Korean Dictionary
How to say "Ambulance" in Korean
“Ambulance” in Korean is 구급차 (pronounced "gugeupcha").
구급차
gugeupcha
Usage & Context
구급차 is the emergency medical vehicle that responds to 119 calls in Korea. The 119 emergency number is used for both fires and medical emergencies in Korea. Korean 구급차 services are highly efficient and the country has one of the lowest response times in the OECD.
Example Sentence
사고가 나서 즉시 구급차를 불렀어요.
There was an accident so we immediately called an ambulance.
How to use 구급차 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Ambulance” is 구급차, romanized as gugeupcha.
Usage tip
When describing symptoms, combine the word with where it hurts, when it started, and how severe it is.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 구급차.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'gu-geup-cha' — 'gu' like 'goo', 'geup' rhymes with 'gup' (unreleased p), 'cha' like 'chah' with aspirated ch.
More Example Sentences
emergency situation
119에 전화해서 구급차를 불렀어요.
I called 119 and called an ambulance.
recounting an emergency
구급차가 도착하는 데 5분 걸렸어요.
It took 5 minutes for the ambulance to arrive.
driving etiquette
길을 양보해서 구급차가 지나가게 하세요.
Yield the way and let the ambulance pass.
Cultural Context
구급차 in Korea is dispatched via the '119' emergency number, which handles both fires and medical emergencies. Korean ambulance services are notably efficient — average response time is around 8 minutes. The companion term '구급대원' (paramedic) handles on-scene care. Traffic laws require all vehicles to immediately pull over for 구급차.
Editorial note
We review entries like 구급차 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
구급차 불러주세요!
Please call an ambulance!
구급차 타고 병원에 갔어요.
I went to the hospital by ambulance.
구급차가 오고 있어요.
The ambulance is coming.
Related Expressions
119
iririgu
emergency number
구급대원
gugeupdaewon
paramedic
응급실
eunggeupsil
emergency room
응급환자
eunggeup hwanja
emergency patient
More Health & Medical Words
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