Key Facts
- Hangul: 주사; Revised Romanization: jusa
- Syllables: 2
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean
- Hanja: 注射 (注 pour + 射 shoot)
- Register: Neutral; used for medical injections and vaccines.
Injection in Korean: What Does 주사 Mean?
The senses are injection and shot. The register is neutral, and the word is used for medical injections and for vaccines. The verbs matter more than the noun. You receive a shot with 맞다 and a doctor gives one with 놓다. A syringe is a 주사기, and a vaccine shot is 예방 주사. A needle used in acupuncture is a different word, 침.
How Do You Pronounce 주사?
Two syllables, ju-sa. The first starts with a soft j. The second begins with s and ends on the open vowel a. With a particle, such as 를 in the first example, the word does not change: ju-sa-reul.
Example Sentences with 주사
주사를 맞았어요.
Jusareul majasseoyo.
I got a shot.
The verb 맞았어요 is the key. 맞다 means to be hit or struck, and that is how Korean says to receive a shot.
저는 주사가 무서워요.
Jeoneun jusaga museowoyo.
I am afraid of shots.
A feeling about the needle. 무서워요 means scary, so the speaker says shots are frightening.
의사 선생님이 주사를 놓아 주셨어요.
Uisa seonsaengnimi jusareul noa jusyeosseoyo.
The doctor gave me an injection.
The doctor is the giver here. 놓아 주셨어요 uses 놓다 and an honorific ending, which is why the phrase fits a polite report.
Common Phrases and Collocations
The collocations give both verbs, the vaccine and the equipment word.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 주사를 맞다 | to get an injection |
| 주사를 놓다 | to give an injection |
| 예방 주사 | vaccine shot |
| 주사기 | syringe |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 주사를 받다 for getting a shot.
Correct: ✓ 주사를 맞다, as in 주사를 맞았어요.
Why: Learners carry the English word receive over to 받다. It is understood, but the natural verb for getting a shot is 맞다. If you are the one giving it, use 놓다.
주사 Compared with Similar Words
Three related words appear in a clinic visit, but they are not interchangeable with 주사.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 주사 | injection; shot | The word on this page. |
| 백신 | vaccine | The vaccine itself rather than the injection. |
| 링거 | IV drip | An IV drip, not a single shot. |
| 침 | acupuncture needle | A needle used in acupuncture. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
주사 is Sino-Korean. The hanja 注射 combine 注, pour, and 射, shoot, so the picture is shooting liquid in.
Before a Shot at the Clinic
A patient talks to a nurse just before an injection. The exchange uses the ordinary word 주사 rather than a technical name for the procedure.
Nurse
오늘 주사를 맞으실 거예요.
Oneul jusareul majeusil geoyeyo.
You’ll be getting a shot today.
Patient
제가 주사를 좀 무서워해요.
Jega jusareul jom museowohaeyo.
I’m a little afraid of shots.
Nurse
천천히 숨을 쉬세요.
Cheoncheonhi sumeul swiseyo.
Breathe slowly.
Patient
네, 준비됐어요.
Ne, junbidwaesseoyo.
Okay, I’m ready.
맞으실 거예요 is a respectful form addressed to the patient. The patient uses 무서워해요 with 주사를 to say they fear shots. In the earlier example, 주사가 무서워요 describes shots as frightening; both patterns express the same everyday concern.
Who Gets the Shot and Who Gives It?
주사를 맞다 describes the person receiving the injection. 주사를 놓다 describes the person giving it. This difference matters when the sentence leaves out the person, which Korean often does. 주사를 맞았어요 normally reports getting a shot, while 주사를 놓았어요 reports administering one.
The object marker 를 follows 주사 in both expressions. Changing the marker does not switch the roles; the verb does. A nurse can use 맞다 when describing their own vaccination and 놓다 when describing their work. The choice follows the action in that sentence rather than the speaker’s occupation.
Phrases You May Hear during the Visit
주사 한 대 means “one shot”. 대 is the counter used with injections in this expression. It counts the injections, so it is different from naming the medicine or the equipment. 주사 두 대 means two shots, with the native Korean number 두 before the counter.
주사실 is an injection room. On a clinic sign, 실 marks a room used for a particular purpose. The sign names the location; it does not tell you what medicine will be administered. 예방 주사 names a preventive shot, while 백신 names the vaccine itself.
주사를 맞으러 가다 means “to go to get a shot”. The part 맞으러 gives the purpose of going. This phrase is useful when explaining an appointment or why you are heading to a clinic. You can recognize the same receiving verb 맞다 inside the longer expression.
Where Will You Hear 주사?
주사 is neutral and works in conversation with clinic staff, family members and children. A parent may use the same noun as a nurse. Politeness comes from the rest of the sentence, such as the respectful ending in the dialogue, rather than from a special respectful noun for the shot.
In a hospital drama, listen for whether a character is receiving a shot, administering one or asking about it. The noun alone does not specify a vaccine, dose or medical reason. This page teaches the words for the interaction; the name of the particular treatment supplies those details.
Related Words around an Injection
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 간호사 | nurse | Names the professional speaking in the dialogue. |
| 주사기 | syringe | The device used for an injection. |
| 주삿바늘 | injection needle | Names the needle specifically. |
| 예방 접종 | vaccination | Names the vaccination procedure. |
The health vocabulary lesson adds the words for appointments, symptoms and treatment. Learn 주사기 and 주삿바늘 separately so you can recognize the equipment words without using them as names for the entire visit.
Quick Self-Test
- Which verb describes receiving an injection: 맞다 or 놓다?
- Does 백신 mean the syringe?
- What does 주사 한 대 count?
Show answers
- 맞다. 놓다 describes giving the injection.
- No. It names the vaccine; 주사기 is a syringe.
- One injection or shot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "injection" in Korean?
Injection in Korean is 주사 (jusa).
How do you say "I got a shot"?
Say 주사를 맞았어요.
How do you say "the doctor gave me an injection"?
Say 의사 선생님이 주사를 놓아 주셨어요.
How do you say "vaccine shot"?
Say 예방 주사.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean health vocabulary groups 주사 with related words.
- Index: look up more words near "injection" in Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 주사 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next word in the list: prescription.