Measurement in Korean: 측정 (cheukjeong) Meaning and Pronunciation

Key Facts

• Word: 측정 (cheukjeong), noun, Sino-Korean origin
• Register: Formal; common in technical, medical and scientific contexts.
• Hanja: 測定 (測 measure + 定 fix)
• Senses: measurement, measuring (verb: 측정하다)

Measurement in Korean: What Does 측정 Mean?

측정 is the word for taking a reading: height, temperature, a result. It is formal and common in technical, medical and scientific talk. When a nurse or an engineer says the reading is being taken, 측정 is the noun they reach for, and the verb 측정하다 follows from it. Between friends, the everyday verb for sizing something up is 재다.

How Do You Pronounce 측정?

Two things matter. The final ㄱ of 측 closes the syllable, and the ㅈ of 정 then comes out tense, so the spoken form is [측쩡]. Revised Romanization does not write that tensing, which is why the romanization stays cheukjeong. With the subject particle it is read cheuk-jjeong-i.

Example Sentences with 측정

This is a polite request, the kind a nurse or a trainer says. 측정해 보세요 combines the verb 측정하다 with "try doing it", and 키를 marks the height as the object.

Here 측정 is the subject of the sentence and 필요해요 says it is needed. The pairing 온도 측정 (temperature measurement) is typical of technical writing.

측정 works as the front half of a compound: 측정 결과 means "measurement result". The adjective 정확한 (accurate) sits in front and 나왔어요 says the result came out.

Common Phrases and Collocations

Most real uses combine 측정 with a thing being measured or a result.

The Mistake to Avoid: Pronunciation

Wrong: ✗ [측정] with a plain ㅈ

Correct: ✓ [측쩡] with a tense ㅈ

After the closing ㄱ of 측, the ㅈ must tighten (standard tensing after a stop). A plain ㅈ here sounds unnatural.

측정 Compared with Similar Words

재다 is the plain native verb for measuring; 측정 is the technical noun.

Where Does the Word Come From?

측정 is Sino-Korean, written 測定 in hanja. 測 means "measure" and 定 means "fix", so the word suggests measuring until a value is settled.

Taking a Reading at a Health Check

A staff member is taking a visitor’s temperature. The exchange concerns how to take the reading; the word 측정 itself says nothing about the result.

Staff member

Visitor

Staff member

체온 means body temperature. 측정할게요 announces what the staff member is about to do. The visitor’s question checks the position for the measurement, and 잠시만 asks for just a moment of waiting.

Where Will You See 측정?

측정 appears on digital devices, in app menus, in laboratory instructions and on health-check forms. A button marked 측정 starts a measurement. 측정 중 means the reading is being taken, while 측정 완료 means the process is complete. These labels describe stages of an action, rather than the quality of the result.

A screen showing 측정 결과 is presenting the result. The next information may be a number and a unit, a graph or a short explanation. 측정 alone does not tell you what was measured. The preceding noun, the device and the surrounding labels supply that missing information.

Formal vocabulary can still be part of an ordinary day. You may see 체온 측정 at a building entrance or use an app with a 측정 button at home. Between friends, 재다 often makes a shorter conversational verb. The setting and the task matter more than whether the speaker is a specialist.

Useful Combinations beyond the Headword

측정값 means a measured value: the number obtained by measuring. 측정 결과 is broader and can introduce several readings or a written account. A report can therefore contain both: individual values within an overall results section.

측정 오차 means measurement error, the difference or uncertainty associated with a reading. It does not automatically mean someone typed a number incorrectly. In a technical text, 오차 concerns the measurement’s limits, so translating it simply as a personal “mistake” may mislead.

측정 기기 means a measuring device. This names the equipment rather than the measured object. Keep the roles separate when reading instructions: 체온 is what is measured, 기기 is what measures it, and 결과 is what the process produces.

계산 is calculation. Measuring a desk with a tape gives its length and width; multiplying those numbers to find an area is calculation. Both actions can occur in one task, but 측정 and 계산 name different steps.

Words to Read beside a Measurement

The measurement vocabulary lesson teaches dimensions and quantities together. When reading a measurement, identify the quantity and its unit before comparing the numbers: a bare value does not tell you whether the display concerns length, weight or temperature.

Quick Self-Test

1. What sound does the ㅈ have in 측정?
2. Does 측정 중 mean the result is ready?
3. Which word describes multiplying measured lengths to find an area: 측정 or 계산?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is measurement in Korean?

It is 측정 (cheukjeong), a formal noun for measurement.

How do I say "to measure" in Korean?

Add 하다 to the noun to get 측정하다, as in 키를 측정해 보세요. In casual talk people also say 재다.

Why is 측정 pronounced with a tense ㅈ?

The closing ㄱ of 측 tightens the ㅈ that follows, so the sound is [측쩡].

Is 측정 used in everyday chat?

Rarely. It is formal and technical, and 재다 is the natural verb for informal talk.

Related Words and What to Learn Next

• Theme list: Measurement belongs to the measurement vocabulary list, where 측정 sits beside the words for size and amount.
• Index: the Korean words A to Z page lists every word entry, including measurement.
• Practice: put 측정 on your cards with the vocabulary flashcard decks.