불의
burui[puɾɰi]
The English word 'injustice' is translated into Korean in several ways depending on the context. The default form is 불의 (burui). Wiktionary also lists 부정 (bujeong) and 불공평 (bulgongpyeong).
Meaning: absence of justice (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 불의 | burui | [puɾɰi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 부정 | bujeong | [ˈpu(ː)d͡ʑʌ̹ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [pud͡ʑʌ̹ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 불공평 | bulgongpyeong | [puɭɡo̞ŋpʰjʌ̹ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 부당 | budang | [puda̠ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
불의 refers to a general absence of justice or righteousness. 부정 is used specifically for injustice involving corruption, fraud or dishonest practices. 불공평 expresses injustice in the sense of being unequal, unfair or imbalanced. 부당 describes things that are unreasonable or lack proper grounds.
Which one should you use?
부당 is often used as an adjective, 부당한, to describe specific actions, decisions or treatment that are considered unreasonable or unjust. For a specific type of injustice involving corruption or fraud, use 부정. For injustice regarding inequality or imbalance, use 불공평.
How does it change in a sentence?
When 불의 is the direct object of a verb, such as 'to fight' (싸우다), it takes the object marker 를 to become 불의를.
How do you pronounce it?
burui
Did you know?
- The word 부당 for 'unreasonable' can be written with different Hanja characters that, quite unexpectedly, refer to 'husband and wife' groups in ancient contexts.
- The word 부정 can mean 'injustice' related to corruption, but it is also the standard word for 'denial' or 'negation' in logic and mathematics.
- The term 불의 is often used in the phrase 불의를 보면 참지 못하는 성격, which describes a personality type that cannot stand by and watch an injustice happen.
Examples in context
- 그 사람의 구매 요청은 부당하다.His purchase request is unjust.
- 그 정책은 사회적으로 불공평하다.That policy is socially unfair.
- 이 경기에서 심판은 너무 불공평해!The referee in this game is so unfair!
- 그는 불의에 맞서 싸웠다.geuneun bul-uie matseo ssawotda.He fought against injustice.
- 사회의 불의를 바로잡아야 한다.sahoeui bul-uire barojabeoya handa.We must correct the injustices of society.
- 그 사건은 명백한 불의였다.geu sageoneun myeongbaekhan bul-uiyeotda.That incident was a clear injustice.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a news report about a unfair court ruling.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo뉴스 봤어? 정말 말도 안 돼.nyuseu bwasseo? jeongmal mal-do an dwae.Did you see the news? It's unbelievable.
- 민지 Min-ji맞아, 이런 불의는 사라져야 해.maja, ireon bul-ui-neun sarajyeoya hae.Right, this kind of injustice should disappear.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo세상이 조금 더 공평했으면 좋겠어.sesang-i jogeum deo gongpyeong-haesseumyeon jokesseo.I wish the world were a bit fairer.
- 민지 Min-ji나도 그렇게 생각해, 현우야.nado geureoke saeng-gakhae, hyeon-u-ya.I think so too, Hyeon-u.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “injustice” translations and entries 불의, 부정, 불공평, 부당, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 부당, 부정, 불공평, CC BY-SA 4.0.
