Meaning and Usage
The word '가뭄' specifically refers to a period of drought or a lack of rainfall causing dryness, especially affecting agriculture and water supply. It is a noun commonly used in news, weather reports, and everyday conversation when discussing environmental conditions.
Common Collocations
- 가뭄이 들다: to experience a drought
- 가뭄이 심하다: the drought is severe
- 가뭄 때문에: because of the drought
- 가뭄으로 인한 피해: damage caused by drought
These collocations help express the severity and consequences of drought.
Register and Usage Notes
'가뭄' is a neutral noun used in both formal and informal contexts. It is often paired with verbs like '들다' (to occur) or adjectives like '심하다' (severe). Learners should avoid confusing '가뭄' with general dryness or thirst; it specifically refers to a meteorological drought.
Common Mistake
A common mistake is to use '가뭄' to describe personal thirst or dryness of the mouth, which is incorrect. For personal thirst, words like '목마름' are appropriate instead.