Meaning and Usage
The adjective '심각하다' describes something serious, grave, or severe. It is often used to express the importance or critical nature of a problem, situation, or expression.
Common Contexts
You will frequently hear '심각하다' in news reports, discussions about social issues, health conditions, or any context where the stakes are high and require attention.
Collocations and Patterns
- '심각한 문제' (serious problem): used to emphasize the severity of an issue.
- '심각한 상황' (serious situation): highlights a critical or dangerous circumstance.
- '심각한 표정' (serious expression): describes a facial expression showing concern or gravity.
Register and Politeness
'심각하다' is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. It is common in spoken and written Korean.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse '심각하다' with '심하다' (severe, extreme). While both can describe severity, '심각하다' emphasizes seriousness or gravity, often with a sense of importance or urgency, whereas '심하다' can refer to intensity or extremeness without necessarily implying seriousness.