Meaning and Usage
허리 refers to the waist or the small of the back, a common body part mentioned in daily conversation, especially related to health or posture.
Common Contexts
It is often used when talking about pain or discomfort (허리가 아프다), posture during exercise (허리를 곧게 펴다), or physical actions like bowing (허리를 숙이다).
Collocations and Patterns
- 허리가 아프다: to have waist pain, commonly used when describing back pain.
- 허리를 펴다: to straighten the waist, important in posture or exercise.
- 허리를 숙이다: to bend the waist, often used when bowing or showing respect.
Register and Politeness
허리 is a neutral noun used in both formal and informal contexts. The verbs and sentence endings determine the politeness level.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 허리 with 등 (back) or 배 (stomach). 허리 specifically means the waist area, between the ribs and hips, so use it when referring to that part of the body.