <mark class='bg-emerald-200 dark:bg-emerald-800 px-0.5 rounded'>구토</mark>를 했어요.
Subject + Situation + 구토할 뻔했어요.
배멀미 때문에 <mark class='bg-emerald-200 dark:bg-emerald-800 px-0.5 rounded'>구토할 뻔</mark>했어요.
Subject + Cause + 구토를 유발했어요.
그 냄새가 <mark class='bg-emerald-200 dark:bg-emerald-800 px-0.5 rounded'>구토를 유발</mark>했어요.
Subject + Adverb + 구토했어요.
그녀는 아침마다 <mark class='bg-emerald-200 dark:bg-emerald-800 px-0.5 rounded'>자주 구토</mark>했어요.
Subject + Situation + 구토로 인해.
<mark class='bg-emerald-200 dark:bg-emerald-800 px-0.5 rounded'>구토로 인해</mark> 탈수 증상이 나타났다.
Subject + Cause + -는 바람에 + Result.
심한 독감에 걸<mark class='bg-emerald-200 dark:bg-emerald-800 px-0.5 rounded'>리는 바람에</mark> 구토를 계속했어요.
Subject + Situation + -ㄹ 만큼 + Adjective/Verb.
그 끔찍한 광경은 <mark class='bg-emerald-200 dark:bg-emerald-800 px-0.
Word Family
Nouns
Verbs
Related
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Imagine a 'goo' (구) sound coming from your stomach, followed by a 'toe' (토) – like you're kicking something out forcefully from your stomach. So, 'goo-toe-hada' means to forcefully expel from your stomach.
Visual Association
Picture a person with a very green face, clutching their stomach, with a thought bubble showing a 'G' (for Goo) and a 'T' (for Toe) pointing towards their mouth, indicating they are about to vomit. The 'hada' part can be visualized as the action they are performing.
Word Web
Challenge
Try to describe a time you felt sick and had to '구토하다'. Use at least three sentences, incorporating the word '구토하다' or its noun form '구토' at least twice. Focus on the cause and effect of the action.
Word Origin
The word '구토하다' is derived from Chinese characters (Hanja). '구토' (嘔吐) itself combines '구' (嘔), meaning 'to vomit', and '토' (吐), also meaning 'to vomit' or 'to expel'. The verb ending '-하다' is a common Korean suffix that turns nouns into verbs.
Original meaning: The Hanja characters literally mean 'to vomit' and 'to expel'. The combination emphasizes the act of expelling stomach contents.
Sino-Korean (derived from Chinese characters)Cultural Context
The term '구토하다' describes a potentially unpleasant bodily function. While it is a standard medical and descriptive term, its use should be appropriate to the context. In very formal or polite company, one might opt for euphemisms if discussing personal discomfort, but in medical or clear reporting situations, it is the correct word.
In English-speaking cultures, 'vomit' or 'throw up' are common and direct terms. 'Puke' is more informal. There's generally less hesitation in discussing such symptoms when medically necessary or among close acquaintances.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Medical consultation
- 언제부터 구토했어요?
- 구토 증상이 있나요?
- 구토 횟수가 얼마나 되나요?
- 구토로 인해 탈수가 오지는 않았나요?
Describing personal illness
- 배탈이 나서 구토했어요.
- 멀미 때문에 구토할 것 같아요.
- 독감에 걸려서 구토했어요.
- 구토 때문에 기운이 없어요.
Discussing food safety
- 이 음식이 상한 것 같아요. 구토를 유발할 수 있어요.
- 그 식당에서 먹고 구토하는 사람이 많았어요.
- 음식이 잘못됐는지 구토했어요.
Pregnancy-related (morning sickness)
- 임신 초기에 입덧으로 구토를 많이 했어요.
- 아침마다 구토해서 힘들어요.
General discomfort
- 속이 안 좋아서 구토할 것 같아요.
- 갑자기 구토해서 놀랐어요.
Conversation Starters
"혹시 어제 배탈 났다는 이야기 들었어요? 저도 어제 구토했어요."
"요즘 감기가 심한데, 열과 함께 구토 증상도 있어요."
"여행 갈 때 멀미가 심한 편이라 항상 구토약을 챙겨요."
"아이가 갑자기 구토를 해서 너무 놀랐어요. 병원에 가봐야 할까요?"
"이 음식, 혹시 상한 거 아니에요? 먹고 구토할까 봐 걱정돼요."
Journal Prompts
Describe a time you felt very sick and had to 구토하다. What caused it, and how did you feel afterwards?
Imagine you are a doctor. A patient comes in complaining of vomiting. What questions would you ask them about their 구토?
Write a short story where the main character experiences 구토하다 due to an unexpected event. How does it affect them?
Reflect on the word '구토하다'. What are your personal feelings or memories associated with this word or the experience?
If you could give advice to someone who is about to 구토하다 for the first time, what would you tell them?
Summary
'구토하다' is the direct Korean verb for vomiting, used when stomach contents are expelled, typically due to illness, food poisoning, or motion sickness. It's a clear and common term in medical and everyday conversations about health.
- The verb '구토하다' means to vomit or throw up.
- It's used when someone expels stomach contents due to illness or discomfort.
- Common in medical contexts and discussions about sickness.
Related Content
More health words
비정상적이다
B1Deviating from what is normal or usual; abnormal.
비정상이다
A2To be abnormal or irregular.
에 대해서
A2Indicating the topic or subject; about, concerning.
누적되다
B1To be accumulated or added up over a period of time. It is frequently used to describe the buildup of fatigue, debt, or environmental damage.
몸살
A2General body aches and fatigue, often accompanying a cold or flu.
몸살나다
A2To suffer from body aches and fatigue, often due to a cold.
쑤시다
B1To have a dull, throbbing pain; to ache.
에취
A2Achoo! (onomatopoeia for sneezing).
급성적이다
A2To be acute or sudden (e.g., an illness).
급성이다
A2Having a rapid onset and short course; to be acute (illness).
