Explanation at your level:
This word is for starting something. If you have a big job, you use 착수하다. It is like saying 'I am starting my work now.' Use it when you are being very serious.
When you want to say you are beginning a project, use 착수하다. It is more formal than 시작하다. Use it for school projects or work tasks.
착수하다 is a formal way to describe the commencement of a task. It is often used with nouns like 'investigation' or 'construction.' It implies you have finished planning and are now acting.
Use 착수하다 to add professional weight to your sentences. It is common in business, legal, and news contexts. It suggests a deliberate, organized start to a complex operation.
In advanced contexts, 착수하다 denotes the transition from theoretical planning to practical implementation. It is the preferred term in academic papers and official reports to describe the initiation of a research phase or a structural change.
The usage of 착수하다 at a C2 level involves understanding the nuance of 'deliberate initiation.' It is often paired with specific nouns to denote the start of large-scale systemic changes, such as 'reform' or 'development,' emphasizing the gravity of the undertaking.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Means to start a formal task or project.
- More formal than '시작하다'.
- Commonly used in news and business.
- Literally means 'putting hands on'.
When you use the word 착수하다, you are talking about the moment a plan turns into action. It is not just starting a conversation; it is about initiating a formal task or a major project. Think of it as the 'go' signal for a mission.
You will often see this word used in news reports or business meetings. If a company decides to build a new factory, they 착수하다 the construction. It carries a sense of seriousness and purpose, making it a great word for professional writing or formal discussions.
The word 착수하다 is composed of two Hanja characters: 착 (着), meaning 'to put on' or 'to arrive,' and 수 (手), meaning 'hand.' Literally, it translates to 'putting one's hands on' a task.
Historically, this reflects the idea that you cannot truly begin a project until you physically engage with it using your hands. Over time, the meaning evolved from a literal physical action to a broader metaphorical sense of starting any organized endeavor. It remains a staple of Sino-Korean vocabulary in modern Korean.
You should use 착수하다 when you want to sound professional. It is much more formal than the basic word 시작하다 (to start). While you might say 'I started my homework' using 시작하다, you would use 착수하다 to say 'The government has commenced the new policy.'
Common collocations include 공사에 착수하다 (to start construction) or 조사에 착수하다 (to launch an investigation). It is rarely used for casual, everyday hobbies like 'starting a movie' or 'starting a game.'
While 착수하다 is a formal verb rather than an idiom itself, it appears in several fixed phrases:
- 본격적으로 착수하다: To start in earnest.
- 준비를 마치고 착수하다: To finish prep and begin.
- 조사 작업에 착수하다: To initiate investigative work.
- 복구 작업에 착수하다: To start restoration efforts.
- 프로젝트에 착수하다: To embark on a project.
As a verb, 착수하다 follows standard conjugation rules. It is a hada-verb, making it very easy to conjugate: 착수했다 (past), 착수한다 (present), and 착수할 것이다 (future).
In terms of pronunciation, ensure you emphasize the 'chak' sound clearly. In Korean, it is pronounced with a crisp 'ch' sound followed by a sharp 'k' stop before moving to the 'su' syllable. It rhymes loosely with words like 박수하다 (to applaud) due to the shared suffix structure.
Fun Fact
It originates from the physical act of laying hands on a tool to start work.
Pronunciation Guide
Crisp 'ch' and clear 'su'.
Similar to UK, focus on the 'k' stop.
Common Errors
- Softening the 'k' sound.
- Dropping the 'h' sound.
- Merging 'su' with 'ha'.
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Formal vocabulary.
Requires formal register.
Formal contexts only.
Common in news.
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Grammar to Know
Hada-verb conjugation
착수하다 -> 착수했다
Particle usage
사업에 착수하다
Formal endings
착수합니다
Examples by Level
나는 일을 착수한다.
I start the work.
Simple present tense.
그들은 공사를 착수했다.
우리는 연구에 착수한다.
정부는 조사를 착수했다.
그는 사업에 착수했다.
팀이 개발에 착수했다.
계획에 착수할 시간이다.
그녀는 수리에 착수했다.
모두가 작업에 착수했다.
회사는 신제품 개발에 착수했다.
경찰은 사건 조사에 착수했다.
정부는 새로운 정책에 착수했다.
우리는 복구 작업에 착수했다.
건설팀이 도로 공사에 착수했다.
그들은 대규모 프로젝트에 착수했다.
전문가들이 분석에 착수했다.
이제 본격적인 작업에 착수하자.
위원회는 즉시 조사에 착수하기로 결정했다.
기업은 환경 보호 캠페인에 착수했다.
당국은 철저한 감사를 착수했다.
그들은 신규 사업에 착수할 준비를 마쳤다.
정부는 경제 개혁에 착수했다.
연구진은 실험에 착수했다.
건축가는 설계에 착수했다.
협상은 이제 본격적인 단계에 착수했다.
정부는 국가적 차원의 인프라 개선에 착수했다.
해당 기관은 비리 혐의에 대한 공식 조사에 착수했다.
그들은 불가능해 보이는 프로젝트에 착수했다.
회사는 글로벌 시장 확장에 착수했다.
