급감하다 in 30 Seconds
- 급감하다 means a sudden and sharp decrease in quantity or number.
- It is a formal word common in news, business, and academic reports.
- It is an intransitive verb, meaning it usually takes the subject marker -이/가.
- It differs from '감소하다' by emphasizing the speed and scale of the drop.
The word 급감하다 (gub-gam-ha-da) is a powerful Korean verb that describes a situation where something decreases not just slowly or steadily, but with startling speed and intensity. If you imagine a line graph representing sales, population, or temperature, '급감하다' is the moment that line turns into a steep cliff. It is composed of two Hanja (Chinese characters): 급 (急) meaning 'sudden' or 'urgent', and 감 (減) meaning 'decrease' or 'reduce'. Together, they create a term that carries a sense of urgency and often alarm. This isn't a word you use for a minor fluctuation; it's a word for a significant, often problematic, downward trend that happens in a very short period of time.
- Core Nuance
- The intensity of '급감하다' is much higher than the neutral '감소하다' (to decrease). It implies a shock factor or a crisis level of reduction.
In South Korea, you will most frequently encounter this word in news headlines, economic reports, and social discussions. For instance, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, news outlets reported that the number of international travelers 급감했다. When a popular restaurant suddenly loses its quality, the number of customers might 급감하다. It is an essential word for anyone looking to understand Korean media or business environments because it highlights drastic changes that require attention. It conveys a sense of 'plummeting' or 'dropping sharply' that English speakers often use when discussing the stock market or environmental changes.
최근 출산율이 급감하면서 사회적 문제가 되고 있습니다. (As the birth rate has recently plummeted, it is becoming a social problem.)
- Typical Subjects
- Common subjects include population (인구), sales (매출), number of visitors (방문객 수), and temperature (기온).
Understanding the emotional weight of this word is key. Because it starts with '급' (急), which is the same '급' found in '긴급' (emergency) and '급하다' (to be in a hurry), the word naturally alerts the listener to a situation that is out of the ordinary. If a company's profits '감소하다', investors might be concerned; if they '급감하다', investors will likely panic. This distinction is what makes it a B2-level vocabulary word—it requires an understanding of intensity and context beyond basic communication.
겨울철이 되자 관광객들의 발길이 급감했습니다. (As winter arrived, the number of tourists dropped sharply.)
Using 급감하다 correctly involves understanding that it is an intransitive verb (자동사). This means it describes an action that the subject does to itself or a state the subject enters, and it does not take a direct object. In English, we say 'Sales plummeted,' where 'sales' is the subject. In Korean, the structure is similar: [Subject] + 이/가 + 급감하다. You should avoid using the object marker 을/를 with this verb. For example, '회사가 매출을 급감했다' is grammatically incorrect; instead, you should say '회사의 매출이 급감했다' (The company's sales dropped sharply).
- Grammar Pattern
- Noun + 이/가 (Subject Marker) + 급감하다. Use it with adverbs like '갑자기' (suddenly) or '눈에 띄게' (noticeably) to add more detail.
The verb can be used in various tenses. In formal reports, you will often see it in the past tense 급감했다 or the present progressive 급감하고 있다 (is currently dropping sharply). When discussing causes, the form 급감함에 따라 (as it drops sharply) or 급감하여 (because it dropped sharply) is very common. For example, '수출이 급감하여 경제가 어렵다' means 'The economy is difficult because exports dropped sharply.' This causal link is a hallmark of academic and journalistic Korean writing.
신제품 출시 이후 경쟁사의 판매량이 급감하고 있습니다. (Since the launch of the new product, the competitor's sales volume has been plummeting.)
Furthermore, '급감하다' is often paired with nouns that represent quantifiable data. You wouldn't usually say your 'happiness' 급감했다 (unless you're being very dramatic and treating happiness like a statistic), but you would definitely say the 'number of students' (학생 수) or 'foreign investment' (외국인 투자) 급감했다. It is a word rooted in data and observation. When you use it, you are signaling to your listener that you are presenting a factual observation about a significant change.
기온이 급감할 것으로 예상되니 건강에 유의하세요. (The temperature is expected to drop sharply, so please take care of your health.)
- Common Adverb Pairings
- 1. 갑자기 (Suddenly) 2. 크게 (Greatly) 3. 급격히 (Rapidly) 4. 전년 대비 (Compared to last year).
