Explanation at your level:
An accident is when something bad happens by mistake. You did not want it to happen. For example, if you drop a cup, it is an accident.
You use this word for things that go wrong. If you are driving and hit another car, that is a traffic accident. It is not on purpose.
In Korean, 사고 is a very common noun. It covers everything from small mistakes to large disasters. We often use it with verbs like 나다 (to happen) or 내다 (to cause).
The nuance of 사고 is that it implies a deviation from the expected order. It is used in professional contexts, such as 'workplace accidents', and in casual conversation to describe personal mishaps.
Beyond the physical, 사고 can sometimes imply a 'troubling event' that requires investigation. It serves as a cornerstone for safety discourse in Korea, frequently appearing in policy documents and news media.
The etymological depth of 사고 reveals a cultural focus on 'incidents' as disruptions to societal harmony. Understanding this word helps you grasp how Koreans categorize risk and misfortune in both public and private spheres.
Wort in 30 Sekunden
- Accident/Incident
- Unintentional
- Sino-Korean
- Very common
When we talk about an accident, we are referring to something that happens out of the blue. It is important to remember that the core of this word is unintentionality; nobody planned for it to occur.
Think of it as a disruption in your day. Whether it's a minor spill or a major traffic incident, the word 사고 (sago) captures that sudden moment where things go wrong without anyone wanting them to. It’s a very common word in daily life, especially when discussing safety or unexpected troubles.
The word 사고 is a Sino-Korean term. It is composed of the Hanja characters 事 (sa - affair/matter) and 故 (go - reason/cause/incident).
Historically, it referred to an 'event with a cause,' but over time, the meaning shifted to specifically highlight negative or disruptive events. It reflects how older linguistic structures categorized sudden, problematic incidents as 'matters of cause'—things that demand attention because they broke the normal flow of events.
You will hear 사고 used in almost every formal and informal setting. In news reports, it is used to describe traffic or industrial incidents. In daily life, parents might use it to describe a child's minor mishap.
Common pairings include 교통사고 (traffic accident) or 사고가 나다 (an accident occurs). It is a neutral term, meaning it doesn't necessarily assign blame immediately, but rather points to the event itself.
1. 사고 치다: To cause trouble or commit a mistake. Example: "He really caused a big problem at work today."
2. 사고뭉치: A troublemaker. Example: "That puppy is such a little troublemaker!"
3. 사고를 당하다: To be involved in an accident. Example: "She was involved in a car accident yesterday."
4. 사고 예방: Accident prevention. Example: "Safety gear is key for accident prevention."
5. 사고 무사고: Accident-free. Example: "He has an accident-free driving record."
In Korean, 사고 functions as a standard noun. It does not have plural markers like English; the context determines if it is singular or plural.
Pronunciation is straightforward: [sa-go]. The 's' is a crisp sound, and the 'go' is similar to the English 'go'. It rhymes with words like 보고 (report) or 타고 (riding).
Fun Fact
The word originally described any 'event with a cause', but evolved to mean 'accidental event'.
Pronunciation Guide
Crisp 'sa' and clear 'go'
Similar to standard Korean pronunciation
Common Errors
- Mispronouncing 'sa' as 'sha'
- Shortening the 'o' sound
- Adding extra syllables
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy
Moderate
Moderate
Easy
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Fortgeschritten
Grammar to Know
Noun + Verb
사고가 나다
Object Marker
사고를 당하다
Past Tense
사고가 났었다
Examples by Level
사고가 났어요.
Accident happened.
Past tense verb.
사고 조심하세요.
Be careful of accidents.
Imperative.
이것은 사고입니다.
This is an accident.
Copula.
사고가 없어요.
There is no accident.
Negative.
사고를 봤어요.
I saw an accident.
Object marker.
사고가 무서워요.
Accidents are scary.
Adjective.
사고는 나빠요.
Accidents are bad.
Topic marker.
사고를 피하세요.
Avoid accidents.
Command.
교통사고가 났습니다.
사고 때문에 늦었어요.
사고를 예방합시다.
사고 현장에 갔어요.
작은 사고였어요.
사고 소식을 들었어요.
사고가 자주 발생해요.
사고를 처리했어요.
공사장에서 사고가 발생했습니다.
그는 사고뭉치로 유명합니다.
사고를 당해 병원에 입원했습니다.
안전벨트는 사고를 예방합니다.
사고 원인을 조사 중입니다.
다행히 큰 사고는 아니었습니다.
사고가 나지 않도록 주의하세요.
사고 기록이 깨끗합니다.
사고가 발생한 경위를 설명하세요.
그는 사고를 치고 도망갔습니다.
사고의 책임은 누구에게 있습니까?
사고를 미연에 방지하는 것이 중요합니다.
갑작스러운 사고로 일정이 변경되었습니다.
사고 처리 과정에서 문제가 생겼습니다.
