약

약 U+C57D, 약 HANGUL SYLLABLE YAG Composition: ㅇ + ㅑ + ㄱ ← 야 [U+C57C] Hangul Syllables 앾 → [U+C57E]

야약앾앿얀얁얂 얃얄얅얆얇얈얉 얊얋얌얍얎얏얐 양얒얓얔얕얖얗
애 ←	→ 얘

Korean

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ja̠k̚]
• Phonetic hangul: [약]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	yak
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	yag
McCune–Reischauer?	yak
Yale Romanization?	yak

Etymology 1

약 (yak) is used prominently on storefronts as a signifier for pharmacies.

Sino-Korean word from 藥 (“drug; medicine”), from the Middle Korean reading 약〮 (Yale: yák).

Noun

약 • (yak) (hanja 藥)

1. drug; medicine

   약을 복용하다 ― yag-eul bogyonghada ― to take medicine

Derived terms

• 약(藥)하다 (yakhada)
• See the hanja entry at 藥 for Sino-Korean compounds of 약 (藥, yak).

Etymology 2

Sino-Korean word from 約 (“approximately; about”), from the Middle Korean reading 약〮 (Yale: yák).

Adverb

약 • (yak) (hanja 約)

1. approximately; about

   그 경기는 약 두 시간 동안 진행되었다.

   Geu gyeonggi-neun yak du sigan dong'an jinhaengdoeeotda.

   The game went on for about two hours.

Derived terms

• See the hanja entry at 約 for Sino-Korean compounds of 약 (約, yak).

Etymology 3

Sino-Korean word from 籥 (“ancient vertical bamboo flute”).

Noun

약 • (yak) (hanja 籥)

1. a yak, an ancient notched vertical bamboo flute of Chinese origin with three fingerholes used today only in Confucian ritual music and dance in South Korea

Derived terms

• See the hanja entry at 籥 for Sino-Korean compounds of 약 (籥, yak).

Etymology 4

Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

Syllable

약 • (yak)

More information

1. 弱: weak

   (eumhun reading: 약할 약 (yakhal yak))
   (MC reading: 弱 (MC nyak))

2. 若: like; as if

   (eumhun reading: 같을 약 (gateul yak))
   (MC reading: 若 (MC nyak))

3. 躍: leap

   (eumhun reading: 뛸 약 (ttwil yak))
   (MC reading: 躍 (MC yak))

4. 葯:

   (MC reading: 葯 (MC 'aewk|'jak))

5. 蒻:

   (MC reading: 蒻 (MC nyak))

6. 爚:

   (MC reading: 爚 (MC yak|syak))

7. 禴:

   (MC reading: 禴 (MC yak))

8. 篛:

   (MC reading: 篛)

9. 鑰:

   (MC reading: 鑰 (MC yak))

10. 鶸:

    (MC reading: 鶸)

11. 龠:

    (MC reading: 龠 (MC yak))