결재하다

§ What Does 결재하다 (gyeoljaehada) Mean?

The Korean verb 결재하다 (gyeoljaehada) is a very useful word to know, especially if you plan to work in a Korean company or deal with Korean bureaucracy. At its core, it means 'to approve' or 'to give official sanction to'. Think of it as the act of a superior signing off on a document, a plan, or a request, making it official and allowing it to proceed.

DEFINITION

To approve; to give official sanction to.

It's not just about a simple 'yes'. 결재하다 implies a formal process. Imagine a manager looking over a report, checking the details, and then giving their official stamp of approval. That's 결재하다. It's common in business settings, government offices, and even in some school contexts where official permission is required.

§ When Do People Use It?

People use 결재하다 in many situations where official approval is needed. Here are some common scenarios:

• In the Workplace: This is probably where you'll hear and use 결재하다 the most.
• When a boss approves a vacation request.
• When a manager signs off on a budget proposal.
• When a director approves a new project plan.
• Government and Public Offices:
• When a public official approves a permit application.
• When a document needs official government sanction.
• Educational Institutions:
• When a professor approves a student's research proposal (less common than in business, but still applicable for formal processes).

Let's look at some examples to help you understand better:

In this example, the department head formally approved the vacation. It wasn't just a verbal 'yes'; it implies a process, likely with a signature on a document.

Here, 결재받다 (gyeoljaebatda) is used, which means 'to receive approval'. This is a very common passive form you will encounter. It highlights that someone needs to get approval from a higher authority.

This example uses 결재되다 (gyeoljaedoeda), meaning 'to be approved', which is another common passive form. It shows that the plan is in the process of getting official sanction.

Understanding 결재하다 will help you navigate official communication in Korean, especially in professional environments. It's a word that signifies the final, official step in many processes, making sure things are properly sanctioned and can move forward.

§ Understanding 결재하다

결재하다 (gyeoljaehada) is a verb that means 'to approve' or 'to give official sanction to.' You'll hear it a lot in business and government settings, but it can also be used in everyday situations when someone needs official permission for something. Think of it as getting the 'OK' from someone in charge.

Korean Word

결재하다 (gyeoljaehada)

Definition

To approve; to give official sanction to.

CEFR Level

A2

§ Basic Sentence Structure with 결재하다

The most common way to use 결재하다 is with an object. This object is usually what is being approved. You will often see the object marked with the object particle -을/를.

Translation Hint

I approved the documents to the CEO. (More naturally: The CEO approved the documents.)

In this example, 서류 (seoryu) means 'documents,' and it's what was approved. 사장님께 (sajangnimkke) indicates that the approval was done by or given to the CEO, depending on context.

Translation Hint

Please approve my leave application.

§ Who Approves? The Subject of the Sentence

The subject of the sentence, often marked by -이/가 or -은/는, is the one doing the approving. While the examples above imply who is doing the approving (the CEO, or the person being asked), it's important to be clear.

Translation Hint

The department head approved the proposal.

Here, 부장님 (bujangnim - department head) is clearly the subject who performed the action of approving the 기획안 (gihoeghan - proposal).

§ Related Nouns: 결재 (Approval)

Just like many Korean verbs ending in -하다, you can often remove -하다 to get the noun form. In this case, 결재 (gyeoljae) means 'approval' or 'sanction.'

Noun

결재 (gyeoljae)

You'll see this noun used with other verbs like 받다 (batda - to receive) or 올리다 (ollida - to submit/raise for consideration).

• 결재를 받다 (gyeoljaereul batda): to get approval

  저는 매니저에게 결재를 받아야 합니다.

  Translation Hint

  I need to get approval from the manager.

• 결재를 올리다 (gyeoljaereul ollida): to submit for approval

  보고서를 결재 올렸습니다.

  Translation Hint

  I submitted the report for approval.

§ Common Situations for Using 결재하다

You'll most often encounter 결재하다 in these contexts:

• Workplace: Approving documents, proposals, expense reports, vacation requests.

  이사님이 프로젝트 계획서를 결재할 예정입니다.

  Translation Hint

  The director is expected to approve the project plan.

• Government/Official: Approving permits, licenses, or official requests.

  시청에서 건축 허가를 결재했습니다.

  Translation Hint

  The city hall approved the building permit.