사고 다발 지역은 위험합니다.
사고를 수습하느라 바빴습니다.
사고의 파급 효과가 매우 컸습니다.
이번 사고는 인재로 밝혀졌습니다.
사고를 방지하기 위한 매뉴얼을 작성했습니다.
그의 행동은 사고를 유발하기 충분했습니다.
사고 이후 안전 규정이 강화되었습니다.
사고의 근본적인 원인을 파악해야 합니다.
사고를 수습하는 과정이 매끄럽지 않았습니다.
사고와 관련된 모든 증거를 확보했습니다.
사고의 전말을 밝히기 위해 철저히 조사했습니다.
예상치 못한 사고가 운명을 바꾸어 놓았습니다.
사고를 운명으로 받아들이기엔 너무 억울했습니다.
사고의 경중을 따져 처벌을 결정합니다.
사고를 미연에 방지하지 못한 책임이 큽니다.
사고는 언제나 예고 없이 찾아오는 법입니다.
그의 사고 방식은 일반적이지 않았습니다.
사고를 수습하는 동안 많은 것을 배웠습니다.
Häufige Kollokationen
Idioms & Expressions
"사고뭉치"
a troublemaker
우리 아들은 정말 사고뭉치예요.
casual"사고를 치다"
to cause trouble
그가 또 사고를 쳤어.
casual"사고가 나다"
to have an accident
길에서 사고가 났어요.
neutral"사고를 당하다"
to be involved in an accident
그는 사고를 당해 다쳤다.
neutral"사고를 피하다"
to avoid an accident
운 좋게 사고를 피했다.
neutral"사고 없이"
without incident
행사가 사고 없이 끝났다.
formalEasily Confused
Sounds slightly similar to beginners
Thought vs Accident
생각이 많아요 vs 사고가 났어요.
Both are incidents
Accidental vs Case/Event
교통사고 vs 살인사건.
Both imply trouble
Accident vs Mess/Trouble
큰 사고 vs 사단이 났다.
Contains '사고'
Accident vs Way of thinking
사고방식이 독특하다.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + 사고가 나다
어제 사고가 났어요.
Subject + 사고를 당하다
그가 사고를 당했다.
Subject + 사고를 예방하다
안전 교육은 사고를 예방합니다.
Subject + 사고를 치다
또 사고를 쳤니?
사고 원인 + 조사
사고 원인을 조사 중입니다.
Wortfamilie
Nouns
Verbs
Verwandt
How to Use It
9/10
Formality Scale
Häufige Fehler
사고 means accident, 생각 means thought/thinking.
사고 is accidental, 사건 is an event/case.
사고 is an incident, 이유 is a reason.
사고 is a noun, not a verb.
The correct spelling is 사고.
Tips
Memory Palace
Visualize a car crash.
Native usage
Use with '나다'.
Cultural insight
Safety is a big priority.
Grammar rule
It's a noun.
Say it right
Crisp 'sa'.
Don't mistake
Don't say 'thought'.
Did you know?
It's Sino-Korean.
Study smart
Use it in sentences.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Sa (Saw) a Go (Car go) crash!
Visual Association
A car hitting a pole.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Write 3 sentences using this word today.
Wortherkunft
Sino-Korean
Original meaning: Matter/Affair + Cause
Kultureller Kontext
Sensitive when referring to tragic events.
Directly maps to 'accident' in English.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Driving
- 교통사고
- 사고가 났어요
- 보험 처리
Workplace
- 안전사고
- 사고 예방
- 사고 보고
Home
- 사고뭉치
- 작은 사고
- 조심하세요
News
- 사고 현장
- 대형 사고
- 원인 규명
Conversation Starters
"Did you hear about the accident?"
"How can we prevent accidents?"
"Are you okay after the accident?"
"Who caused the accident?"
"Is the accident cleared?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time you saw an accident.
How do you stay safe?
Write about a mistake you made.
What is the most common accident?
Häufig gestellte Fragen
8 FragenYes, it implies a negative incident.
Yes, if the mistake caused an accident.
사고가 나다 (to have an accident).
It is used in all registers.
No, that is 생각.
사고를 피하다.
Extremely common.
Korean nouns don't change for plural.
Teste dich selbst
길에서 ___가 났어요.
Traffic accident is the most logical fit.
What does 사고 mean?
사고 means accident.
사고 is always intentional.
Accidents are by definition unintentional.
Word
Bedeutung
Matches term to meaning.
Time usually comes first.
Ergebnis: /5
Summary
사고 is an unintentional, disruptive event that we must strive to prevent.
- Accident/Incident
- Unintentional
- Sino-Korean
- Very common
Memory Palace
Visualize a car crash.
Native usage
Use with '나다'.
Cultural insight
Safety is a big priority.
Grammar rule
It's a noun.
Beispiel
교통사고가 났어요.
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