Phrase in 30 Seconds
The essential Korean phrase for saying you've caught a cold or are feeling under the weather.
- Means: To catch a cold or become ill with a common virus.
- Used in: Daily conversations, medical visits, and school/work absence excuses.
- Don't confuse: Using the object particle '를' instead of the correct '에'.
适合你水平的解释：
意思
To become ill with a common cold.
文化背景
Koreans often visit a clinic for a simple cold to get an injection (주사) for faster recovery. It's a common part of the 'Pali-pali' culture. Drinking warm 'Yuja-cha' (citron tea) or 'Saenggang-cha' (ginger tea) is the standard home remedy for a cold. The 'Hwan-jeol-gi' (changing of seasons) is culturally synonymous with catching a cold. People are extra cautious during these times. Wearing a mask when sick is a sign of respect for others, a practice that existed long before the pandemic.
Particle Alert
Never use '를' with '걸리다' for illnesses. It's a common mistake that sounds very unnatural to natives.
The 'State' Secret
Use the past tense '걸렸어요' to mean 'I have a cold' right now. The present tense '걸려요' sounds like a general habit.
Particle Alert
Never use '를' with '걸리다' for illnesses. It's a common mistake that sounds very unnatural to natives.
The 'State' Secret
Use the past tense '걸렸어요' to mean 'I have a cold' right now. The present tense '걸려요' sounds like a general habit.
Caring is Sharing
Saying '{감기|感氣} 조심하세요' is a great way to show you care about someone's well-being during winter.
Specific Colds
If your throat is the main problem, say '목감기에 걸렸어요' to get more specific sympathy or medicine.
自我测试
Fill in the correct particle.
어제부터 {감기|感氣}( ) 걸렸어요.
The phrase '{감기|感氣}에 걸리다' always uses the particle '에'.
Choose the most natural sentence to say 'I have a cold right now'.
Which one is correct?
The past tense '걸렸어요' is used to describe the current state of having a cold.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form.
가: 왜 학교에 안 왔어요? 나: ( ) 못 갔어요.
'-아서/어서' is used to provide a reason for not going to school.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You want to tell your grandmother to stay healthy in winter.
'-하세요' is the most common and appropriate polite form for family members or general polite situations.
🎉 得分： /4
视觉学习工具
Cold vs. Flu in Korean
练习题库
5 练习어제부터 {감기|感氣}( ) 걸렸어요.
The phrase '{감기|感氣}에 걸리다' always uses the particle '에'.
Which one is correct?
The past tense '걸렸어요' is used to describe the current state of having a cold.
가: 왜 학교에 안 왔어요? 나: ( ) 못 갔어요.
'-아서/어서' is used to provide a reason for not going to school.
You want to tell your grandmother to stay healthy in winter.
'-하세요' is the most common and appropriate polite form for family members or general polite situations.
🎉 得分： /5
常见问题
10 个问题No, that is grammatically incorrect. You must use the particle '에'.
'{감기|感氣}' is the common cold, while '{독감|毒感}' is the influenza virus (flu), which is more severe.
Use the past tense: '{감기|感氣}에 걸렸어요'.
The phrase itself is neutral. You change the formality by changing the verb ending (e.g., 걸렸어 vs. 걸렸어요).
You can say '푹 쉬세요' (Get plenty of rest) or '빨리 나으세요' (Get well soon).
It usually means 'to be hung', 'to be caught', or 'to take (time)'.
No, for a stomach flu, Koreans use '{장염|腸炎}' (enteritis).
It's a standard polite greeting during seasonal changes to show care for the other person's health.
Young people might say '감기 크리' (from 'critical hit') if a cold ruins their plans, but it's very casual.
It means 'a touch of a cold'—when you feel like you might be getting sick soon.
相关表达
{독감|毒感}에 걸리다
similarTo catch the flu
{감기|感氣} 기운이 있다
builds onTo feel a cold coming on
{몸살|몸살}이 나다
similarTo suffer from body aches/fatigue
코{감기|感氣}
specialized formA head cold / nasal cold
목{감기|感氣}
specialized formA sore throat cold
在哪里用
Calling in sick to work
Employee: 부장님, 제가 {감기|感氣}에 심하게 걸려서 오늘 못 나갈 것 같습니다.
Manager: 그래요? 무리하지 말고 집에서 푹 쉬세요.
Canceling a date
Person A: 미안해, 나 {감기|感氣}에 걸린 것 같아. 오늘 못 만날 것 같아.
Person B: 어떡해... 약 먹고 빨리 나아!
At the pharmacy
Pharmacist: 어디가 아프세요?
Customer: {감기|感氣}에 걸려서 왔어요. 기침 약 좀 주세요.
Greeting a friend in winter
Friend A: 오늘 진짜 춥다! 너도 {감기|感氣} 조심해.
Friend B: 응, 너도! 따뜻하게 입고 다녀.
Asking about someone's health
Colleague: 지수 씨, 목소리가 안 좋네요. {감기|感氣}에 걸렸어요?
Ji-su: 네, 어제부터 좀 아프네요.
Posting on Social Media
User: 결국 {감기|感氣}에 걸려버렸다... 다들 {감기|感氣} 조심하세요! 🤒
Follower: 아이고, 얼른 쾌차하세요!
记住它
记忆技巧
Think of a 'Cold' (감기) being 'Caught' (걸리다) on a hook. You didn't want it, but you got snagged!
视觉联想
Imagine a giant fishing hook labeled 'COLD' snagging a person's scarf as they walk through a chilly wind.
Rhyme
추운 날씨에 (In cold weather), 감기에 (To a cold), 걸렸네 (I got caught)!