If you turn on a Korean news channel like KBS, MBC, or SBS, you are almost guaranteed to hear 급감하다 within the first twenty minutes, especially during the economic or social segments. News anchors use it to describe the 'shocking' nature of new statistics. For example, if the government releases a report showing that the number of marriages has hit an all-time low, the anchor might say, '결혼 건수가 급감했습니다' (The number of marriages has plummeted). This word provides the necessary 'punch' to make a news story feel urgent and important.
[뉴스 속보] 반도체 수출이 전월 대비 30% 급감했습니다. ([Breaking News] Semiconductor exports have plummeted by 30% compared to last month.)
In a corporate setting, this word is used during quarterly reviews or strategy meetings. If a marketing campaign failed, or if a competitor released a superior product, a manager might report that '유입자 수가 급감했다' (the number of incoming users dropped sharply). It is a professional way to state a harsh reality. However, because it is quite a 'heavy' word, it is rarely used in casual, lighthearted conversations between friends unless they are jokingly exaggerating about something, like their bank account balance after a shopping spree.
Another place you'll hear it is in weather forecasts during the change of seasons. When a cold snap (한파) hits, the meteorologist will warn that the '기온이 급감하겠다' (the temperature will drop sharply). This specific usage helps people prepare for sudden weather changes. In summary, '급감하다' is the language of data, trends, and warnings. It is a word that demands a reaction, whether that reaction is changing one's clothes for the cold or changing a business strategy to save a company.
- Contextual Usage
- Media: High frequency. Business: High frequency. Academic: High frequency. Casual: Low frequency (used for exaggeration).
정부의 규제 발표 이후 부동산 거래량이 급감하는 추세입니다. (Following the government's regulation announcement, the volume of real estate transactions is in a downward trend of plummeting.)
One of the most common mistakes English speakers make when using 급감하다 is using it for small or gradual decreases. Because the English word 'decrease' is very broad, learners often translate it directly to '급감하다' regardless of the speed or size of the change. If something only went down by 1% over a year, '급감하다' is inappropriate. In that case, you should use the neutral 감소하다 (to decrease) or 줄어들다 (to get smaller/reduce). Using '급감하다' for a small change makes you sound like you are panicking or exaggerating unnecessarily.
- Mistake #1: Over-exaggeration
- Using '급감하다' for a 2% drop. Correct: '조금 감소했다' (decreased a little).
Another common error is a grammatical one regarding transitivity. As mentioned before, '급감하다' is an intransitive verb. Some learners try to say things like '정부가 물가를 급감했다' (The government plummeted the prices). This is incorrect because '급감하다' cannot take an object. To say 'to make something drop sharply' (transitive), you would need to use a causative form or a different verb like 급감시키다 (to cause to drop sharply). The correct intransitive way would be '정부의 정책으로 물가가 급감했다' (Prices plummeted due to government policy).
❌ 가격을 급감하다 (Incorrect: object marker used)
✅ 가격이 급감하다 (Correct: subject marker used)
Finally, confusion with the word 급락하다 (to drop sharply) is frequent. While they are very similar, '급락하다' (急落-) is mostly used for prices, stock values, or exchange rates (things that 'fall' like an object), whereas '급감하다' is used for quantities and numbers (things that 'decrease' in count). If you are talking about the stock market, '급락' is more natural. If you are talking about the number of students in a class, '급감' is the right choice. Mixing these up won't usually prevent understanding, but it will make your Korean sound slightly less natural.
To truly master the concept of 'decreasing' in Korean, you need to know where 급감하다 sits in relation to its synonyms. The most basic alternative is 감소하다 (to decrease). This is the neutral, scientific term. It doesn't imply speed or shock; it just states the fact that the amount is less than before. If '급감하다' is a scream, '감소하다' is a calm statement.
- Comparison: 급감 vs 감소
- 급감하다: Sudden, sharp, 30-50% drop in a week.
감소하다: General, any amount, any speed.
Another similar word is 줄어들다. This is a native Korean word (pure Korean, not Hanja-based). It is much more common in daily, casual speech. While you might see '급감하다' in a newspaper, you would say '사과가 줄어들었어' (The apples have decreased/shrunk in number) to your friend. '줄어들다' can also mean to shrink in physical size, like a sweater in the wash, which '급감하다' cannot do.
주머니 속의 동전이 줄어들었다. (The coins in my pocket have decreased - Natural/Casual.)
If you want to sound even more dramatic than '급감하다', you can use 폭락하다 (to crash/plummet) or 반토막 나다 (to be cut in half). '폭락하다' is usually reserved for prices or the stock market when things are falling uncontrollably. '반토막 나다' is an idiomatic expression used when something drops by exactly or roughly 50% very quickly. Knowing these variations allows you to choose the exact level of intensity for the situation you are describing.
