영안실
yeong'ansil[jʌ̹ŋa̠nɕʰiɭ]
The English phrase 'morgue' is 영안실 (yeong'ansil) in Korean. Wiktionary also lists 시체공시소 (sichegongsiso).
Meaning: place for dead people (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 영안실 | yeong'ansil | [jʌ̹ŋa̠nɕʰiɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 시체공시소 | sichegongsiso | [ɕʰit͡ɕʰe̞ɡo̞ŋɕʰisʰo̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term refers to a place for dead people.
Which one should you use?
영안실 is the standard term used in hospitals, whereas 시체공시소 is a more clinical and blunt term meaning 'corpse announcement office'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
영안실 is the preferred term to use in polite conversation or when speaking with bereaved families.
Did you know?
- In Korean hospitals, the 영안실 is often adjacent to a 장례식장 'funeral hall'. Unlike in many English-speaking countries, the entire wake and funeral process typically happen within the hospital complex.
- The term 시체공시소 contains the word 공시 meaning 'public announcement'. This stems from an era when the morgue functioned as a place to publicly display unidentified bodies so people could claim them.
- In Korean pop culture and horror cinema, the 영안실 is a common trope for 'cursed' spaces. This is often linked to the belief that spirits who cannot find 'peace' 安 stay trapped in the room.
Examples in context
- 사고로 인한 사망자는 부검실로 옮겨졌습니다.The deceased resulting from the accident have been transferred to the morgue.
- 영안실에 가야 해요.yeong-an-sil-e ga-ya hae-yo.I have to go to the morgue.
- 영안실 위치가 어디예요?yeong-an-sil wi-chi-ga eo-di-ye-yo?Where is the location of the morgue?
- 영안실은 병원 지하에 있어요.yeong-an-sil-eun byeong-won ji-ha-e iss-eo-yo.The morgue is in the hospital basement.
Example conversation
Two hospital staff members are discussing logistics during a shift.
- 도현 Do-hyeon서연 씨, 영안실에 갈 거예요?Seo-yeon ssi, yeong-an-sil-e gal geo-ye-yo?Seoyeon, are you going to the morgue?
- 서연 Seo-yeon네, 도현 씨. 지금 가요.Ne, Do-hyeon ssi. ji-geum ga-yo.Yes, Dohyeon. I am going now.
- 도현 Do-hyeon준비물이 다 있나요?jun-bi-mul-i da in-na-yo?Do you have all the supplies?
- 서연 Seo-yeon네, 다 챙겼어요.Ne, da chaeng-gyeoss-eo-yo.Yes, I packed everything.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “morgue” translations and entries 영안실, 시체공시소, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