Story
Min-su forgot his scarf on a windy day. The 'Cold Energy' (Gam-gi) saw him and threw a lasso. Now Min-su is 'hung' (geollida) on that lasso and has to stay home drinking tea.
In Other Languages
English uses 'catch a cold,' which also implies an external force snagging you. Japanese uses 'kaze o hiku' (pull a cold), suggesting you pull the illness toward yourself.
Word Web
挑战
Try to use the phrase '{감기|感氣} 조심하세요' (Take care not to catch a cold) at least three times today when saying goodbye to Korean speakers or in your study group.
Review this phrase every time the weather changes or you feel a sneeze coming on!
发音
Pronounced clearly as three syllables.
The 'ㄹㄹ' sound is a doubled 'l' sound, like 'call-lee'.
正式程度
{감기|感氣}에 걸렸습니다. (General statement of illness)
{감기|感氣}에 걸렸어요. (General statement of illness)
{감기|感氣}에 걸렸어. (General statement of illness)
{감기|感氣} 크리 (Slang/Internet: Cold Critical/Hit) (General statement of illness)
Derived from Hanja {感氣|感氣}, meaning 'feeling the air/energy'. It refers to the traditional belief that illness is caused by external cold energy entering the body.
趣味小知识
The native word '고뿔' (go-ppul) actually comes from '곧' (nose) + '븘' (fire), meaning 'fire in the nose' because of the heat/fever!
文化笔记
Koreans often visit a clinic for a simple cold to get an injection (주사) for faster recovery. It's a common part of the 'Pali-pali' culture.
“{감기|感氣} 때문에 병원에 가서 주사를 맞았어요.”
Drinking warm 'Yuja-cha' (citron tea) or 'Saenggang-cha' (ginger tea) is the standard home remedy for a cold.
“{감기|感氣}에 걸렸을 때는 유자차가 좋아요.”
The 'Hwan-jeol-gi' (changing of seasons) is culturally synonymous with catching a cold. People are extra cautious during these times.
“{환절기|換節期}라 그런지 {감기|感氣} 환자가 많네요.”
Wearing a mask when sick is a sign of respect for others, a practice that existed long before the pandemic.
“{감기|感氣}에 걸려서 마스크를 썼어요.”
对话开场白
요즘 {감기|感氣}가 유행인데, 건강 관리 어떻게 하세요?
최근에 {감기|感氣}에 걸린 적이 있어요?
{감기|感氣}에 걸렸을 때 한국 사람들은 보통 무엇을 하나요?
常见错误
{감기|感氣}를 걸렸어요.
{감기|感氣}에 걸렸어요.
L1 Interference
{감기|感氣}를 가졌어요.
{감기|感氣}에 걸렸어요.
L1 Interference
{감기|感氣}에 잡혔어요.
{감기|感氣}에 걸렸어요.
L1 Interference
{감기|感氣}에 걸려요. (to mean 'I have a cold now')
{감기|感氣}에 걸렸어요.
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Resfriarse / Coger un resfriado
Spanish often uses a reflexive verb, whereas Korean uses a noun + particle + passive verb.
S'enrhumer / Attraper un rhume
French uses the definite article 'un rhume', while Korean uses the particle '에'.
Sich erkälten
German focuses on the process of becoming cold, while Korean focuses on being 'caught' by the cold energy.
風邪をひく (Kaze o hiku)
The verb choice: 'pulling' the cold vs. 'being caught' by the cold.
أصيب بالبرد (Usiba bi-l-bard)
Arabic uses the word for 'the cold' (weather), while Korean uses a specific word for the illness.
感冒 (Gǎnmào)
In Korean, you must add the verb '걸리다', whereas in Chinese, '感冒' can stand alone as 'I cold-ed'.
To catch a cold
English uses 'catch' as an active verb (I caught), while Korean uses '걸리다' which is grammatically passive.
Pegar um resfriado
Portuguese uses an active verb, while Korean uses a passive-style construction.
Spotted in the Real World
“세리 씨, {감기|感氣} 걸린 거 아니에요?”
Jeong-hyeok notices Se-ri looking pale and asks if she caught a cold.
“지독한 {감기|感氣}에 걸린 것 같아”
A famous ballad where catching a cold is used as a metaphor for a painful breakup.
“나 {감기|感氣} 기운이 좀 있는 것 같아.”
Bok-joo tells her friends she feels a cold coming on after training in the rain.
容易混淆
Learners often use '감기' for everything, but '독감' is much more serious.
If you have a high fever and can't get out of bed, it's probably '독감'.
Both involve feeling sick, but '몸살' doesn't necessarily include a cough or runny nose.
Use '몸살' when your muscles ache from overworking.
常见问题 (10)
No, that is grammatically incorrect. You must use the particle '에'.
grammar mechanics'{감기|感氣}' is the common cold, while '{독감|毒感}' is the influenza virus (flu), which is more severe.
basic understandingUse the past tense: '{감기|感氣}에 걸렸어요'.
usage contextsThe phrase itself is neutral. You change the formality by changing the verb ending (e.g., 걸렸어 vs. 걸렸어요).
grammar mechanicsYou can say '푹 쉬세요' (Get plenty of rest) or '빨리 나으세요' (Get well soon).
practical tipsIt usually means 'to be hung', 'to be caught', or 'to take (time)'.
basic understandingNo, for a stomach flu, Koreans use '{장염|腸炎}' (enteritis).
usage contextsIt's a standard polite greeting during seasonal changes to show care for the other person's health.
cultural usageYoung people might say '감기 크리' (from 'critical hit') if a cold ruins their plans, but it's very casual.
practical tipsIt means 'a touch of a cold'—when you feel like you might be getting sick soon.
basic understanding
