Explanation at your level:
You use 복잡하다 when things are not simple. If you are in a busy place with many people, you say '복잡해요'. It means 'It is crowded'.
Use this word for busy streets or difficult tasks. If your homework is hard to understand because there are too many rules, you can say '숙제가 복잡해요'.
At this level, you can use it for abstract situations. '마음이 복잡해요' is a great way to say your feelings are mixed or you are feeling overwhelmed by life.
In professional settings, use it to describe systems or logistics. '이 절차는 너무 복잡합니다' (This procedure is too complicated) is a common way to suggest simplification.
You can use it to describe 'complex' phenomena in society or science. It implies that the subject has many layers that require deep analysis to fully comprehend.
Mastery involves using it in nuanced literary ways, such as describing '복잡한 심경' (a complex state of mind) where conflicting emotions coexist in a sophisticated manner.
Wort in 30 Sekunden
- Means complicated or crowded.
- Used for abstract and physical things.
- Antonym is 단순하다.
- Very common in daily Korean.
Hey there! 복잡하다 is one of those super useful Korean words you will hear every single day. At its core, it means complicated or crowded.
Think of a math problem that takes ten pages to solve—that is 복잡한 문제. Now, think of a subway station during rush hour where you can barely step forward—that is also 복잡한 곳. It is all about having too much going on at once!
The word 복잡하다 comes from the Hanja characters 複 (복), meaning 'double' or 'repeated,' and 雜 (잡), meaning 'mixed' or 'miscellaneous.'
Historically, it describes things that are 'doubled and mixed,' creating a tangled mess. It has been a staple in the Korean language for centuries, evolving from classical texts to describe everything from complex political structures to a busy marketplace.
You will use this word in two main contexts. First, for abstract concepts like feelings, plans, or systems. If your mind feels overwhelmed, you can say 머리가 복잡해요 (My mind is complicated/cluttered).
Second, for physical spaces. If a street is jammed with cars, it is 길이 복잡하다. It is a very versatile word that fits perfectly in both casual chats and formal business meetings.
While it is a standard adjective, it appears in many common phrases. 복잡미묘하다 means 'complex and subtle' (often used for feelings). 복잡다단하다 describes a life that is full of many complicated events.
You might also hear 복잡하게 생각하지 마, which means 'Don't overthink it'—a great piece of advice for any language learner!
As an adjective, it conjugates easily. You can say 복잡해요 (polite) or 복잡해 (casual). The pronunciation is 'bok-jap-ha-da'.
Watch out for the 'p' sound in 'jap'—it is a tense sound, so keep it crisp! It does not change based on gender or number, making it a very friendly word to add to your grammar toolkit.
Fun Fact
The character 雜 (잡) is often used in words related to miscellaneous things.
Pronunciation Guide
Crisp 'k' and 'p' sounds.
Clear aspiration on 'h'.
Common Errors
- Softening the 'p' sound
- Missing the 'h' aspiration
- Incorrect vowel length
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy to recognize
Easy to use
Commonly used
Clear sound
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Fortgeschritten
Grammar to Know
Adjective conjugation
복잡하다 -> 복잡해요
Adverbial form
복잡하게
Examples by Level
시내가 복잡해요.
Downtown is crowded.
Basic adjective usage.
여기는 복잡해요.
This place is crowded.
Location marker.
길이 복잡해요.
The road is busy.
Subject-adjective.
복잡하지 않아요.
It is not complicated.
Negative form.
너무 복잡해요.
It is too crowded.
Degree adverb.
복잡한 곳이에요.
It is a crowded place.
Adjective modifier.
왜 이렇게 복잡해요?
Why is it so crowded?
Question form.
지금은 복잡해요.
It is busy right now.
Time marker.
이 문제는 복잡해요.
지하철이 항상 복잡해요.
복잡한 길을 피하세요.
생각이 복잡해요.
복잡하게 말하지 마세요.
이 기계는 너무 복잡해요.
주말에는 거리가 복잡해요.
복잡한 건 싫어요.
상황이 조금 복잡하게 돌아가고 있어요.
복잡한 감정을 말로 표현하기 어려워요.
복잡한 서류 작업 때문에 힘들어요.
복잡한 도시 생활에서 벗어나고 싶어요.
그의 설명은 너무 복잡해서 이해가 안 가요.
복잡한 관계를 정리할 필요가 있어요.
이 게임의 규칙은 생각보다 복잡해요.
복잡한 머릿속을 비우고 싶어요.
복잡한 이해관계가 얽혀 있는 문제입니다.
사회 문제는 매우 복잡하고 다면적입니다.
복잡한 알고리즘을 단순화해야 합니다.
그의 복잡한 내면을 알기 어렵습니다.
복잡한 절차를 간소화하는 것이 목표입니다.
복잡한 도시의 소음이 들려옵니다.
이론이 너무 복잡해서 논문으로 쓰기 어렵습니다.
복잡한 감정이 교차하는 순간이었습니다.
그 사건은 매우 복잡한 배경을 가지고 있습니다.
복잡한 논리 구조를 가진 철학적 담론입니다.
복잡한 역학 관계를 분석하는 것이 필수적입니다.
