약 has multiple meanings depending on context:
1. Medicine / Drugs (약 as a noun)
약을 먹다 → To take medicine
감기약 → Cold medicine
두통약 → Headache medicine
2. Approximately (약 as an adverb)
약 10분 정도 걸려요. → It takes about 10 minutes.
약 100명 왔어요. → About 100 people came.
3. Promise (약속, shortened form)
약을 지키다 → To keep a promise
약속을 하다 → To make a promise
The phrase 약을 먹다 means “to take medicine” or “to consume medication.”
Breakdown:
약 (yak) → “Medicine”
을 (eul) → Object marker
먹다 (meokda) → “To eat” or “To take”
Even though 먹다 typically means “to eat,” in this case, it refers to the act of taking medicine, whether in pill, liquid, or other forms.
Example Sentences:
약을 먹어야 해요. → You need to take medicine.
감기 때문에 약을 먹었어요. → I took medicine because of a cold.
약을 먹고 나서 좀 나아졌어요. → After taking medicine, I felt better.