TOPIK II Core Vocabulary · Environment ①

Waste & recycling — 환경, 오염, 보호하다, 재활용, 쓰레기

These are basic words for texts about the environment. They follow the order 오염 → 보호 → 재활용.

01환경hwangyeong

environment · the natural world, or the conditions around a person or an activity.

Note 환경 can mean the natural environment. It can also mean the conditions around you. 자연 환경 means "natural environment." 근무 환경 means "working conditions." The context shows you which meaning it is.

Examples 환경을 지키다 (to protect the environment) · 환경 문제 (environmental issues) · 환경 오염 (environmental pollution)

여기는 일하는 환경이 좋아요. The working conditions here are good.  |  Here, 환경 refers to working conditions, not the natural environment

환경 문제는 한 세대가 아니라 여러 세대에 걸친 과제이다. Environmental issues are challenges that affect several generations, not only one.  |  -에 걸친 = extending across · 과제 = a challenge

02오염oyeom

pollution, contamination · making air, water, or land dirty and harmful.

Note 대기 오염 means air pollution. 수질 오염 means water pollution. Both phrases often appear on TOPIK. 대기 is the formal word for the atmosphere.

Examples 오염이 심하다 (pollution is severe) · 오염을 줄이다 (to cut pollution) · 대기 오염 (air pollution)

이 강은 오염이 심해요. This river is badly polluted.  |  강 = a river

대기 오염은 눈에 보이지 않아 더 위험하다. Air pollution is more dangerous because it cannot be seen.  |  위험하다 = to be dangerous

03보호하다bohohada

to protect · to keep from harm.

Note You use 보호하다 for nature, but also for rights, consumers, and personal information. 개인정보 보호 means "personal information protection." 보호받다 means "to be protected."

Examples 환경을 보호하다 (to protect the environment) · 자연을 보호하다 (to protect nature) · 보호받다 (to be protected)

우리가 자연을 보호해야 해요. We must protect nature.  |  우리 = we

환경을 보호하는 일은 결국 사람을 보호하는 일이다. Ultimately, protecting the environment means protecting people.  |  The two halves are deliberately parallel

04재활용jaehwaryong

recycling · treating used materials so that people can use them again.

Note The prefix 재- means "again," like English re-. You see it in 재활용, 재사용 (reuse), and 재확인 (recheck). 분리배출 means sorting waste before you throw it away or recycle it.

Examples 재활용을 하다 (to recycle) · 재활용품 (recyclables) · 분리배출 (waste sorting)

종이랑 플라스틱은 재활용해요. We recycle paper and plastic.  |  -이랑 is the more casual form of 와/과. You can still use it with polite sentence endings.

재활용률을 높이려면 올바른 분리배출이 먼저 자리 잡아야 한다. To raise the recycling rate, correct waste sorting has to become established first.  |  -률 = rate · 자리 잡다 = to become established

05쓰레기sseuregi

trash, waste · material you do not want and throw away.

Note 쓰레기 is a native Korean word. Rules and laws use the more formal word 폐기물.

Note In Korea you must put your trash in a 종량제 봉투 before you throw it away. This is the official bag, and you pay by its size.

Examples 쓰레기를 버리다 (to throw trash away) · 쓰레기를 줄이다 (to reduce waste) · 쓰레기통 (a trash can)

쓰레기는 여기에 버리시면 돼요. You can put your trash here.  |  -(으)면 되다 = it's fine to

쓰레기를 줄이는 가장 확실한 방법은 애초에 덜 쓰는 것이다. The surest way to cut waste is to use less in the first place.  |  애초에 = from the outset · 덜 = less

Quick check3 questions

Fill in each blank in Korean. Every answer appears above.

1. 대기 __________은 눈에 보이지 않아 더 위험하다. (air ______)
2. __________을 보호하는 일은 결국 사람을 보호하는 일이다. (protecting the ______)
3. __________률을 높이려면 올바른 분리배출이 먼저 자리 잡아야 한다. (the ______ rate)

Show answers

1. 오염   2. 환경   3. 재활용

Study tip The prefix 재- means "again," like English re-: 재활용 (recycle), 재사용 (reuse), 재확인 (recheck), and 재검토 (review again). With this prefix, you can even guess a word you have never seen.