Historical Dramas (Sageuk) Korean — 60 Phrases
60 Korean expressions you'll hear in historical dramas (sageuk), explained with romanization, English meaning and cultural context. Tap any phrase in the app to hear the audio and practice with quizzes.
K-content like historical dramas (sageuk) is full of natural Korean you won't find in a textbook. These 60 example sentences are written in that same style for learners, with romanization, English meaning and cultural context (B1–C1). Examples include “전하, 통촉하여 주시옵소서” and “신 아뢰옵나이다”. These 60 phrases are graded B1 20 · B2 20 · C1 20 on the CEFR scale and run from 8 to 43 characters.
| Korean | Meaning (EN) |
|---|---|
| 전하, 통촉하여 주시옵소서.jeonha, tongchokhayeo jusiopsoseo | Your Majesty, please consider with deep understanding. |
| 신 아뢰옵나이다.sin areoopnaida | I, your humble servant, respectfully report. |
| 마마, 이 무슨 말씀이시옵니까?mama, i museun malsseumisiopnikka? | Your Highness, what words are these? |
| 어명을 받들어 출궁하겠나이다.eomyeongeul batdeureo chulgunghagetnaida | Receiving the royal command, I shall leave the palace. |
| 망극하옵니다, 전하.manggeukhaopnida, jeonha | I am overwhelmed with grace, Your Majesty. |
| 윤허하소서, 전하.yunheohasoseo, jeonha | Please grant your royal permission, Your Majesty. |
| 주상 전하, 시간이 없사옵니다.jusang jeonha, sigani eopssaopnida | Your Majesty the King, there is no time. |
| 환궁을 명하노라.hwangungeul myeonghanora | I hereby command return to the palace. |
| 사약을 받으시오.sayageul badeusio | Receive the poisoned drink. |
| 어의를 들라 하라.eouireul deulra hara | Have the royal physician come in. |
| 물렀거라, 사또 행차시다.mulleotgeora, satto haengchasida. | Stand aside, the magistrate is passing. |
| 게 아무도 없느냐.ge amudo eomneunya. | Is no one there? |
| 그만하면 되었다, 물러가거라.geumanhamyeon doeeotda, mulleogageora. | That is enough. You may withdraw. |
| 어서 등을 밝히고 뜰을 쓸어라.eoseo deungeul balkigo tteureul sseureora. | Light the lanterns and sweep the courtyard at once. |
| 나으리, 좋은 비단이 들어왔습니다.naeuri, joeun bidani deureowatseumnida. | My lord, fine silk has just come in. |
| 스승님, 이 구절의 뜻을 여쭙고자 합니다.seuseungnim, i gujeorui tteuseul yeojjupgoja hamnida. | Master, I wish to ask the meaning of this passage. |
| 오늘은 여기까지 하고 그만 쉬게.oneureun yeogikkaji hago geuman swige. | Let us stop here for today, go and rest. |
| 그 일은 내 친히 살피겠노라.geu ireun nae chinhi salpigennora. | I shall look into that matter myself. |
| 자네, 그 말은 입 밖에 내지 말게.jane, geu mareun ip bakke naeji malge. | Do not let that pass your lips, my friend. |
| 중궁전에 다과를 들이거라.junggungjeone dagwareul deurigeora. | Bring tea and refreshments to the queen chambers. |
| 전하의 옥체를 보전하시옵소서.jeonha-ui okchereul bojeonhasiopsoseo | May Your Majesty preserve your royal health. |
| 삼강오륜이 무너지면 나라가 어찌 되겠나이까.samgangoryuni muneojimyeon naraga eojji doegetnaikka | If the three bonds and five relationships collapse, what will become of the nation? |
| 도승지를 들라 하라, 긴히 의논할 일이 있도다.doseungjireul deulra hara, ginhi uinonhal iri itdoda | Have the Chief Royal Secretary come; there is an urgent matter to discuss. |
| 신을 어찌 그리 보시옵니까.sineul eojji geuri bosiopnikka | How can you look upon your servant in such a way? |
| 사관은 모든 것을 빠짐없이 기록하라.sagwaneun modeun geoseul ppajimeopsi girokhara | The historian shall record everything without omission. |
