비상 사태
bisang satae
The English phrase 'emergency' is translated into Korean as 비상 사태 (bisang satae).
비상 사태 refers to an emergency situation. This term is typically used for large-scale, serious emergencies such as national crises, natural disasters or major security threats.
Meaning: situation requiring urgent assistance (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 비상 (bisang), meaning 'emergency' or 'extraordinary' and 사태 (satae), meaning 'situation' or 'state of affairs'.
How do you pronounce it?
bisang satae
When do people say it?
In South Korea, the emergency hotline number is 112.
Did you know?
- The word 비상 can also mean 'to soar' or 'to fly high' in a completely different context. This is because the same pronunciation is used for the Hanja meaning 'extraordinary' and the Hanja meaning 'soaring'.
- In South Korea, if you are in a medical emergency, you should call 119 instead of 112. While 112 is for the police, 119 is the dedicated number for fire and ambulance services.
- In Korean, the word 사태 is almost exclusively used for negative situations. You would not use it to describe a 'situation' that is positive or neutral.
Examples in context
- 비상입니다. 도와주세요.It's an emergency. Please help.
- 긴급 상황입니다. 신고해주세요.It's an urgent situation. Please report it.
- 비상 사태가 발생했습니다.bisang satae-ga balsaenghaesseumnida.An emergency has occurred.
- 비상 사태를 대비해야 합니다.bisang satae-reul daebi-haeya hamnida.We must prepare for an emergency.
Example conversation
Subin and Hyunwoo are discussing a news report about a sudden crisis.
- 수빈 Su-bin현우 씨, 뉴스 봤어요?Hyeonwoo ssi, nyuseu bwasseoyo?Hyunwoo, did you see the news?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo아니요, 무슨 일이에요?Aniyo, museun irieyo?No, what is happening?
- 수빈 Su-bin정말 큰 비상 사태라고 해요.Jeongmal keun bisang satae-rago haeyo.They say it is a very large emergency.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo정말 위험한 상황이네요.Jeongmal wiheomhan sanghwang-ineyo.That sounds like a really dangerous situation.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “emergency” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 비상, 사태, CC BY-SA 4.0.
