Key Facts
- Hangul: 두통; Revised Romanization: dutong
- Syllables: 2
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean
- Hanja: 頭痛 (頭 head + 痛 pain)
- Register: More formal and medical; in spoken Korean people usually say 머리가 아프다 instead.
Headache in Korean: What Does 두통 Mean?
The only sense is headache. The register is more formal and medical. In casual speech people prefer the phrase 머리가 아프다, which says the head hurts. Use 두통 on forms, in a pharmacy, with a doctor and when you want to be precise about a symptom. It is also the base of 편두통, migraine, and 복통 for a stomachache follows the same pattern.
How Do You Pronounce 두통?
Two syllables, du-tong. The first has a plain d and an oo vowel. The second starts with an aspirated t and ends on ng. When 이 follows, as in the first example, the ng stays: du-tong-i. Nothing in this word changes shape in speech, which makes it easy to say.
Example Sentences with 두통
두통이 심해요.
Dutongi simhaeyo.
My headache is bad.
The sentence says the headache is serious. 심해요 means severe, so 두통이 is the subject and the verb describes the intensity.
어제부터 두통이 있어요.
Eojebuteo dutongi isseoyo.
I have had a headache since yesterday.
A time marker comes first: 어제부터 means since yesterday. 있어요 then says the headache exists, which is the pattern doctors expect.
두통 약을 먹었어요.
Dutong yageul meogeosseoyo.
I took headache medicine.
The compound 두통 약 means headache medicine. 먹었어요 means took or ate, because Korean uses the verb for eating with pills.
Common Phrases and Collocations
The collocations show how to say you have one, the medicine, and the severe and long-lasting kinds.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 두통이 있다 | to have a headache |
| 두통약 | headache medicine |
| 심한 두통 | severe headache |
| 만성 두통 | chronic headache |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 두통이 아파요.
Correct: ✓ 두통이 있어요 or 머리가 아파요.
Why: 두통 already contains the idea of pain, so the verb 아프다 is redundant. The noun takes 있다. If you prefer the pain verb, use it with the head: 머리가 아프다.
두통 Compared with Similar Words
Three neighbours show the spoken alternative and two related body complaints.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 두통 | headache | The word on this page. |
| 머리가 아프다 | to have a headache | The usual spoken phrase. |
| 편두통 | migraine | A severe recurring headache. |
| 복통 | stomachache | Pain in the stomach. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
두통 is Sino-Korean. The hanja 頭痛 combine 頭, head, and 痛, pain.
Describing a Headache at a Pharmacy
A customer describes a symptom to a pharmacist. The exchange gives a starting time and mentions medicine already taken, without guessing the cause of the pain.
Customer
두통이 있어서 왔어요.
Dutongi isseoseo wasseoyo.
I came because I have a headache.
Pharmacist
언제부터 아프셨어요?
Eonjebuteo apeusyeosseoyo?
Since when have you been in pain?
Customer
오늘 아침부터요.
Oneul achimbuteoyo.
Since this morning.
Pharmacist
오늘 드신 약이 있어요?
Oneul deusin yagi isseoyo?
Have you taken any medicine today?
The customer does not need to add “my” before 두통. In this setting, the symptom belongs to the person speaking. 아침부터요 is a short answer built around “since this morning”; the earlier question makes a full sentence unnecessary. 드신 is respectful language for what the customer has taken.
Where Will You Hear or See 두통?
두통 appears on symptom lists, medicine packaging, health questionnaires, and in conversations with medical staff. It is a compact noun, so it fits a list where a whole sentence would be too long. In ordinary conversation, 머리가 아파요 is also a natural way to say that your head hurts.
두통 is not restricted to formal speech. A friend can use 두통이 있어요, especially when explaining a symptom clearly. The difference is mainly that 두통 names the condition as a noun, while 머리가 아파요 describes pain in the head. Both can appear with polite endings, and neither identifies a cause by itself.
The question 언제부터 asks when something began. A phrase ending in 부터 gives the starting point, as in the existing 어제부터 example. Saying when the pain began adds information that the bare noun 두통 cannot carry. “Since yesterday” and “this morning” describe different timelines even though both speakers have a headache now.
Describing the Symptom More Precisely
두통이 심하다 means “the headache is severe”. 심하다 describes intensity. 두통이 계속되다 means “the headache continues”; 계속되다 describes persistence. These combinations answer different questions, so a continuing headache is not automatically described as severe by the Korean wording alone.
두통이 나다 means “to get a headache”. Compare 두통이 있다, “to have a headache”: one highlights its appearance, while the other states that it is present. 두통이 사라지다 means “the headache goes away”. These are useful ways to describe a sequence without naming a diagnosis.
두통약 names medicine for a headache. 약을 먹다 is the ordinary combination for taking medicine by mouth; it is why the existing example uses 먹었어요. The verb 먹다 in that sentence means taking the medicine, not eating a meal. Naming a medicine and saying you took it are separate pieces of information.
Vocabulary for the Conversation That Follows
| Korean | Meaning | When it helps |
|---|---|---|
| 증상 | symptom | A general label for what you are experiencing. |
| 통증 | pain | A broader noun than headache. |
| 약사 | pharmacist | The professional at the pharmacy. |
| 약국 | pharmacy | The place, rather than the person. |
| 진통제 | pain reliever | A general medicine category rather than a headache symptom. |
The health vocabulary lesson teaches the wider set of symptoms and care settings. If you are describing your experience, start with 두통 or 머리가 아파요 and add the time or intensity you actually mean. The language lets you report a symptom without deciding what caused it.
Quick Self-Test
- Which is the natural noun pattern: 두통이 있어요 or 두통이 아파요?
- Does 심한 두통 describe intensity or a starting time?
- Which word names the pharmacist rather than the pharmacy?
Show answers
- 두통이 있어요. With 아파요, use 머리가 아파요.
- Intensity: it means a severe headache.
- 약사 names the pharmacist; 약국 is the pharmacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "headache" in Korean?
Headache in Korean is 두통 (dutong).
How do you say "I have a headache"?
Say 두통이 있어요 or the more spoken 머리가 아파요.
How do you say "headache medicine"?
Say 두통약 or 두통 약.
How do you say "migraine"?
Migraine is 편두통.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean health vocabulary groups 두통 with related words.
- Index: look up more words near "headache" in Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 두통 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next word in the list: cold.