- Quick Reference Table
- 1. 감소하다 (Neutral Decrease) 2. 줄어들다 (Casual/Physical) 3. 급락하다 (Price Fall) 4. 폭락하다 (Price Crash) 5. 급감하다 (Quantity Plummet).
Pronunciation Guide
- Pronouncing '급' as 'gub' with a voiced 'b' sound at the end.
- Making the '감' sound too long.
- Missing the aspiration in '하다'.
Examples by Level
손님이 급감했어요.
The number of customers dropped sharply.
Past tense of 급감하다.
기온이 급감해요.
The temperature drops sharply.
Present tense.
인기가 급감했어요.
The popularity dropped sharply.
급감 (sudden drop) + 했다 (did/was).
돈이 급감했어요.
The money dropped sharply.
Subject marker '이' used.
학생이 급감해요.
The number of students is dropping sharply.
Simple sentence structure.
사과가 급감했어요.
The number of apples dropped sharply.
Using a simple noun.
비가 급감했어요.
The rain decreased sharply.
Describing a natural phenomenon.
물 양이 급감해요.
The amount of water drops sharply.
Noun + Noun + Marker.
최근에 관광객이 급감했습니다.
Recently, the number of tourists has dropped sharply.
Formal ending '-습니다'.
추운 날씨 때문에 외출이 급감했어요.
Because of the cold weather, going out has dropped sharply.
'-때문에' (because of) used.
가격이 비싸서 판매량이 급감했어요.
Because the price is expensive, sales volume dropped sharply.
'-아서/어서' (reason) used.
강물이 급감하고 있어요.
The river water is dropping sharply.
'-고 있다' (progressive).
그 가수의 팬이 급감했어요.
That singer's fans dropped sharply.
Possessive '의' omitted but implied.
버스를 타는 사람이 급감했습니다.
The number of people taking the bus dropped sharply.
Relative clause '타는 사람'.
뉴스를 보니 수출이 급감했대요.
I heard on the news that exports dropped sharply.
'-대요' (hearsay).
가게에 손님이 급감해서 걱정이에요.
I'm worried because customers at the shop dropped sharply.
'-아서/어서' (cause/effect).
경기가 안 좋아지면서 소비가 급감하고 있습니다.
As the economy worsens, consumption is dropping sharply.
'-면서' (while/as).
정부 정책 발표 이후 부동산 거래가 급감했다.
Real estate transactions plummeted after the government policy announcement.
Plain style '-다'.
유명인의 스캔들로 인해 광고 문의가 급감했다.
Due to a celebrity's scandal, advertising inquiries plummeted.
'-로 인해' (due to).
갑작스러운 폭설로 교통량이 급감했습니다.
Traffic volume plummeted due to sudden heavy snow.
Hanja prefix '갑작스러운'.
새로운 경쟁 제품이 나오자 매출이 급감했다.
As soon as a new competitive product came out, sales plummeted.
'-자' (as soon as).
출산율이 급감하면서 인구 절벽 문제가 심각해졌다.
As the birth rate plummeted, the population cliff problem became serious.
'-면서' (simultaneous action/state).
유튜브 시청 시간이 급감한 이유가 무엇인가요?
What is the reason why YouTube watch time plummeted?
Relative clause past tense '-ㄴ'.
전염병 확산으로 인해 해외 여행 수요가 급감했다.
Due to the spread of the infectious disease, demand for overseas travel plummeted.
'-로 인해' (causality).
금리가 인상됨에 따라 대출 수요가 급감하는 추세입니다.
As interest rates rise, the demand for loans is in a trend of plummeting.
'-음에 따라' (according to/as).
해당 지역의 인구가 급감하여 학교들이 폐교 위기에 처했습니다.
The population of that area plummeted, so schools are in danger of closing.
'-하여' (literary form of -해서).
기업의 실적이 급감하자 주가가 폭락하기 시작했다.
When the company's performance plummeted, the stock price began to crash.
'-자' (connective ending).
환경 오염으로 인해 꿀벌의 개체 수가 급감하고 있다는 보고가 있다.
There is a report that the honeybee population is plummeting due to environmental pollution.
'-고 있다는' (quoting progressive).
디지털 시대가 도래하며 종이 신문의 발행 부수가 급감했다.
With the arrival of the digital age, the circulation of paper newspapers plummeted.
'-며' (and/while).
작황 부진으로 인해 배추 공급량이 급감하여 가격이 올랐다.
Due to poor harvests, the supply of napa cabbage plummeted, causing prices to rise.
'-으로 인해' (formal cause).
