가슴

Korean

Etymology

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 가ᄉᆞᆷ〮 (Yale: kàsóm).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ka̠sʰɯm]

  • (file)

• Phonetic hangul: [가슴]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	gaseum
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	gaseum
McCune–Reischauer?	kasŭm
Yale Romanization?	kasum

• South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 가슴의 / 가슴에 / 가슴까지

  Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch only on the first syllable, and lowers the pitch of subsequent suffixes.

Noun

가슴 • (gaseum)

1. chest, breast

   Synonym: 흉부(胸部) (hyungbu, “chest, thorax”)

   넓은 가슴 ― neolbeun gaseum ― a broad chest

   맨 가슴 ― maen gaseum ― a bare chest

   가슴에 품다 ― gaseum-e pumda ― to embrace [to hold to one's chest]

   울새는 가슴이 빨갛다.

   Ulsae-neun gaseum-i ppalgata.

   The robin has a red breast.

2. breasts, bust, bosom

   Synonym: 젖가슴 (jeotgaseum)

   가슴이 작다 ― gaseum-i jakda ― small breasts

3. (informal) boobs, tits

   Synonym: 슴가 (seumga)

4. heart, mind, core

   그녀는 죄책감이 가슴을 찔렀다.

   Geunyeo-neun joechaekgam-i gaseum-eul jjilleotda.

   She was pierced to the heart with guilt.

5. (anatomy) heart, lungs

   가슴의 고동 ― gaseum-ui godong ― a heartbeat

6. mind, feeling, emotion, heart

   Synonym: 마음 (ma'eum)

   놀란 가슴 ― nollan gaseum ― a shocked feeling

   가슴 뭉클한 이야기 ― gaseum mungkeulhan iyagi ― a touching story

Derived terms

• 새가슴 (saegaseum, “chicken breast”)
• 젖가슴 (jeotgaseum, “breasts”)
• 가슴뼈 (gaseumppyeo, “sternum, breastbone”)
• 가슴골 (gaseumgol, “cleavage”)
• 가슴고름집 (gaseumgoreumjip, “empyema, pyothorax”)
• 가슴주머니 (gaseumjumeoni, “breast pocket”)
• 슴가 (seumga, “boobs, tits”) (informal)
• 오르가슴 (oreugaseum, “orgasm”)
• 반달가슴곰 (bandalgaseumgom, “Asiatic black bear”)
• 가슴앓이 (gaseumari, “heartburn, heartache”)
• 붉은가슴흰죽지 (bulgeun'gaseumhuinjukji, “Baer's pochard”)
• 붉은가슴울새 (bulgeun'gaseumulsae, “Japanese robin”)

See also

• 胸 (흉 (hyung)), hanja for the chest (also "chest, box")
• 膺 (응 (eung)), hanja for breasts