Level 6

형사

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Understanding '형사'

The Korean word '형사' primarily refers to a detective or criminal investigator, a police officer who investigates crimes. It also relates to criminal cases or matters involving criminal law.

Usage in Context

When you hear '형사', it often means a detective working on solving crimes. For example, '형사로 일하다' means 'to work as a detective.' It can also describe the nature of a case, such as '형사 사건' meaning 'criminal case.'

Common Collocations

  • 형사 사건: criminal case, used when referring to legal cases involving crimes.
  • 형사 경찰: detective police, emphasizing the investigative role.
  • 형사 조사: criminal investigation, the process detectives conduct.

Register and Nuance

'형사' is a formal term used in police and legal contexts. It is not used to refer to criminals themselves; the word for a criminal is '범죄자' or '범인.' Avoid confusing '형사' with '형벌' (punishment).

Learner Tips

A common mistake is to think '형사' means 'criminal.' Instead, it means 'detective' or relates to criminal matters. Remember, '형사' is about the investigation side, not the offender.

Example Sentences

그는 형사로 일하면서 많은 사건을 해결했다.

Geuneun hyeongsaro ilhamyeonseo manheun sageoneul haegyeolhaetda.

He solved many cases while working as a detective.

형사들은 범인을 찾기 위해 증거를 수집하고 있다.

Hyeongsadeureun beomineul chatgi wihae jeunggeoreul sujiphago itda.

Detectives are collecting evidence to find the criminal.

그 사건은 형사 사건으로 분류되었다.

Geu sageoneun hyeongsa sageon-euro bunryudoeeotda.

That case was classified as a criminal case.