기술적 결함이 발견된 이후 해당 모델의 예약 구매가 급감했다.
After a technical flaw was discovered, pre-orders for that model plummeted.
'-ㄴ 이후' (after).
경기 침체의 영향으로 백화점의 명품 매출이 급감했습니다.
Due to the impact of the economic recession, luxury sales at department stores plummeted.
'-의 영향으로' (under the influence of).
거시경제적 불확실성이 증대됨에 따라 외국인 직접 투자가 급감하는 양상을 보이고 있다.
As macroeconomic uncertainty increases, foreign direct investment is showing a pattern of plummeting.
'-는 양상을 보이다' (showing a pattern of).
대체 에너지원의 보급이 확산되면서 화석 연료에 대한 의존도가 급감할 것으로 전망된다.
As the supply of alternative energy sources spreads, dependency on fossil fuels is projected to plummet.
'-ㄹ 것으로 전망되다' (is projected to).
유례없는 가뭄으로 인해 저수지의 저수율이 급감하여 농업 용수 확보에 비상이 걸렸다.
Due to an unprecedented drought, the water storage rate of the reservoir plummeted, creating an emergency in securing agricultural water.
'-에 비상이 걸리다' (to be in a state of emergency).
특정 플랫폼의 개인정보 유출 사건 이후 사용자들의 신뢰도가 급감하며 탈퇴자가 속출했다.
After a personal information leak on a specific platform, user trust plummeted, leading to a succession of withdrawals.
'-며' (connective) and '속출하다' (to occur in succession).
노동 인구의 급감은 잠재 성장률을 저하시키는 주요 요인 중 하나로 지목되고 있다.
The sharp decrease in the working population is being pointed out as one of the main factors lowering the potential growth rate.
Noun form '급감' + '은' (topic marker).
해당 산업의 구조조정 여파로 인해 관련 일자리가 급감하는 진통을 겪고 있다.
Due to the aftermath of restructuring in that industry, related jobs are undergoing the growing pains of plummeting.
'-는 진통을 겪다' (to go through growing pains).
글로벌 공급망의 교란으로 핵심 부품의 입고량이 급감하면서 생산 차질이 빚어졌다.
As the incoming volume of core parts plummeted due to global supply chain disruptions, production disruptions occurred.
'-면서' and '차질이 빚어지다' (to result in a setback).
과도한 세금 인상은 오히려 소비 심리를 위축시켜 세수 급감을 초래할 위험이 있다.
Excessive tax increases risk shrinking consumer sentiment and causing a sharp drop in tax revenue.
'-을 초래할 위험이 있다' (to have the risk of causing).
지정학적 리스크의 고조는 안전 자산 선호 현상을 심화시키며 위험 자산에 대한 투자를 급감케 한다.
The heightening of geopolitical risks deepens the preference for safe assets and causes investment in risky assets to plummet.
'-게 하다' (causative) shortened to '-케 하다'.
디지털 트랜스포메이션의 가속화는 전통적인 오프라인 유통 채널의 영향력을 급감시키는 기폭제가 되었다.
The acceleration of digital transformation became the catalyst that plummeted the influence of traditional offline distribution channels.
'-시키는' (causative adjective form).
생태계 평형의 파괴로 인해 상위 포식자의 개체 수가 급감하면 먹이 사슬 전체가 붕괴될 수 있다.
If the population of top predators plummets due to the destruction of ecosystem balance, the entire food chain can collapse.
Conditional '-면'.
신용 경색 국면에서 시중 유동성이 급감함에 따라 중소기업들의 자금난이 가중되고 있다.
As market liquidity plummets in a credit crunch phase, the financial difficulties of small and medium-sized enterprises are being aggravated.
'-함에 따라' (as/according to).
문화적 획일화의 진행은 고유 언어의 사용 빈도를 급감시켜 언어 다양성의 상실을 초래한다.
The progress of cultural homogenization plummets the frequency of use of indigenous languages, causing the loss of linguistic diversity.
'-시켜' (causative).
원자재 가격의 폭등은 제조업체의 수익성을 급감시키는 치명적인 요인으로 작용한다.
The surge in raw material prices acts as a fatal factor that plummets the profitability of manufacturers.
'-로 작용하다' (to act as).
정부의 강력한 투기 억제 대책은 단기적으로 거래량을 급감시키는 효과를 거두었다.
The government's strong measures to suppress speculation achieved the effect of plummeting transaction volume in the short term.
'-시키는 효과를 거두다' (to achieve the effect of causing...).
인공지능 기술의 고도화는 단순 반복 업무에 대한 인력 수요를 급감시킬 것으로 예견된다.