| 충신은 두 임금을 섬기지 아니합니다.chungsineun du imgeumeul seomgiji anihamnida | A loyal subject does not serve two kings. |
| 역모를 꾸민 자들을 모조리 잡아들이라.yeokmoreul kkumin jadeureul mojori jabadeurira | Arrest all those who plotted treason. |
| 선대왕의 유지를 받들겠나이다.seondaewang-ui yujireul batdeulgetnaida | I shall uphold the will of the late king. |
| 기방의 음악 소리가 흥취를 더하옵나이다.gibang-ui eumak soriga heungchwireul deohaobnaida | The music from the gisaeng house heightens the merriment. |
| 동궁마마, 정사를 돌보실 시간이옵니다.donggungmama, jeongsareul dolbosil siganiopnida | Crown Prince, it is time to attend to state affairs. |
| 과인이 어찌 경의 뜻을 모르겠는가.gwaini eojji gyeongui tteuseul moreugenneunga. | How could I not know your intent, my lord? |
| 척후를 내보내어 적의 형세를 살피라.cheokureul naebonaeeo jeogui hyeongsereul salpira. | Send out scouts and observe the enemy formation. |
| 성문을 굳게 닫고 한 사람도 들이지 마라.seongmuneul gutge datgo han saramdo deuriji mara. | Bar the fortress gates and let no one enter. |
| 원자의 기침이 잦으니 약방에 기별을 넣어라.wonjaui gichimi jajeuni yakbange gibyeoreul neoeora. | The young prince coughs often, send word to the royal apothecary. |
| 소인은 그저 하루 벌어 먹는 장사치올시다.soineun geujeo haru beoreo meongneun jangsachiolsida. | I am but a peddler who lives from one day to the next. |
| 몸은 멀리 있으나 마음은 늘 도성에 머무오.momeun meolli isseuna maeumeun neul doseonge meomuo. | My body is far away, yet my heart remains in the capital. |
| 밤새 순라를 돌았더니 다리가 뻐근하이.bamsae sullareul doratdeoni dariga ppeogeunhai. | I walked the night patrol till dawn and my legs ache. |
| 오늘 조회는 이만 파하겠노라.oneul johoeneun iman pahagennora. | I shall bring the morning council to a close for today. |
| 이 늦은 시각에 어인 일로 오셨는가.i neujeun sigage eoin illo osyeonneunga. | What brings you here at so late an hour? |
| 의금부에 넘겨 엄히 국문하라.uigeumbue neomgyeo eomhi gungmunhara. | Hand him over to the royal tribunal and interrogate him strictly. |
| 수신제가 치국평천하라 하였으니, 자기 몸을 바로 함이 곧 천하의 시작이옵나이다.susinjega chigukpyeongcheonhara hayeoteuni, jagi momeul baro hami got cheonha-ui sijagiopnaida | It is said: cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the state, and bring peace to all under heaven — thus rectifying one's body is the very beginning of all under heaven. |
| 조정의 기강이 흐트러지면 사직이 위태로워지옵나이다.jojeong-ui gigang-i heuteureojimyeon sajig-i witaeroweojiopnaida | If the discipline of the court grows lax, the very altars of state will be imperiled. |
| 삼국유사를 살펴보매, 신라의 기풍이 가장 풍요로웠음을 알 수 있나이다.samgukyusareul salpyeobomae, Silla-ui gipung-i gajang pungyoroweosseumeul al su itnaida | Examining the Samguk Yusa, one can see that the spirit of Silla was the most abundant. |
| 백성을 하늘로 삼아야 한다는 민본 사상이 곧 정치의 근본이옵나이다.baekseongeul haneullo samaya handaneun minbon sasang-i got jeongchi-ui geunbonopnaida | The people-as-foundation thought, that one must make the people one's heaven, is the very root of governance. |
| 왕도 정치는 인의예지를 근간으로 하옵나이다.wangdo jeongchineun inuiyejireul geunganeuro haopnaida | Kingly governance is rooted in benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom. |
| 사간원의 간쟁이 없으면 어찌 군주가 청명하리이까.saganwon-ui ganjaeng-i eopseumyeon eojji gunjuga cheongmyeonghariikka | Without the remonstrations of the Office of Censors, how could the sovereign remain pure and clear? |
