- Words
- Hard to translate
- 억울하다
번역되지 않는 말 · Hard to translate
억울하다 eogulhada
literally “wronged, blamed unfairly”
paying for what wasn't your fault, and feeling the unfairness inside
억울하다 is the feeling of being blamed, punished or left worse off for something that was not your fault, often with no way to make anyone see it. English needs a whole sentence ("It's not fair, I didn't do it!"), while a Korean child says it in one word, and often does.
The closest English
“unfair”
Describes the situation. 억울하다 is how it feels from the inside.
“wronged”
The right idea, but formal. 억울해 is something a seven-year-old says.
“falsely accused”
Only one case. You can feel 억울하다 after a bad referee's call.
In a sentence
문: 우리 집은 고요하게 지내는데, 아래층에서는 자꾸 소리가 난다고 합니다. 저는 억울합니다.
Q: We live quietly, but the people downstairs keep saying they hear noise. I feel I'm being blamed unfairly.
Hoya says it
Hoya
제 시계가 십 분 느렸어요. 억울해요!
My clock was ten minutes slow. It's not fair!