Key Facts
- Word: 슬픔 (seulpeum), noun, native Korean origin
- Register: Neutral; noun form of 슬프다 (to be sad).
- Senses: sadness
Sadness in Korean: What Does 슬픔 Mean?
슬픔 is a neutral native word for sadness as a thing: something you feel, hold back or share. As a noun it takes particles, as in 슬픔이 and 슬픔을 and often pairs with 느끼다 and 나누다. The adjective 슬프다 is what you use when you say that someone is sad.
How Do You Pronounce 슬픔?
Say seul-peum in two syllables. The ㅡ in 슬 is an unrounded vowel: keep your lips relaxed. The final ㅁ links onto a particle, so 슬픔이 is read seul-peu-mi and 슬픔을 is seul-peu-meul.
Example Sentences with 슬픔
슬픔이 커요.
seulpeumi keoyo
The sadness is great.
슬픔이 is the subject and 커요 says that it is great; no verb 'to be' is needed.
그는 슬픔을 참았어요.
geuneun seulpeumeul chamasseoyo
He held back his sadness.
참았어요 is the past of holding back, so the sentence says that he held back his sadness.
슬픔을 나눠요.
seulpeumeul nanwoyo
We share sorrow.
나눠요 means to share. The sentence suggests comforting someone by sharing sorrow.
Common Phrases and Collocations
Three fixed phrases show how 슬픔 combines.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 슬픔을 느끼다 | to feel sadness |
| 슬픔에 잠기다 | to be steeped in sadness |
| 슬픔을 나누다 | to share sorrow |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners swap the noun and the adjective.
Wrong: ✗ 슬픔해요
Correct: ✓ 슬퍼요 (from the adjective 슬프다)
슬픔 is a noun, so it cannot take 해요. To say you are sad, use the adjective 슬프다 as the predicate; 슬픔 takes particles, as in 슬픔을 느끼다.
슬픔 Compared with Similar Words
Sadness words differ in depth and cause.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 슬프다 | to be sad | 슬프다 is the adjective; 슬픔 is the noun. |
| 우울 | gloom / depression | 우울 is gloom; 슬픔 is sadness over something. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
슬픔 is native Korean with no hanja. It is made from the stem of 슬프다 with a noun-forming ending.
Talking after a Sad Film
Two friends leave a cinema after watching a film about a family’s loss. They discuss the sadness they still feel after the ending.
Mina
영화가 정말 슬펐어요.
Yeonghwaga jeongmal seulpeosseoyo.
The film was really sad.
Alex
저도요. 주인공의 슬픔이 느껴졌어요.
Jeodoyo. Juingongui seulpeumi neukkyeojyeosseoyo.
Me too. I could feel the main character’s sadness.
Mina
아직도 마음이 무거워요.
Ajikdo maeumi mugeowoyo.
My heart still feels heavy.
Alex
우리 잠깐 걸을까요?
Uri jamkkan georeulkkayo?
Shall we walk for a bit?
슬펐어요 describes the film as sad. 주인공의 슬픔 names the main character’s sadness as something the viewer can feel. 마음이 무거워요 literally says the heart or mind is heavy; here it describes the lingering emotional weight of the story.
What Do the Common Expressions Picture?
슬픔에 잠기다 literally pictures being submerged in sadness. Its actual meaning is to be deeply absorbed in sorrow or overcome by grief. 잠기다 supplies the image of sinking into something, and 에 marks sadness as that surrounding state. The expression is stronger than a simple report of feeling a little sad.
슬픔을 나누다 literally means “share sadness”. It means sharing sorrow through understanding or companionship. The phrase does not suggest handing some sadness to another person like a physical object. In an account of a loss, it emphasizes that someone is not facing the sorrow alone.
슬픔을 참다 means “hold back” or “endure sadness”. In the existing example, 참았어요 puts that effort in the past. The phrase does not say the sadness disappeared; it says the person restrained or bore it.
슬픔을 이겨 내다 means “overcome sadness”. Compared with 참다, it emphasizes getting through the feeling. A story may use both: a character first holds back sorrow and later finds a way through it. The verbs show different responses to the same emotion.
Where Will You Meet 슬픔?
Songs, fiction, film reviews and accounts of loss often use 슬픔 because the noun lets writers describe the emotion itself. 깊은 슬픔 means “deep sadness”; 큰 슬픔 means “great sorrow”. The words before 슬픔 describe its depth or extent.
In a brief everyday reply, 슬퍼요 is often more direct than a noun phrase: it says “I’m sad” or “it’s sad”, according to context. 슬픔을 느껴요, “I feel sadness”, puts the feeling itself into focus. Both are grammatical, but the longer noun phrase can sound more reflective.
The noun can also belong to someone: 주인공의 슬픔 means “the main character’s sadness”. This is useful when discussing a story, because it separates the character’s feeling from the viewer’s reaction. A sad film can make you recognize someone else’s sorrow even when the event is fictional.
우울 describes gloom or a low mood; it is not a perfect substitute for every use of 슬픔. 외로움 names loneliness, and 그리움 names longing. Someone can feel several of these together, but each noun draws attention to a different part of the experience.
Related Feelings and Visible Reactions
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 기쁨 | joy | Another emotion noun; contrasts with sadness. |
| 외로움 | loneliness | Focuses on feeling alone. |
| 그리움 | longing | Centers on missing someone or something. |
| 눈물 | tears | A visible reaction that can accompany sorrow or joy. |
The emotions vocabulary lesson teaches the wider set. Choose the feeling noun for what you want to name, then use a verb such as 느끼다 or 나누다 to explain the person’s relationship to it.
Quick Self-Test
- Which is the noun: 슬픔 or 슬프다?
- Does 슬픔에 잠기다 describe literally going underwater?
- Does 슬픔을 참다 mean the sadness has disappeared?
Show answers
- 슬픔. 슬프다 is the adjective “to be sad”.
- No. It pictures being deeply absorbed in sorrow.
- No. It means holding back or enduring the sadness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sadness in Korean?
It is 슬픔, the noun form of 슬프다.
How do I say I feel sad?
Use 슬픔을 느끼다 for the noun phrase, or 슬프다 as the predicate.
What does 슬픔에 잠기다 mean?
It means to be steeped in sadness.
How does 슬픔 differ from 우울?
우울 is gloom or depression; 슬픔 is sadness over something.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Emotions vocabulary groups 슬픔 with its neighbours.
- Index: browse Korean words A to Z for more words like sadness.
- Practice: add sadness to your cards in the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next word: longing in Korean, the emotion that often comes with sadness.