4 · 40 words
Law, crime and rules in Korean
Courts, crimes, rights and the rules everyone is meant to keep.
Practise this list
From these 40 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
Legal Korean is mostly Sino-Korean, and a handful of syllables do much of the work: 법 (law) in 법률, 법원, 헌법 and 불법; 범 (offence) in 범죄 and 범인; 판 (judge) in 판사 and 판결. Two pairs are easy to mix up: 허락하다 is a person giving permission and 허용하다 a rule allowing something; 증인 speaks in court, while a 목격자 simply saw what happened.
The words
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Verb (10)
위반하다to violate, break (a rule or law)Verb4
신호를 위반한 차가 경찰에게 잡혔어요.A car that ran a red light was stopped by the police.
금지하다to ban, prohibitVerb4
이 공원에서는 흡연을 금지하고 있어요.Smoking is banned in this park.
허락하다to give permission, letVerb4
아버지가 혼자 여행 가는 것을 허락하셨어요.My father gave me permission to travel on my own.
A person giving permission; for a rule or an institution, 허용하다.
허용하다to permit (as a rule), tolerateVerb4
이 건물은 반려동물을 허용하지 않아요.This building does not allow pets.
배상하다to pay compensationVerb4
회사는 피해를 입은 주민들에게 배상하기로 했어요.The company agreed to compensate the residents who had suffered losses.
훔치다to stealVerb3
누가 제 자전거를 훔쳐 갔어요.Someone has stolen my bicycle.
체포하다to arrestVerb4
경찰은 공항에서 그 남자를 체포했어요.The police arrested the man at the airport.
단속하다to crack down on, enforceVerb4
경찰이 오늘 밤 음주 운전을 단속하고 있어요.The police are cracking down on drink-driving tonight.
고소하다to file a complaint against, sueVerb4
그는 거짓 소문을 퍼뜨린 사람을 고소했어요.He filed a complaint against the person who had spread false rumours.
The adjective 고소하다 is a different word: nutty, savoury.
변호하다to defend (in court); to speak up forVerb4
그 변호사는 돈이 없는 사람들을 무료로 변호해요.That lawyer defends people who have no money free of charge.
Noun (29)
법률law (as a body); legislationNoun4
이 문제는 법률 전문가에게 물어보는 게 좋겠어요.It would be best to ask a legal expert about this.
More formal than 법; a law firm is a 법률 사무소.
헌법constitutionNoun4
헌법은 한 나라의 가장 기본이 되는 법이에요.The constitution is a country’s most fundamental law.
규칙ruleNoun3
이 게임은 규칙이 생각보다 간단해요.The rules of this game are simpler than you would think.
규정regulationNoun4
회사 규정에 따라 휴가는 일주일 전에 신청해야 해요.Under company regulations, leave has to be requested a week in advance.
조항clause, article (of a law or contract)Noun4
계약서의 이 조항을 꼼꼼히 읽어 보세요.Read this clause of the contract carefully.
불법illegality; illegalNoun4
길에 쓰레기를 버리는 것은 불법이에요.Dropping litter in the street is illegal.
권리right (an entitlement)Noun4
모든 아이는 교육을 받을 권리가 있어요.Every child has the right to an education.
Said [궐리].
의무duty, obligationNoun4
부모는 아이를 보호할 의무가 있어요.Parents have a duty to protect their children.
법정courtroom; courtNoun4
법정 안에서는 사진을 찍을 수 없어요.You may not take photographs inside the courtroom.
무죄innocence; not guiltyNoun4
법원은 그에게 무죄를 선고했어요.The court found him not guilty.
Its opposite is 유죄, guilty.
수사investigation (by the police)Noun4
경찰은 그 사건에 대한 수사를 시작했어요.The police have opened an investigation into the case.
범죄crimeNoun4
이 동네는 범죄가 거의 없어서 밤에도 안전해요.There is hardly any crime in this neighbourhood, so it is safe even at night.
범인culprit, offenderNoun4
경찰이 사흘 만에 범인을 잡았어요.The police caught the culprit within three days.
용의자suspectNoun4
경찰이 용의자의 얼굴 사진을 공개했어요.The police released a photograph of the suspect’s face.
혐의suspicion; chargeNoun4
그 남자는 사기 혐의로 조사를 받고 있어요.The man is under investigation on suspicion of fraud.
사기fraud, scamNoun4
전화로 갑자기 돈을 보내라고 하면 사기일 가능성이 커요.If someone on the phone suddenly asks you to send money, it is very likely a scam.
도둑thiefNoun3
어젯밤 옆집에 도둑이 들었어요.A thief broke into the house next door last night.
피해자victimNoun4
피해자는 다행히 크게 다치지 않았어요.Fortunately the victim was not seriously hurt.
피고인defendant, the accusedNoun4
피고인은 끝까지 자신의 잘못을 인정하지 않았어요.The defendant refused to admit any wrongdoing to the very end.
경고warningNoun4
한 번만 더 지각하면 경고를 받게 돼요.If you are late just once more, you will get a warning.
처벌punishment, penaltyNoun4
음주 운전에 대한 처벌이 더 무거워졌어요.The penalties for drink-driving have become heavier.
법원court (of law)Noun4
법원은 시청 바로 옆에 있어요.The court is right next to City Hall.
재판trialNoun4
그 사건의 재판은 다음 주에 열려요.The trial in that case opens next week.
판사judgeNoun4
판사는 양쪽의 이야기를 끝까지 들었어요.The judge listened to both sides right to the end.
판결ruling, verdictNoun4
법원의 판결에 모두가 놀랐어요.Everyone was surprised by the court’s ruling.
증거evidence, proofNoun4
그 사람이 범인이라는 증거는 아직 없어요.There is still no evidence that he is the culprit.
증인witness (in court)Noun4
증인이 법정에서 그날 본 것을 이야기했어요.The witness told the court what they had seen that day.
소송lawsuitNoun4
이웃이 소음 문제로 건물 주인에게 소송을 걸었어요.A neighbour took the owner of the building to court over the noise.
감옥prisonNoun4
그는 감옥에서 삼 년을 보냈어요.He spent three years in prison.
The official word is 교도소.
Adjective (1)
합법적이다to be legal, lawfulAdjective4
이 방법은 합법적이지만 시간이 오래 걸려요.This method is legal, but it takes a long time.
Missing a word? Look it up in the dictionary
This list belongs to Politics, law and public services — three lists and 120 words that can also be practised as a whole.