| 사기 본기에 이르기를, 천명이 옮겨가면 새 나라가 일어난다 하였사옵나이다.sagi bongie ireugireul, cheonmyeong-i omgyeogamyeon sae naraga ireonanda hayeotsaopnaida | The Annals of the Records of the Grand Historian say that when the Mandate of Heaven shifts, a new dynasty arises. |
| 역대 군주가 친히 농정을 살피셨던 예를 본받아 주시옵소서.yeokdae gunjuga chinhi nongjeongeul salpisyeotdeon yereul bonbada jusiopsoseo | Please take as your example the past sovereigns who personally inspected agricultural policy. |
| 당파의 이해를 떠나 오직 종묘사직만을 생각하옵소서.dangpa-ui ihaereul tteona ojik jongmyosajingmaneul saenggakhasiopsoseo | Setting aside factional interests, please think only of the Royal Ancestral Shrine and the altars of state. |
| 임금이 어진 신하를 가까이 하시면 자연 태평성대가 도래하리이다.imgeumi eojin sinhareul gakkai hasimyeon jayeon taepyeongseongdaega doraehariida | If the king draws near the virtuous ministers, an age of great peace will naturally come. |
| 적소의 밤은 길고 등잔 기름은 벌써 바닥이 났네.jeoksoui bameun gilgo deungjan gireumeun beolsseo badagi nanne. | The nights in exile are long, and the lamp oil has already run dry. |
| 글은 눈으로 읽는 것이 아니라 몸으로 익히는 것이네.geureun nuneuro ingneun geosi anira momeuro ikineun geosine. | Learning is not read with the eyes but absorbed with the whole body. |
| 붓끝이 흔들리는 것은 마음이 먼저 흔들린 까닭이네.butkkeuchi heundeullineun geoseun maeumi meonjeo heundeullin kkadalgine. | The brush trembles because the heart trembled first. |
| 벼슬은 잠시 머무는 자리나 이름은 오래 남는 법이오.byeoseureun jamsi meomuneun jarina ireumeun orae namneun beobio. | Office is a seat held only briefly, but a name endures long after. |
| 화살은 시위를 떠나면 다시는 돌아오지 아니하오.hwasareun siwireul tteonamyeon dasineun doraoji anihao. | Once an arrow leaves the bowstring it never returns. |
| 내명부의 법도가 어찌 이리 문란해졌는고.naemyeongbuui beopdoga eojji iri mullanhaejyeonneungo. | How have the rules of the inner court fallen into such disorder? |
| 장졸들은 들으라, 오늘 이 자리에서 한 발도 물러서지 않는다.jangjoldeureun deureura, oneul i jarieseo han baldo mulleoseoji anneunda. | Soldiers, hear me. Today we yield not one step from this ground. |
| 글월은 받자왔으나 답신을 적을 기력조차 없구려.geurworeun batjawasseuna dapsineul jeogeul giryeokjocha eopguryeo. | Your letter reached me, but I lack even the strength to write a reply. |
| 물이 지나치게 맑으면 고기가 모이지 아니한다 하였네.muri jinachige malgeumyeon gogiga moiji anihanda hayeonne. | It is said that where the water is too clear, no fish will gather. |
| 아비가 바르지 못하면 자식에게 무엇을 가르치겠는가.abiga bareuji motamyeon jasigege mueoseul gareuchigenneunga. | If the father is not upright, what can he teach his child? |
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Frequently asked questions
- How many Korean historical dramas (sageuk) phrases are on this page?
- This page lists 60 historical dramas (sageuk) phrases in Korean, each with romanization and an English meaning.
- What level are these Korean historical dramas (sageuk) phrases?
- They span B1–C1 on the CEFR scale (B1 20 · B2 20 · C1 20), which suits intermediate to advanced learners.
- Can I hear how these Korean phrases are pronounced?
- Yes — every phrase on this page has a play button with audio. The free WeBring Korean app adds quizzes and spaced-repetition review.
- How many of these historical dramas (sageuk) phrases are questions?
- 1 of the 60 end in a question mark; the other 59 are statements.
- What speech endings do these Korean phrases use?
- 0 end in the polite -요 form and 1 in the formal -습니다 form; the rest use other endings.