복잡한 미로 같은 골목길을 헤맸습니다.
복잡다단한 인생의 굴곡을 겪었습니다.
복잡한 감정의 실타래를 풀어야 합니다.
복잡한 현대 사회의 단면을 보여줍니다.
복잡한 문법 체계가 학습을 어렵게 합니다.
복잡미묘한 감정의 변화를 섬세하게 묘사했습니다.
복잡한 형이상학적 논쟁이 계속되었습니다.
그의 복잡한 성격은 이해하기 어렵습니다.
복잡한 구조의 건축물은 경이롭습니다.
복잡한 정치적 지형을 읽어내는 능력이 필요합니다.
복잡한 생태계의 균형이 깨졌습니다.
복잡한 내적 갈등을 예술로 승화했습니다.
복잡한 계산을 거쳐 결론에 도달했습니다.
Häufige Kollokationen
Idioms & Expressions
"복잡미묘하다"
complex and subtle
그의 표정은 복잡미묘했다.
literary"복잡다단하다"
very complex and manifold
복잡다단한 세상이다.
formal"복잡하게 꼬이다"
to become tangled/messed up
일이 복잡하게 꼬여버렸다.
neutral"머리가 복잡하다"
to have a cluttered mind/be overwhelmed
생각이 많아 머리가 복잡하다.
casual"복잡한 실타래를 풀다"
to untangle a complex situation
복잡한 실타래를 푸는 심정이다.
literaryEasily Confused
Both mean crowded.
혼잡하다 is for traffic/places, 복잡하다 is broader.
길이 혼잡하다 vs 마음이 복잡하다.
Both mean hard.
어렵다 is for difficulty, 복잡하다 is for complexity.
숙제가 어렵다 vs 숙제가 복잡하다.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + 이/가 + 복잡하다
거리가 복잡하다.
Subject + 은/는 + 너무 + 복잡하다
이게 너무 복잡해요.
복잡하게 + Verb
복잡하게 생각하지 마세요.
복잡한 + Noun
복잡한 문제를 풀었어요.
복잡한 + Noun + 이/가 + 있다
복잡한 사정이 있어요.
Wortfamilie
Nouns
Adjectives
Verwandt
How to Use It
9/10
Formality Scale
Häufige Fehler
복잡하다 implies complexity, not just difficulty.
혼잡하다 is more formal for congestion.
People are busy (바쁘다), places are crowded (복잡하다).
It is an adjective, not a noun.
Variety makes your Korean sound natural.
Tips
Memory Palace
Imagine a box full of tangled wires.
Native Habit
Use '머리가 복잡해요' when stressed.
Cultural Insight
Koreans value simplicity, so '복잡하다' is often a complaint.
Grammar Shortcut
It is a standard '하다' adjective.
Say It Right
Focus on the 'p' sound.
Don't Make This Mistake
Don't use it for busy people.
Did You Know?
It comes from Hanja.
Study Smart
Learn it with its antonym '단순하다'.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Bok (Box) + Jap (Jumbled) = A box full of jumbled things is complicated!
Visual Association
A tangled ball of yarn.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Describe your room using this word.
Wortherkunft
Korean (Sino-Korean)
Original meaning: Double and mixed
Kultureller Kontext
None, very neutral.
Directly translates to 'complicated' or 'crowded'.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
At the subway
- 사람이 너무 많아서 복잡해요.
- 출근 시간은 복잡해요.
At work
- 절차가 복잡합니다.
- 상황이 복잡하게 됐어요.
At home
- 방이 너무 복잡해요.
In conversation
- 복잡하게 생각하지 마세요.
Conversation Starters
"요즘 머리가 복잡한 일이 있어요?"
"우리 동네는 주말에 복잡해요?"
"복잡한 거 좋아하세요?"
"어떤 게 제일 복잡하다고 생각하세요?"
"복잡한 상황을 어떻게 해결하세요?"
Journal Prompts
오늘 하루 중 복잡했던 순간은?
복잡한 마음을 어떻게 정리하나요?
복잡한 도시 생활의 장단점은?
복잡한 일을 단순하게 만드는 방법은?
Häufig gestellte Fragen
8 FragenNo, use it for places or situations.
Usually, yes, as it implies difficulty or stress.
복잡하게 만들지 마세요.
Yes, 복잡성 (complexity).
Yes, for complex procedures.
No, not typically.
단순하다.
No, it is phonetic.
Teste dich selbst
지하철이 너무 ___.
Subways are usually crowded.
Which word means 'simple'?
단순하다 is the antonym.
복잡하다 can describe a person's feelings.
Yes, '마음이 복잡하다' is common.
Word
Bedeutung
Matching antonyms.
Correct structure.
Ergebnis: /5
Summary
복잡하다 is your go-to word for anything that is too full, too tangled, or just too much to handle!
- Means complicated or crowded.
- Used for abstract and physical things.
- Antonym is 단순하다.
- Very common in daily Korean.
Memory Palace
Imagine a box full of tangled wires.
Native Habit
Use '머리가 복잡해요' when stressed.
Cultural Insight
Koreans value simplicity, so '복잡하다' is often a complaint.
Grammar Shortcut
It is a standard '하다' adjective.
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