Pharmaceutical Labels in Korean: 효능, 용법, 금기, 부작용

Core examples: 효능, 용법, 금기, 부작용, 복용량, 식후, 보관, 유효기간, 주의사항.

Small words on medicine labels can carry large consequences

A Korean medicine instruction sheet may contain:

효능·효과 용법·용량 사용상의 주의사항 다음 환자에는 투여하지 말 것 이상반응 보관방법 유효기간

These phrases are not ordinary descriptive Korean. They organize what the medicine is for, how it is used, who should not use it, what can go wrong, and how it should be stored.

The key principle is:

Pharmaceutical Korean is section-based safety language.

This article is language literacy, not medical or dosing advice. Always follow professional medical/pharmacy guidance.

효능

효능

means efficacy/effect.

Labels often use:

효능·효과 efficacy and effects / indications

This section tells what the medicine is intended to treat or relieve.

Related:

효과 effect

증상 완화 symptom relief

치료 treatment

Learner action: 효능 is not dosage. It says what the medicine is for.

용법 and 용량

용법

means method of use.

용량

means dose/amount.

Often written together:

용법·용량 dosage and administration

Related:

복용량 dosage amount

1회 per dose/each time

1일 per day

투여 administration of medication

Example pattern:

성인 1회 1정, 1일 3회 식후 복용 Adults: one tablet per dose, three times a day, take after meals.

Learner action: parse dose, frequency, timing, and target group separately.

금기

금기

means contraindication/prohibited use.

Related:

투여하지 말 것 do not administer/use

복용하지 말 것 do not take

다음 환자에는 투여하지 말 것 do not administer to the following patients

금기 language is stronger than ordinary caution.

Learner action: treat 금기 as high-priority safety language.

부작용

부작용

means side effect/adverse reaction.

Regulatory/medical labels may also use:

이상반응 adverse reaction

이상사례 adverse event/case

알레르기 반응 allergic reaction

즉시 중단 stop immediately

Learner action: side-effect language may include what to monitor and when to consult.

복용량

복용량

means amount to take/dosage.

Related:

복용법 how to take

복용 횟수 number of times to take

과량 복용 overdose/excessive intake

정 tablet

캡슐 capsule

mL milliliters

Learner action: dosage units must be read exactly.

식후

식후

means after meals.

Related:

식전 before meals

식간 between meals, not always “during meal”

취침 전 before bedtime

필요시 as needed

Timing phrases are safety-critical.

Learner action: 식후 is medication timing, not casual food vocabulary in this context.

보관

보관

means storage.

Related:

보관방법 storage method

실온 보관 store at room temperature

냉장 보관 refrigerated storage

직사광선을 피하다 avoid direct sunlight

어린이의 손이 닿지 않는 곳 place out of reach of children

Learner action: storage affects safety and effectiveness.

유효기간

유효기간

means expiration/validity period.

Related:

사용기한 use-by period/expiration date

제조일자 manufacturing date

개봉 후 after opening

Learner action: check whether date is expiration, manufacture, or use-after-opening limit.

주의사항

주의사항

means precautions/points requiring caution.

Common section:

사용상의 주의사항 precautions for use

This may include:

• who should not take it,
• who should consult doctor/pharmacist,
• possible side effects,
• interactions,
• pregnancy/breastfeeding cautions,
• storage warnings,
• driving or alcohol cautions.

Learner action: 주의사항 is not optional reading if using the medicine.

Label-section table

Dosage sentence walkthrough

성인: 1회 1정, 1일 3회 식후에 복용하십시오.

Breakdown:

성인 adults

1회 1정 one tablet per dose

1일 3회 three times per day

식후에 after meals

복용하십시오 take

Learner action: target group, amount, frequency, timing, action.

Warning sentence walkthrough

이 약 또는 이 약의 성분에 과민반응이 있는 환자는 복용하지 마십시오.

Breakdown:

이 약 this medicine

성분 ingredients/components

과민반응 hypersensitivity

환자 patient/person

복용하지 마십시오 do not take

Plain meaning:

People with hypersensitivity to this medicine or its ingredients should not take it.

Learner action: this is a contraindication warning.

Example bank walkthrough

효능

Efficacy/effect.

Learner action: intended use.

용법

How to use.

Learner action: administration method.

금기

Contraindication.

Learner action: do-not-use condition.

부작용

Side effect.

Learner action: adverse reaction awareness.

복용량

Dosage amount.

Learner action: exact amount.

식후

After meals.

Learner action: timing.

보관

Storage.

Learner action: storage condition.

유효기간

Expiration/validity period.

Learner action: date safety.

주의사항

Precautions.

Learner action: warning hierarchy.

Pharmaceutical-label workflow

When reading Korean medicine labels:

1. Identify product/medicine name.
2. Read 효능·효과.
3. Read 용법·용량 by target group.
4. Extract dose, frequency, timing, route.
5. Read 금기/do-not-use section.
6. Read 주의사항.
7. Read 부작용/이상반응.
8. Check storage instructions.
9. Check expiration/use-by date.
10. Confirm with pharmacist/doctor if uncertain.

Medication-warning hierarchy table

Pharmaceutical Korean has a warning hierarchy.

Read do-not-use and dosage sections before treating the label as general information.

Dosage parse grid

For each dosage sentence, extract:

This reduces the chance of mixing amount, frequency, and timing.

High-stakes use warning

This article should never be used to decide medication use. It teaches label structure and vocabulary so the reader knows what to ask a pharmacist or doctor to confirm.

A strong tool for this article would split a label into safety sections.

Suggested functions:

1. Section detector.
2. Dosage table builder.
3. Timing phrase highlighter.
4. Contraindication warning.
5. Side-effect term glossary.
6. Storage/date fields.
7. “Ask pharmacist” caution flag.

Final rule

Korean pharmaceutical labels are not ordinary reading practice.

효능 tells purpose. 용법 and 복용량 tell how. 금기 says who must not use. 부작용 and 주의사항 warn. 식후, 보관, and 유효기간 tell timing, storage, and date.

If it affects medication use, verify before acting.