Korean Dictionary
How to say "Pollution" in Korean
“Pollution” in Korean is 오염 (pronounced "oyeom").
오염
oyeom
Usage & Context
Pollution or 오염 is a major environmental concern in South Korea. Air and water pollution are significant problems in Korean cities. Korea has implemented strict environmental regulations to reduce pollution.
Example Sentence
대기 오염이 심각한 문제예요.
Air pollution is a serious problem.
How to use 오염 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Pollution” is 오염, romanized as oyeom.
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 오염.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'o-yeom'. Two syllables: 'o' (like English 'oh'), 'yeom' (like 'yum' with a slightly more open vowel).
More Example Sentences
news discussion
환경 오염이 심각한 수준이에요.
Pollution has reached a serious level.
environmental discussion
수질 오염 때문에 강에 물고기가 줄었어요.
Fish decreased due to water pollution.
construction
토양 오염 검사를 받아야 해요.
A soil pollution test needs to be done.
Cultural Context
오염 is the general word for pollution/contamination, often paired with specifiers: 대기 오염 (air), 수질 오염 (water), 토양 오염 (soil). Air pollution and fine dust (미세먼지) are particularly live topics in Korea given seasonal issues affecting daily life — checking the 미세먼지 forecast is a morning ritual for many Koreans.
Editorial note
We review entries like 오염 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
공기 오염이 심해요.
Air pollution is severe.
오염을 줄여야 해요.
We need to reduce pollution.
바다가 오염됐어요.
The ocean has been polluted.
Related Expressions
미세먼지
misemeonji
fine dust / PM particles
공해
gonghae
environmental pollution
오염되다
oyeomdoeda
to be polluted
정화
jeonghwa
purification
More Environment Words
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