Korean Dictionary
How to say "Crime" in Korean
“Crime” in Korean is 범죄 (pronounced "Beomjoe").
범죄
Beomjoe
Usage & Context
An act that violates the law and is punishable by the state. South Korea has laws against various crimes including theft, assault, and fraud.
Example Sentence
범죄율이 증가했습니다.
The crime rate has increased.
How to use 범죄 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Crime” is 범죄, romanized as Beomjoe.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
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 범죄.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'beom-joe'. Two syllables: 'beom' (like 'bum' with closed lips), 'joe' (like 'jweh'). Short and quick.
More Example Sentences
news topic
청소년 범죄가 늘고 있어요.
Youth crime is increasing.
commenting on news
그 범죄는 정말 끔찍했어요.
That crime was truly horrific.
online safety
사이버 범죄 조심하세요.
Be careful of cybercrime.
Cultural Context
범죄 is used broadly for any criminal offense. Korean police (경찰) is highly visible on TV 범죄 실화 programs like '그것이 알고 싶다'. True crime content and criminal profiler documentaries are popular. Korea has relatively low violent crime rates but tight drug and gun laws. 강력 범죄 (violent crime) vs 경범죄 (minor offense) is a legal distinction.
Editorial note
We review entries like 범죄 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
범죄를 저질렀어요.
He/she committed a crime.
범죄율이 높아요.
The crime rate is high.
범죄 예방이 중요해요.
Crime prevention is important.
Related Expressions
범인
beomin
criminal (the person)
경찰
gyeongchal
police
수사
susa
investigation
피해자
pihaeja
victim
More Law & Government Words
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