죽다
jukda[t͡ɕuk̚t͈a̠]
To say die in Korean, use 죽다 (jukda), the standard everyday verb. If unsure, use 죽다. Wiktionary also lists 돌아가시다 (doragasida) and 숨지다 (sumjida).
Meaning: to stop living (verb)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 죽다 | jukda | [t͡ɕuk̚t͈a̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 돌아가시다 | doragasida | [to̞ɾa̠ɡa̠ɕʰida̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | honorific |
| 숨지다 | sumjida | [ˈsʰu(ː)md͡ʑida̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 사망하다 | samanghada | [ˈsʰa̠(ː)ma̠ŋɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
죽다 is the most common way to say die.
What does it mean word for word?
The honorific 돌아가시다 literally means to go back.
Which one should you use?
Use 돌아가시다, meaning to pass away, instead of 죽다 when speaking about an elder or someone of higher status. 사망하다 is a formal, clinical term used in news reports, official documents, legal or medical contexts. 숨지다 is used in news media for a death, especially a sudden or tragic one. A die used in games is a different word, 주사위.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
사망하다 is formal and belongs in official writing and the news.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
죽겠다 is used in casual speech to exaggerate a feeling, like being extremely tired, hungry or overwhelmed.
How do you pronounce it?
It is written in Latin letters as jukda.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use 죽다 about your grandparents or other elders. Use 돌아가시다 to show respect.
Did you know?
- The verb 죽다 was recorded in Chinese characters as 朱幾 in a text from 1103, long before the Korean alphabet was invented.
- The honorific form 돌아가시다 is a suppletive verb, meaning it uses entirely different roots than 죽다 to change the level of respect.
- The honorific 돌아가시다 suggests that a person is not merely passing away but is 'returning' to their original place of origin.
Examples in context
- 너무 귀여워서 죽겠다It's so cute, I'm going to die.죽겠다 here is an exaggeration meaning it is so cute I could die.
- 그 사람은 10년 전에 죽었습니다.That person died ten years ago.
- 제 고양이는 나이가 들어서 죽었어요.My cat died because it got old.
- 전 세계에서 많은 사람들이 이 바이러스로 인해 사망했습니다.Many people worldwide died due to this virus.
- 사고로 인해 3명이 사망했습니다.Three people died in the accident.
- 이 영화를 보면 너무 웃다가 죽어버릴 것 같아!I feel like laughing so much that I might die while watching this movie!
- 정말 놀랐어요! 죽어버릴 뻔했어요!I was really surprised! I almost died from the shock!
- 강아지가 갑자기 죽다니 믿을 수 없어요.gang-aji-ga gap-ja-gi juk-da-ni mi-deul su eops-eo-yo.I cannot believe the puppy suddenly died.
Example conversation
Jihoon and Subin are watching a sad movie.
- 지훈 Ji-hun주인공이 여기서 죽다니 너무 슬퍼요.juingongi yeogiseo jukdani neomu seulpeoyo.It's so sad that the main character dies here.
- 수빈 Su-bin맞아요. 정말 비극적인 결말이에요.majayoo. jeongmal bigukjeogin gyeolmarieyo.You're right. It's a truly tragic ending.
- 지훈 Ji-hun갑자기 죽다니 믿을 수 없어요.gapjagi jukdani mideul su eopseoyo.I can't believe they died so suddenly.
- 수빈 Su-bin저도요. 눈물이 계속 나요.jeodoyo. nunmuri gyesok nayo.Me too. I keep crying.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “die” translations and entries 죽다, 돌아가시다, 숨지다, 사망하다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 돌아가시다, 사망하다, 숨지다, 죽다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
