Key Facts
- Word: 법 (beop), noun, Sino-Korean origin
- Register: Neutral to formal.
- Hanja: 法 (法 law)
- Senses: law; method (in compounds)
Law in Korean: What Does 법 Mean?
법 is the law that people must follow, as in obeying or breaking it. At the end of other words it means "way" or "method", which is why 방법 (method) contains it. It is shorter and broader than 법률, the formal word for a written statute, and different from 규칙, a rule set by a school or a group.
How Do You Pronounce 법?
The word is [법]. The ㅂ at the end of the syllable closes the mouth without releasing air, so you hear a stopped p. When a vowel particle follows, the sound moves across: 법을 is read beo-beul and 법이 is read beo-bi.
Example Sentences with 법
법을 지켜야 해요.
beobeul jikyeoya haeyo
We must obey the law.
지켜야 해요 means "must keep", and with 법을 it becomes "must obey the law". The object marker 을 attaches straight after the final ㅂ.
새 법이 생겼어요.
sae beobi saenggyeosseoyo
A new law has been made.
새 법 is "a new law", and 생겼어요 says it came into existence. 법이 is read beo-bi, with the ㅂ carried over to the particle.
이 법은 모두에게 적용돼요.
i beobeun moduege jeogyongdwaeyo
This law applies to everyone.
모두에게 means "to everyone" and 적용돼요 means "is applied". The sentence describes a law that covers all people alike.
Common Phrases and Collocations
The verbs that go with 법 are about keeping, breaking and changing it.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 법을 지키다 | to obey the law |
| 법을 어기다 | to break the law |
| 법이 바뀌다 | the law changes |
The Mistake to Avoid: Law Versus Method
Meaning contrast: 법 = law (법을 지켜야 해요, "we must obey the law"); 방법 = method, a way of doing something
The two share the syllable 법, but only 법 on its own is the law you obey or break.
법 Compared with Similar Words
A law, a rule and a method are three different things.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 규칙 | rule | General rule, e.g. at school. |
| 법률 | statute | Formal legal text. |
| 방법 | method | Contains 법 as 'way'. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
법 is Sino-Korean, written 法. The same character appears at the end of 방법 and many other compounds, which is why context decides between "law" and "way".
In a Korean Reading Class
A student is reading an article about a new law. The teacher helps distinguish the legal meaning from the method meaning that appears in other contexts.
Student
여기서 법은 무슨 뜻이에요?
yeogiseo beobeun museun tteusieyo?
What does 법 mean here?
Teacher
나라의 법을 말해요.
naraui beobeul malhaeyo.
It refers to the law of the country.
Student
방법이라는 뜻은 아니에요?
bangbeobiraneun tteuseun anieyo?
Does it not mean a method?
Teacher
네, 이 기사에서는 아니에요.
ne, i gisaeseoneun anieyo.
Right, it does not in this article.
The teacher uses the article's subject to choose the meaning. 여기서 means “here”, referring to this passage rather than a physical location. The answer 네 agrees with the student's negative question: yes, the method meaning is not the intended one in this article.
Where Will You Encounter 법?
News about new legislation, public notices and discussions of permitted behavior all use 법. A phrase about keeping or breaking 법 concerns law. An instruction headed 사용법, however, concerns how to use something. The syllable alone is not enough; the surrounding word or verb tells you which meaning is active.
법 is neutral vocabulary and appears in both conversation and formal writing. In a drama, someone appealing to the law may sound angry or emphatic, but the noun itself is not rude. The emotional force comes from what the person says about the law and the way they say it.
A sign stating a rule may concern a building's own policy rather than a law of the state. 규칙 is useful for that narrower kind of rule. Learning the vocabulary lets you understand the distinction in a text; the mere presence of a prohibition does not tell you which institution made it.
What Do Common Legal Combinations Mean?
법을 지키다 literally combines law with “keep” or “protect”, and means to obey the law. 법을 어기다 means to violate it. These describe someone's behavior. 법이 바뀌다 instead makes the law the subject: the law changes. Notice the shift from object marker 을 to subject marker 이.
법에 따라 means “according to the law” or “under the law”. The particle 에 belongs to the relationship expressed by 따르다, to follow. This set phrase often introduces the basis for a decision or procedure. It tells you the writer is referring to a legal basis rather than a personal preference.
합법 means legality or being legal; 불법 means illegality or being illegal. They describe legal status, which differs from simply liking or disliking an action. In a news article, 불법 is a stronger claim than saying an activity is unpopular or against a club's customs.
Related Words and the Method Meaning
| Korean | Meaning | What to notice |
|---|---|---|
| 합법 | legality; being legal | Describes being permitted by law. |
| 불법 | illegality; being illegal | Describes being contrary to law. |
| 사용법 | instructions; how to use | Here 법 concerns a method. |
| 문법 | grammar | Names the rules and structure of a language. |
The law and crime lesson groups the legal vocabulary. For the other meaning, notice spacing: 사용법 is one word, while 하는 법, “how to do”, has a space before 법. In that latter pattern, 법 is a dependent noun expressing a way of doing something.
Quick Self-Test
- In 법을 어기다, is the law being obeyed or violated?
- Does 사용법 concern legislation or instructions for use?
- Why does 법이 바뀌다 use 이 rather than 을?
Show answers
- Violated. 법을 지키다 means to obey it.
- Instructions for use: 법 has the method meaning here.
- The law is the subject of “changes”, rather than an object someone acts on.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is law in Korean?
It is 법 (beop), a neutral-to-formal noun.
How is 법을 pronounced?
It is read beo-beul; the final ㅂ moves to the next syllable.
Why does 방법 contain 법?
In 방법 the 법 means "way", not "law".
What is the difference between 법 and 규칙?
법 is a law of the state, while 규칙 is a rule such as one at school.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: It sits in the law and crime vocabulary list with the other legal terms.
- Index: the Korean words A to Z page lists every word entry, including law.
- Practice: put 법 on your cards with the vocabulary flashcard decks.