Korean Dictionary
How to say "Desperate" in Korean
“Desperate” in Korean is 절박하다 (pronounced "Jeolbakhada").
절박하다
Jeolbakhada
Usage & Context
Conveys urgency and feeling cornered with no way out. Used in both literal and emotional contexts. Korean students often describe their feelings before major exams as 절박해요. Very emotionally charged word in Korean.
Example Sentence
취업이 너무 안 돼서 정말 절박해요.
Job hunting is going so badly — I feel truly desperate.
How to use 절박하다 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Desperate” is 절박하다, romanized as Jeolbakhada.
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 절박하다.
Pronunciation Guide
'Jeol' sounds like 'juhl' (like 'jolly' but with a 'uh' vowel). 'Bak' is like 'buck' but with an 'ah' sound, 'bahk'. 'Ha' is like 'ha' in 'haha', and 'da' is like 'dah' in 'dah-ling'. The stress is fairly even.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
절박합니다
Jeolbakhamnida
Formal declarative form, used in polite and respectful situations.
Casual (반말)
절박해
Jeolbakhae
Casual declarative form, used with close friends or subordinates.
More Example Sentences
Facing a tight deadline.
마감 기한이 다가와서 마음이 절박했어요.
The deadline was approaching, so I felt desperate.
Extreme circumstances requiring intense effort.
그는 가족을 살리기 위해 절박한 노력을 했다.
He made desperate efforts to save his family.
The intense pressure of job hunting in Korea.
취업 준비생들은 모두 절박한 심정으로 하루하루를 보낸다.
All job seekers spend each day with desperate feelings.
Cultural Context
'절박하다' carries a strong sense of urgency and emotional intensity in Korean. It's often used to describe situations where one feels cornered or has no other option, leading to a desperate need or action. This feeling is particularly prevalent in highly competitive aspects of Korean society, such as college entrance exams (수능, Suneung) or the job market, where the stakes are incredibly high and the pressure immense.
Editorial note
We review entries like 절박하다 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
절박한 심정으로
with a desperate heart/feeling
상황이 절박해요.
The situation is desperate.
정말 절박했어요.
I was truly desperate.
Related Expressions
간절하다
Ganjeolhada
to be earnest/ardent (similar, but 절박하다 implies more urgency/direness)
필사적이다
Pilsajeogida
to be desperate/frantic (very similar, implies life-or-death effort)
여유롭다
Yeoyuropta
to be relaxed/leisurely (antonym)
궁지에 몰리다
Gungjie mollida
to be driven into a corner (related concept, often leads to 절박하다)
More Emotions Words
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