Korean word

희생자

Pronunciation

Romanizationhisaengja

Meaning

  • nounvictim

Example

그는 사고의 희생자였다.keu neun sa go ui hi saeng ja yeot tta

He was a victim of the accident.

Illustration for 희생자 (victim)

More examples

사고 현장에는 많은 희생자가 발생했다.sa go hyeon jang e neun ma neun hi saeng ja ga pal saeng haet tta

There were many victims at the scene of the accident.

Core concept

Someone who bears the personal harm or loss caused by circumstances.

Common phrases

  • 사고의 희생자sa go ui hi saeng ja

    victim of an accident

  • 범죄의 희생자peom joe ui hi saeng ja

    victim of a crime

  • 전쟁의 희생자cheon jaeng ui hi saeng ja

    victim of war

Similar words

피해자pihaeja: A person who suffers physical or mental harm from another person or an event.
가해자kahaeja: A person whose actions cause harm or loss to someone else.
당사자tangsaja: A person directly involved in an event or issue as a concerned party.
희생hisaeng: Something valuable given up or lost to support a purpose or another person.

Definition in Korean

어떤 일이나 상황 때문에 생명이나 이익을 잃거나 해를 입은 사람을 가리키는 말eo tteon i ri na sang hwang ttae mu ne saeng myeong i na i i geul il keo na hae reul i beun sa ra meul ka ri ki neun mal

Word origin

희생자 (hisaengja, "victim") is a Sino-Korean compound of 희생 (hisaeng, "sacrifice") and 자 (ja, "person"), linking the word to a person who bears loss or harm.

Usage tips

  • The word is useful for news and everyday accounts because it can describe people affected by accidents, disasters, or other harmful events without assigning blame.

Opposites

Related words

  • 희생하다hisaenghadasacrificeverb
  • 자기희생chagihisaengself-sacrificenoun
  • 희생정신hisaengjeongsinspirit of self-sacrificenoun

Word lists with this word