The advancement of artificial intelligence technology is foreseen to plummet the demand for manpower for simple repetitive tasks.
'-ㄹ 것으로 예견되다' (is foreseen to).
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
— A trend of sharp decrease. Used to describe an ongoing downward movement.
최근 쌀 소비량이 급감 추세를 보이고 있습니다.
— The phenomenon of sharp decrease. Used to label the event as a social or scientific occurrence.
청년 인구 급감 현상이 심화되고 있다.
— The cause of the sharp decrease.
전문가들은 매출 급감 원인을 분석 중이다.
— Countermeasures for a sharp decrease.
정부는 인구 급감 대책을 마련해야 한다.
— A crisis caused by a sharp decrease.
많은 지방 대학들이 학생 급감 위기를 겪고 있다.
— The range or extent of the sharp decrease.
이번 달 수출 급감 폭이 예상보다 크다.
— Concerns about a sharp decrease.
관광객 급감 우려가 현실이 되었다.
— The point in time when the sharp decrease began.
판매량이 급감한 시점을 파악하는 것이 중요하다.
— An area experiencing a sharp decrease (usually in population).
인구 급감 지역에 대한 지원이 필요하다.
— The speed of the sharp decrease.
출산율 급감 속도가 너무 빠르다.
Idioms & Expressions
— To be cut in half. Often used when numbers or values '급감' by about 50%.
주식 계좌가 반토막 났다.
Informal/Daily— To hit rock bottom. Used when a '급감' reaches its lowest point.
매출이 바닥을 쳤다.
Neutral— To tumble or nose-dive. A more descriptive way to say '급감하다'.
지지율이 곤두박질치고 있다.
Informal/Journalistic— To have the seeds dry up. Used when something '급감' to the point of extinction or total absence.
가뭄에 물고기 씨가 말랐다.
Informal— To walk downhill. Used for a continuous '급감' or decline in status.
그 가문의 명성이 내리막길을 걷고 있다.
Neutral— To go completely bankrupt or fail suddenly. Often follows a '급감' in business.
그 회사는 무리한 투자로 폭삭 망했다.
Slang/Informal— Like falling leaves in the autumn wind. Used when things '급감' or fall helplessly.
병사들이 추풍낙엽처럼 쓰러졌다.
Literary— From heaven to hell. Used when a '급감' happens after great success.
그의 인기는 천당에서 지옥으로 떨어졌다.
Journalistic— To be unable to exert energy. Used when a market or sector is '급감' and cannot recover.
수출 시장이 맥을 못 추고 있다.
Informal— A fall without wings. Used for a '급감' that has no end in sight.
그 기업의 주가는 날개 없는 추락을 거듭하고 있다.
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Word Origin
Derived from Hanja (Sino-Korean characters).
Original meaning: 急 (급 - Sudden/Urgent) + 減 (감 - Decrease/Reduce).
Sino-KoreanSummary
The word '급감하다' combines 'sudden' (급) and 'decrease' (감) to describe a dramatic plummet in numbers. For example: '매출이 급감했다' (Sales plummeted). Use it when a change is fast and significant.
- 급감하다 means a sudden and sharp decrease in quantity or number.
- It is a formal word common in news, business, and academic reports.
- It is an intransitive verb, meaning it usually takes the subject marker -이/가.
- It differs from '감소하다' by emphasizing the speed and scale of the drop.
Example
출산율이 급감하면서 인구 절벽에 대한 우려가 커지고 있습니다.
Related Content
More statistics words
평균
B1A number expressing the central or typical value in a set of data; calculated by dividing the sum of values by their count.
집계되다
B1To be totaled, counted, or tallied up. Used when reporting final numbers from surveys, elections, or data collection in academic reports.
정비례하다
B2To be directly proportional; when one value increases, the other also increases at the same rate.
분산
B2The act of scattering or spreading out; in statistics, it refers to a measure of how much values in a data set differ from the mean.
추산하다
B2To estimate or calculate a value or amount roughly based on available data. It is a core word for interpreting charts and graphs.
하회하다
B1To fall below a certain standard, number, or level. It is the direct opposite of '상회하다' and is essential for describing downward trends in academic writing.
고정적
B2To be fixed, static, or unchanging. It refers to something that is set in a specific way and does not vary.
빈도
B2The rate or frequency at which something occurs or is repeated over a specific period of time or within a dataset.
그래프
B1A diagram showing the relation between variable quantities, typically of two variables measured along each of a pair of axes.
반비례하다
B2To be inversely proportional; when one value increases, the other decreases at the same rate.