§ Where you hear 결재하다

You'll often encounter the word 결재하다 in formal settings, especially in a work or office environment. It's about getting official approval for something.

§ In the workplace

In Korean companies, getting 결재 (approval) is a common process. Whether it's for a document, a project, or even an expense report, someone higher up needs to officially sign off on it. You'll hear phrases like '결재를 받다' (to receive approval) or '결재를 올리다' (to submit for approval).

DEFINITION

To approve; to give official sanction to.

§ In school or educational settings

While less common than in the workplace, you might hear 결재하다 in the context of school administration, especially for official documents or requests that need a teacher's or principal's official approval.

§ In the news

You'll also come across 결재하다 in news reports, particularly when discussing government decisions, policies, or official procedures that require high-level authorization.

§ Key phrases with 결재하다

Here are some common ways 결재하다 is used:

• 결재를 받다: To receive approval.

  나는 상사에게 보고서를 결재받았다. (I received approval for the report from my superior.)

• 결재를 올리다: To submit for approval.

  이 서류를 빨리 결재를 올려야 해요. (I need to submit these documents for approval quickly.)

• 결재 서류: Approval document.

  이것은 중요한 결재 서류입니다. (This is an important approval document.)

Understanding these common usages will help you navigate official communication in Korean, whether you're at work, in school, or just reading the news.

§ What 결재하다 means

The Korean verb 결재하다 (gyeoljaehada) is often translated as 'to approve' or 'to sanction officially.' It's a formal verb you'll frequently encounter in business, government, and other professional settings. Think of it as getting the final sign-off or authorization for a document, plan, or expenditure.

Korean Word

결재하다

Pronunciation

gyeol-jae-ha-da

Part of Speech

Verb

English Definition

To approve; to give official sanction to.

CEFR Level

A2

§ Examples of using 결재하다

§ Similar words and when to use this one vs alternatives

Korean has several words that can mean 'to approve' or 'to permit,' but 결재하다 has a specific nuance. Let's look at some alternatives and when to use them.

• 승인하다 (seung-in-ha-da): This is another common word for 'to approve' or 'to sanction.' It's quite similar to 결재하다 and can often be used interchangeably in many formal contexts. However, 승인하다 can be slightly broader. While 결재하다 almost always implies an official document or a financial transaction requiring a superior's final sign-off, 승인하다 can also refer to approving a general request, an application, or a plan that might not involve a formal 'approval stamp' or signature process in the same way. For example, a university might 승인하다 a student's leave of absence. A committee might 승인하다 a research proposal. While you could technically use 결재하다 in some of these cases, 승인하다 feels more natural for general approval of a non-financial or non-document-specific item.
• 허락하다 (heo-rak-ha-da): This verb means 'to permit,' 'to allow,' or 'to grant permission.' It's generally less formal than 결재하다 or 승인하다 and is used in a wider range of situations. You'd use 허락하다 when asking for permission from a parent, a friend, or a teacher for something personal or less formal. For example, '엄마가 친구 집에서 자는 것을 허락했어요.' (Mom allowed me to sleep over at my friend's house.) You wouldn't use 결재하다 in this context.
• 인가하다 (in-ga-ha-da): This word also means 'to authorize' or 'to approve,' but it carries a strong nuance of official authorization, often by a government body or a regulatory agency. It's more about legal or administrative permission for an institution, a project, or a license. For instance, '정부에서 새로운 건축 계획을 인가했습니다.' (The government authorized the new construction plan.) While related, 인가하다 is usually for larger-scale, officially mandated approvals compared to the more day-to-day corporate or organizational approvals implied by 결재하다.
• 동의하다 (dong-ui-ha-da): This simply means 'to agree.' While agreeing is a prerequisite for approval, 동의하다 doesn't carry the official act of sanctioning. You can 동의하다 with an idea or a suggestion without formally approving it. For example, '저는 당신의 의견에 동의합니다.' (I agree with your opinion.) You wouldn't use 결재하다 here.

When to use 결재하다:

Use 결재하다 primarily in professional or organizational settings when a superior officially approves a document, a report, a budget, or an expense. It often implies a formal process of signing off or stamping a document to indicate final authorization. Think of it as the action an boss or manager takes to give their official 'go-ahead' on something within the company structure.