How to say “heat wave” in Korean
3 phrases · Tourist, Learner, and Local levels · with pronunciation
폭염이에요!
🔊 Po-gyeo-mi-e-yo!
Literally: “It's a heat wave!”
💡 폭염 (pogyeom) = heat wave/extreme heat. Korea's summer heat waves are intense — 35°C+ with high humidity.
폭염 경보가 나왔어요, 물 많이 마시고 한낮에는 밖에 안 나가는 게 좋아요.
🔊 Po-gyeom gyeong-bo-ga na-wat-seo-yo, mul ma-ni ma-si-go han-na-je-neun ba-kke an na-ga-neun ge jo-a-yo
Literally: “A heat wave warning has been issued, drink lots of water and it's best not to go out at midday.”
💡 경보 = warning/alert; 한낮 = midday/high noon. Practical Korean heat advice.
찜통더위에 열대야까지, 밤에도 안 식어서 미치겠어요.
🔊 Jjim-tong-deo-wi-e yeol-dae-ya-kka-ji, ba-me-do an si-geo-seo mi-chi-get-seo-yo
Literally: “Steamer-pot heat plus tropical nights — it doesn't cool down even at night, I'm going crazy.”
💡 찜통더위 (jjimtong-deowi) = steamer-pot heat (like being inside a steam cooker); 열대야 (yeoldaeya) = tropical night (25°C+). 미치겠다 = going crazy. The full Korean summer suffering phrase.
About these Korean phrases
These Korean weather phrases cover three levels of fluency for expressing heat wave conditions. The Tourist phrase is what any beginner can use immediately. The Learner phrase sounds natural in everyday conversation. The Local phrase uses authentic idioms and expressions that native speakers actually use — the kind of phrase that makes locals smile when they hear a foreigner use it.
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