위험
wiheom[ɥiɦʌ̹m]
The English phrase 'danger' is translated into Korean as 위험 (wiheom).
위험 is a noun meaning exposure to likely harm. You can use the idiom 위험에 처하다 to express being in a state of danger or facing a perilous situation, or 위험에 빠지다 to describe someone or something falling into a dangerous state.
Meaning: exposure to likely harm (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun 위험 can be turned into an adjective meaning 'to be dangerous' by adding the suffix –하다, resulting in 위험하다. For a more intense and descriptive way to say something is extremely dangerous or on the brink of disaster, you can use the adjective 위험천만하다.
How do you pronounce it?
wiheom
Did you know?
- The word 위험 can be used in many compound words related to economics, such as 'risk' in 'risk management', showing its versatility beyond physical harm.
- The individual characters in 위험 create a vivid image of danger, combining the concept of 'precipitous' or 'steep' with 'hazardous'.
- In Korean, many words for danger, such as 위험, are Hanja-based (Sino-Korean), which distinguishes them from native Korean words used for more everyday, physical threats.
Examples in context
- 우리는 항상 어떠한 위험 속에 처해 있다.We're always in some kind of danger.This sentence is useful for expressing being in a state of danger using 위험.Tatoeba #11107601 by intertime, translation #11104325 by CK
- 오존층이 없다면 우리는 위험에 빠질 수도 있다.Without the ozone layer, we would be in danger.This sentence shows how to describe falling into a state of danger using 위험.Tatoeba #11110758 by intertime, translation #31061 by CM
- 그러면 네가 위험해져.That will put you in danger.This sentence shows how the concept of danger can affect a person using 위험.Tatoeba #13250287 by qiwiwi, translation #43004 by Zifre
- 조심하세요! 위험합니다!Be careful! Danger! (Formal)
- 미끄러운 바닥 조심해! 위험해!Watch out for the slippery floor! Danger! (Informal)
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minji warns Hyunwoo about a broken railing.
- 민지 Min-ji현우 씨, 여기 위험해요. 조심하세요.Hyeon-u ssi, yeogi wiheom-haeyo. Josim-haseyo.Hyunwoo, it's dangerous here. Be careful.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo정말요? 어떤 위험이 있는 거예요?Jeongmal-yo? Eotteon wiheom-i inneun geoyeyo?Really? What kind of danger is there?
- 민지 Min-ji난간이 부서져서 아주 위험해요.Nangan-i buseojyeoseo aju wiheom-haeyo.The railing is broken, so it's very dangerous.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo알겠어요. 멀리 떨어져서 걸을게요.Algesseoyo. Meolli tteoreojyeoseo georeugelyo.I see. I'll walk far away from it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “danger” translations and entries 위험, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 위험, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
