병원 vs 의료기관
Korean word comparison
Listen to 병원
Listen to 의료기관
| 병원 | 의료기관 |
|---|---|
BYEONG-won noun | ui-ryo-gi-gan (ee-ryo-gi-gan) noun |
| hospital; a medical facility where people receive diagnosis and treatment | medical institution; a formal/administrative term covering hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities |
How they differ
의료기관 is a broad, administrative term that includes 병원, 의원, and other healthcare providers, whereas 병원 specifically denotes a hospital-level facility.
When to use each
When to use 병원: Use 병원 when referring specifically to a hospital as a place for inpatient care and emergency services.
When to use 의료기관: Use 의료기관 when speaking formally or collectively about healthcare facilities in policy, statistics, or legal contexts.
Side-by-side examples
- 우리 동네에 새 병원이 생겨서 편리해졌다.
(A new hospital opened in our neighborhood, which has made things more convenient.) - 정부는 지역 의료기관의 인력 확충을 지원할 계획이다.
(The government plans to support staffing increases at regional medical institutions.)
Register & nuance: Formal and administrative; commonly used in official documents, reports, and media when discussing the healthcare system as a whole.