Nuance Dictionary / Sounds & Sensations
으슬으슬 e-seul-e-seul
The specific, creeping sensation of a light chill just before a fever or cold takes hold.
What does 으슬으슬 mean?
으슬으슬 (e-seul-e-seul) means: The specific, creeping sensation of a light chill just before a fever or cold takes hold.
Natives use this to describe that precise moment you realize you’re about to get sick, usually before any actual coughing or sneezing starts. It’s a sensory word that signals you’re feeling 'off' and need to retreat or grab a blanket. Learners often confuse it with being 'cold' due to weather, but *으슬으슬* is strictly internal—it’s the feeling of your body’s immunity beginning to lose the war.
Other sides of 으슬으슬
◆ Creepy psychological dread — While textbooks link this purely to the flu, natives use it to describe the 'cold sweat' feeling of a spine-tingling encounter. It’s that specific moment when the hair on your arms stands up because you’ve heard a ghost story or sensed something wrong in a dark hallway. Learners often mistake this for 'scary' (무서운), but remember: 으슬으슬 is the physical reaction to the dread, not the dread itself.
🎙️ 으슬으슬은 표기 그대로 읽지 않아요 — 실제로는 [으스르슬]로 소리나요 (연음법칙). 발음 연습하기 →
How it's actually used
- 갑자기 몸이 으슬으슬한 게 감기 기운이 있나 봐.
gap-ja-gi mom-i eu-seul-eu-seul-han ge gam-gi gi-un-i it-na bwa.
I suddenly feel a bit feverish and shivery; I think I might be coming down with a cold.
💡 Shows the classic pairing of the word with '감기 기운' (cold symptoms/aura). - 어제 비를 맞았더니 밤새 으슬으슬해서 잠을 설쳤어.
eo-je bi-reul mat-at-deo-ni bam-sae eu-seul-eu-seul-hae-seo jam-eul seol-cheot-seo.
I got caught in the rain yesterday, and I was so shivery all night I couldn't sleep well.
💡 Highlights how the word describes a lingering, restless discomfort. - 으슬으슬할 때 얼른 따뜻한 차 마시고 푹 자야 해.
eu-seul-eu-seul-hal ttae eol-leun tta-tteut-han cha ma-si-go puk ja-ya hae.
When you feel those first chills, you need to drink warm tea and get some deep sleep immediately.
💡 Demonstrates the word's role as a trigger for self-care advice.
Related words in Sounds & Sensations
어슬렁 eo-seul-reong으으으 eu-eu-eu가물가물 ga-mul-ga-mul간질간질 gan-jil-gan-jil글썽글썽 geulsseong-geulsseong