전문가들은 복잡한 데이터 분석에 착수했다.
이번 주부터 신규 채용 절차에 착수할 예정이다.
그들은 평화 협정 이행에 착수했다.
정부는 소외 계층 지원 사업에 착수했다.
정부는 수십 년간의 숙원 사업이었던 도시 재생에 착수했다.
국제 기구는 긴급 구호 활동에 착수했다.
그들은 전례 없는 규모의 과학 연구에 착수했다.
이사회는 기업 구조 조정에 착수하기로 합의했다.
정부는 헌법 개정 논의에 착수했다.
그들은 차세대 에너지 개발에 착수했다.
학계는 새로운 이론 검증에 착수했다.
정부는 대대적인 행정 개편에 착수했다.
Common Collocations
Idioms & Expressions
"본격적으로 착수하다"
To start in earnest.
이제 본격적으로 착수할 때가 되었다.
neutral"첫 삽을 뜨다"
To break ground/start a project.
드디어 첫 삽을 떴다.
idiomatic"시동을 걸다"
To start an engine or project.
프로젝트에 시동을 걸었다.
casual"막을 올리다"
To begin an event/project.
새 사업의 막을 올렸다.
literary"첫발을 내딛다"
To take the first step.
새로운 인생의 첫발을 내디뎠다.
neutralEasily Confused
Both mean start.
Formal vs casual.
시작하다 is for anything.
Formal start.
Used for services.
영업 개시.
Formal start.
Entering a phase.
작업 돌입.
Related word.
Down payment.
착수금을 냈다.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + Noun + 에 + 착수하다
우리는 사업에 착수했다.
Subject + Noun + 작업을 + 착수하다
그들은 조사 작업을 착수했다.
Subject + 본격적으로 + 착수하다
팀이 본격적으로 착수했다.
Subject + 즉시 + 착수하다
그는 즉시 착수했다.
Subject + 준비 후 + 착수하다
준비 후 착수했다.
Word Family
Nouns
Verbs
Related
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
Common Mistakes
착수하다 is for tasks/projects, not daily habits.
It is too formal for leisure activities.
Using a basic word instead of a formal one.
You don't 'start' a person.
Ensure correct Hanja usage.
Tips
Professionalism
Use it in reports.
Hada-verb
Easy to conjugate.
News Context
Listen to the news.
Visual
Think of hands.
Formality
Don't use with friends.
Hanja
Hand origin.
Collocations
Learn with nouns.
Crisp sounds
Clear 'k'.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Imagine putting your hands (수) on a project to start it (착).
Visual Association
A construction worker placing hands on a blueprint.
Word Web
Challenge
Write three sentences about a project you are starting.
Word Origin
Korean (Sino-Korean)
Original meaning: To put hands on.
Cultural Context
None.
Similar to 'commence' or 'embark on'.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Work
- 프로젝트에 착수하다
- 업무에 착수하다
- 회의에 착수하다
Construction
- 공사에 착수하다
- 설계에 착수하다
- 기초 작업에 착수하다
Investigation
- 조사에 착수하다
- 감사에 착수하다
- 분석에 착수하다
Government
- 정책에 착수하다
- 개혁에 착수하다
- 복구에 착수하다
Conversation Starters
"어떤 프로젝트에 착수하고 싶나요?"
"최근에 새로 착수한 일이 있나요?"
"공사는 언제 착수할 예정인가요?"
"조사에 착수하는 것이 좋을까요?"
"새 사업에 착수할 준비가 되었나요?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a project you are about to start.
Why is it important to prepare before starting a task?
What is the biggest task you have ever initiated?
How do you feel when you start a new work?
Frequently Asked Questions
8 questionsNo, it is too formal.
No, it is more formal.
착수.
When starting a project.
Yes, very.
Yes, 착수했다.
No.
Yes.
Test Yourself
우리는 공사에 ___.
착수하다 is for starting work.
Which word means to start a project?
착수하다 is the correct term.
Is '착수하다' formal?
Yes, it is used in professional contexts.
Word
Meaning
Construction starts.
Subject + Object + Verb.
Score: /5
Summary
Use '착수하다' when you are professionally embarking on a significant task or project.
- Means to start a formal task or project.
- More formal than '시작하다'.
- Commonly used in news and business.
- Literally means 'putting hands on'.
Professionalism
Use it in reports.
Hada-verb
Easy to conjugate.
News Context
Listen to the news.
Visual
Think of hands.
Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
More academic words
입체적
B2Having a three-dimensional effect or examining something from multiple perspectives rather than a single flat view. It implies a comprehensive and detailed analysis.
~에 관해
B1About, concerning.
~에 대하여
A2Concerning or regarding a particular subject; about.
~대해
A2About; concerning; regarding.
~에 관하여
A2Regarding, concerning, about (a topic).
~에 대해(서)
A1Indicates the topic or subject of discussion, meaning 'about' or 'regarding'.
무엇보다
A2More than anything else; above all.
결석생
A2A student who is absent from class.
추상
A2Abstraction; the quality of dealing with ideas rather than events.
추상화하다
B2To consider something theoretically or separately from its physical reality. It involves extracting general principles from specific examples.
