Looking up...
죽음
jug-eum
death
죽음은 삶의 일부이다.
Death is a part of life.
formal
the state of being dead; the end of life
그는 갑작스러운 죽음으로 가족을 떠났다.
He left his family due to a sudden death.
Used more often in literary or formal contexts; everyday speech prefers 사망.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Contextual Choice
Use 죽음 when talking about the concept of death in a broad, abstract sense; use 사망 for concrete events like a person's death.
Gold Rule
Formal vs. Everyday
In formal writing, 죽음 often appears in philosophical or literary texts; in everyday conversation, 사망 is preferred.
Word Origin
Derived from the verb 죽다 ‘to die’ plus the nominalizing suffix -음.
Usage Notes
죽음 is often used in philosophical, literary, or formal discussions about mortality, while 사망 is common in medical or legal contexts.
Word Breakdown
죽다
to die
root-음
nominalizer turning a verb into a noun
suffix한영사전