TOPIK II Core Vocabulary · Health & Medicine ②

Staying healthy — 면역, 규칙적, 수면, 회복하다, 습관

Words about staying healthy. The phrase 규칙적인 습관 often appears in health articles.

01면역myeonyeok🔊 [며녁]

immunity · the body's ability to protect itself from illness.

Pronunciation [며녁]. The final consonant (patchim) ㄴ in 면 moves to the next syllable.

Note 면역력 is more common in everyday use. It means the strength of the body's immunity.

Examples 면역이 생기다 (to develop immunity) · 면역력이 떨어지다 (immunity weakens) · 면역 체계 (the immune system)

잠을 못 자면 면역력이 떨어져요. If you cannot sleep, your immunity drops.  |  떨어지다 = to fall

규칙적인 생활은 면역력을 높이는 가장 기본적인 방법이다. A regular routine is the most basic way to strengthen immunity.  |  기본적 = basic

02규칙적gyuchikjeok🔊 [규칙쩍]

regular · happening again and again after the same amount of time.

Note The ending -적 makes a word describe a quality. It is close to English -ic or -al: 규칙적, 정기적, 적극적, 구체적. The form changes with the next word: -적인 before a noun, -적으로 before a verb.

Examples 규칙적인 생활 (a regular routine) · 규칙적으로 운동하다 (to exercise regularly)

규칙적으로 운동하는 게 중요해요. Exercising regularly is important.  |  The opposite is 불규칙적

규칙적인 식사 시간을 지키는 것만으로도 건강이 달라진다. Keeping regular mealtimes alone makes a difference to your health.  |  -만으로도 = even by that alone

03수면sumyeon

sleep · the act or state of sleeping.

Note 수면 is more common in writing and in medical texts. 잠 is more common in everyday speech.

Examples 수면 시간 (hours of sleep) · 수면이 부족하다 (to be short of sleep) · 수면의 질 (sleep quality)

요즘 잠이 좀 부족해요. I have not been getting enough sleep lately.  |  In everyday speech, 잠 is more common than 수면

수면 시간보다 수면의 질이 더 중요하다는 연구가 많다. Many studies find that sleep quality matters more than the number of hours.  |  질 = quality · 연구 = research

04회복하다hoebokada🔊 [회보카다]

to recover · to go back to a normal or healthy state.

Pronunciation [회보카다]. The final consonant ㄱ joins the next ㅎ and becomes ㅋ.

Note 낫다 usually means to get well after an illness. It can also mean to be better in a comparison. 회복하다 works for health, strength, the economy, or a relationship. Use 회복되다 when the subject itself recovers.

Examples 건강을 회복하다 (to recover your health) · 체력을 회복하다 (to get your strength back)

이제 건강을 많이 회복했어요. I have recovered my health a lot now.  |  이제 = now

경기가 회복되기까지는 적지 않은 시간이 걸릴 전망이다. The economy is expected to take a long time to recover.  |  경기 = economic conditions · 전망 = what people expect

05습관seupgwan🔊 [습꽌]

habit · an action you repeat until it becomes regular.

Pronunciation [습꽌]. A ㄱ after the final consonant ㅂ is said as a strong (tense) sound.

Note Use 습관이 생기다 when a habit forms by itself. Use 습관을 들이다 when someone builds a habit on purpose.

Examples 습관이 되다 (to become a habit) · 습관을 들이다 (to build one) · 생활 습관 (lifestyle habits)

아침에 물 마시는 습관이 생겼어요. I have developed the habit of drinking water in the morning.  |  생기다 = to develop

좋은 습관 하나가 열 가지 결심보다 낫다. One good habit is better than ten resolutions.  |  결심 = a decision to do something · 낫다 = to be better (a ㅅ irregular verb, so its form changes: 나아요, not 낫아요)

Quick check3 questions

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

1. 규칙적인 생활은 __________력을 높이는 가장 기본적인 방법이다. (boosts ______)
2. __________ 시간보다 __________의 질이 더 중요하다는 연구가 많다. (the same word twice)
3. 좋은 __________ 하나가 열 가지 결심보다 낫다. (one good ______)

Show answers

1. 면역   2. 수면   3. 습관

Question 2 uses 수면 in both blanks

Study tip The ending -적 shows that something has a certain quality. Use -적인 before a noun and -적으로 before a verb: 규칙적인 생활 and 규칙적으로 운동하다. Learn this pattern. It helps you use many words that end in -적.