약

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

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

약 • (yak) (hanja 藥)

1. drug; medicine

   약을 복용하다 ― yag-eul bogyonghada ― to take medicine

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Borrowed from Japanese 役 (yaku). Doublet of 역(役) (yeok), cognate of English yaku.

약 • (yak)

2. (hanafuda) Any combination of hwatu cards that scores points; yaku.

   Synonym: 족보 (jokbo)

   • 2014, 임철순, “고스톱과 육백”, in 한국일보‎^[1], archived from the original on 2025=07=21:

     하지만 화투짝 48장 중에서 뭘 뭘 빼고 치는지 기억나지 않고 약이 뭐 뭐 있는지도 가물가물했다.

     Hajiman hwatujjak 48jang jung'eseo mwol mwol ppaego chineunji gieongnaji anko yagi mwo mwo inneunjido gamulgamulhaetda.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2019, 운담 상담선생, “육백내기 화투 치는법”, in 유명 철학 인생상담檀佛神寺‎^[2], archived from the original on 21 July 2025:

     한 판이 끝나면 자기가 먹은 패 중에서 "약"을 세고, 50또는 10짜리 패를 합산하여 상대방과 비교한 후 승부를 냅니다.

     Han pani kkeunnamyeon jagiga meogeun pae jung'eseo yageul sego, 50ttoneun 10jjari paereul hapsanhayeo sangdaebanggwa bigyohan hu seungbureul naemnida.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

4. (hanafuda) A four of a kind of hwatu cards of the same month that scores points.

   Coordinate term: 단 (dan)

   • 2019, 옥쨩S2, “민화투 / 민화투 치는법 / 2명, 3명, 4명, 5명”, in 행복 뭐 별거 없지✌️‎^[3], archived from the original on 21 July 2025:

     그리고 또 다른 점수 올리는 방법!! 바로 '약'이에요. (...) 약은 다른 사람들에게 20점씩 받으면 된답니다!

     Geurigo tto dareun jeomsu ollineun bangbeop!! baro yak ieyo. (...) yageun dareun saramdeurege 20jeomssik badeumyeon doendamnida!

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2023 or prior, “화투 [hwatu]”, in 한국민속대백과사전 [Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture]‎^[4], National Folk Museum of Korea, archived from the original on 29 May 2023:

     3단은 5끗짜리 띠를 모으는 것으로 솔·매화·벚꽃으로 된 홍단과, 모란·국화·단풍으로 된 청단, 난초·흑싸리·홍싸리로 된 초단이 있고, 3약에는 난초약·단풍약·비약이 있어 그 달에 해당하는 넉 장의 패를 모두 차지하면 되는 것이다.

     3daneun 5kkeutjjari ttireul mo'euneun geoseuro sol·maehwa·beotkkocheuro doen hongdan'gwa, moran·gukhwa·danpung'euro doen cheongdan, nancho·heukssari·hongssariro doen chodani itgo, 3yageneun nanchoyak·danpung'yak·biyagi isseo geu dare haedanghaneun neok jang'ui paereul modu chajihamyeon doeneun geosida.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

• 난초약 (nanchoyak, “four of a kind of the orchid/iris suit”)
• 단풍약 (danpung'yak, “four of a kind of the maple suit”)
• 똥약 (ttong'yak, “four of a kind of the paulownia suit”)
• 비약 (biyak, “four of a kind of the rain suit”)
• 초약 (choyak, “four of a kind of the orchid/iris suit”)
• 풍약 (pung'yak, “four of a kind of the maple suit”)

Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

약 • (yak)