Korean Dictionary
How to say "Oxygen" in Korean
“Oxygen” in Korean is 산소 (pronounced "sanso").
산소
sanso
Usage & Context
Oxygen is essential for most life forms and makes up about 21% of Earth atmosphere. Forests and phytoplankton are primary oxygen producers. Protecting forests in Korea ensures a continued supply of oxygen.
Example Sentence
산소가 없으면 살 수 없어요.
We cannot live without oxygen.
How to use 산소 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Oxygen” is 산소, romanized as sanso.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 산소.
Pronunciation Guide
산 (san) sounds like 'sahn' (as in 'sandal' without the 'dal'). 소 (so) sounds like 'so' (as in 'so much'). The two syllables are pronounced distinctly and evenly.
More Example Sentences
Discussing the environmental benefits of forests.
숲은 우리에게 신선한 산소를 공급해 줍니다.
Forests provide us with fresh oxygen.
Explaining a health or medical condition.
산소가 부족하면 숨쉬기 힘들어요.
It's hard to breathe if there's not enough oxygen.
Describing a biological process in aquatic life.
물고기는 아가미로 물속의 산소를 흡수해요.
Fish absorb oxygen in the water with their gills.
Cultural Context
'산소' is a very common and fundamental word in Korean, used in everyday conversation, science, health, and environmental discussions. Koreans often associate fresh air and '산소' with natural environments like mountains (산) and forests. Many people go hiking to 'get some fresh air' (맑은 공기 마시다), directly linking the word to a sense of well-being and nature. It's a basic vocabulary word learned early on.
Editorial note
We review entries like 산소 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
산소 마스크
oxygen mask
산소 농도
oxygen concentration
산소 호흡기
oxygen respirator
Related Expressions
공기
gonggi
Air
이산화탄소
isan화tanso
Carbon Dioxide
수소
suso
Hydrogen
질소
jilso
Nitrogen
More Environment Words
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