허리가 아프다
heoriga apeuda
Have a backache
Phrase in 30 Seconds
A common way to express physical exhaustion or the literal pain of sitting or working too long.
- Means: My lower back hurts (often implying overwork).
- Used in: Office settings, after cleaning, or during physical labor.
- Don't confuse: With '뒤가 아프다' which is not a natural expression.
Explanation at your level:
意思
To experience pain in the lower back, often from overwork.
文化背景
The 'Aigoo' (아이구) exclamation almost always precedes '허리야' when an older person stands up. It's a cultural rhythm of movement. Koreans often use 'Pasu' (pain relief patches) for back pain. Seeing someone with a patch on their back is a common sight in offices. Traditional floor-sitting (Ondol) is often blamed for back pain in the modern era, leading to a massive 'ergonomic chair' market. Back pain is a common theme in 'filial piety' (Hyo) stories, where children give their parents back massages (Anma).
The 'Aigoo' Combo
To sound like a native, always add '아이고' (Aigoo) before saying your back hurts after a long task.
Particle Choice
Never use '허리를 아파요'. Adjectives in Korean never take the object marker '를'.
意思
To experience pain in the lower back, often from overwork.
The 'Aigoo' Combo
To sound like a native, always add '아이고' (Aigoo) before saying your back hurts after a long task.
Particle Choice
Never use '허리를 아파요'. Adjectives in Korean never take the object marker '를'.
Medical Context
If you go to a hospital, say '허리 디스크' if you suspect a slipped disc—it's a very common term in Korea.
Social Bonding
Complaining about your back is a great way to bond with older Korean coworkers; it shows you are working hard.
自我测试
Fill in the blank with the correct form of '아프다'.
어제 무거운 짐을 많이 들어서 오늘 허리가 ______.
The sentence describes a current state caused by a past action. '아파요' is the natural polite ending.
Choose the best response for the situation.
가: 왜 그렇게 앉아 있어요? 나: ________________________.
Resting is the most logical consequence of having back pain.
Match the phrase to the most likely situation.
'허리가 끊어질 것 같아요!'
This emphatic phrase is used after extreme physical labor.
Which particle is correct?
허리__ 아파요.
'아프다' is an adjective, so the subject marker '가' is required.
🎉 得分： /4
视觉学习工具
Back Pain Terminology
常见问题
10 个问题No, for the upper back, use '등이 아프다' (back) or '어깨가 아프다' (shoulders).
It's not rude if you use honorifics (허리가 좀 아픕니다), but it might sound like you're complaining about the workload.
'아프다' is the common adjective (to be painful), while '통증이 있다' (to have pain) is more formal and clinical.
It's a common folk belief that changes in air pressure before rain cause joints and the back to ache.
You can say '허리가 아파 죽겠어요' (I'm dying because my back hurts).
In a medical sense, yes, but in daily speech, it refers to the entire lumbar/lower back region.
Usually no. For stress, use '스트레스 받아요' or '머리가 아파요' (head hurts).
{腰痛|요통}이 있으십니다 (when speaking about an elder).
Yes, especially with the rise of 'turtle neck' and back issues from smartphone use.
Yes, '허리를 삐끗하다' (to sprain/twist one's back).
相关表达
어깨가 무겁다
similarShoulders are heavy
허리가 휘다
idiomBack is bending
몸살이 나다
similarTo have body aches from fatigue
요통
specialized formLumbago/Back pain
허리를 펴다
contrastTo straighten one's back
在哪里用
At the Office
Colleague A: 벌써 6시네요. 퇴근합시다!
Colleague B: 네, 좋아요. 아휴, 하루 종일 앉아 있었더니 허리가 아파요.
Moving House
Friend A: 이 박스 좀 도와줄래?
Friend B: 미안, 어제 무거운 걸 너무 많이 들어서 지금 허리가 아파.
At the Pharmacy
Pharmacist: 어디가 불편하세요?
Customer: 허리가 너무 아파서 파스 좀 사러 왔어요.
After Holiday Cooking
Mother: 전 다 부쳤니?
Daughter: 네, 엄마. 근데 계속 서 있었더니 허리가 아파 죽겠어요.
At the Gym
Trainer: 자, 한 번 더 하세요!
Member: 선생님, 갑자기 허리가 아픈데 자세가 틀렸나요?
Long Flight
Passenger A: 비행이 너무 기네요.
Passenger B: 맞아요. 좁은 자리에 오래 앉아 있으니까 허리가 아파요.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Hurry' (허리). If you 'Hurry' too much while working, your back will hurt!
Visual Association
Imagine a person bent over a rice field or a computer, with a glowing red 'X' on their lower back and the word 'PAIN' written in Korean.
Rhyme
허리가 아파, 마음이 바빠 (Back hurts, mind is busy).
Story
Min-su worked at a desk for 10 hours. When he stood up, he shouted 'Hurry-ga Apa!' because he needed to 'Hurry' to the couch to rest his aching back.
Word Web
挑战
Next time you stand up after studying for an hour, say '허리가 아파요' out loud and stretch.
In Other Languages
Me duele la espalda
Spanish uses a reflexive verb structure.
J'ai mal au dos
French uses 'to have' instead of an adjective.
Ich habe Rückenschmerzen
German uses a compound noun.
腰が痛い (Koshi ga itai)
Virtually no difference in usage or concept.
ظهري يؤلمني (Zahri yu'limuni)
Arabic uses a verb 'to hurt' rather than an adjective.
腰疼 (Yāoténg)
Chinese is more concise (two characters).
My back is killing me
English uses more aggressive metaphors for pain.
Estou com dor nas costas
Portuguese uses a prepositional phrase.
Easily Confused
Learners use '등' (upper back) and '허리' (lower back) interchangeably.
If it's near your belt, it's '허리'. If it's near your shoulder blades, it's '등'.
Both involve the midsection.
'배' is the front (stomach), '허리' is the back/sides (waist).
常见问题 (10)
No, for the upper back, use '등이 아프다' (back) or '어깨가 아프다' (shoulders).
It's not rude if you use honorifics (허리가 좀 아픕니다), but it might sound like you're complaining about the workload.
'아프다' is the common adjective (to be painful), while '통증이 있다' (to have pain) is more formal and clinical.
It's a common folk belief that changes in air pressure before rain cause joints and the back to ache.
You can say '허리가 아파 죽겠어요' (I'm dying because my back hurts).
In a medical sense, yes, but in daily speech, it refers to the entire lumbar/lower back region.
Usually no. For stress, use '스트레스 받아요' or '머리가 아파요' (head hurts).
{腰痛|요통}이 있으십니다 (when speaking about an elder).
Yes, especially with the rise of 'turtle neck' and back issues from smartphone use.
Yes, '허리를 삐끗하다' (to sprain/twist one's back).
