What does 악마 mean?
악마 (ak-ma) means: Devil.
Speakers use this term to designate foundational figures of cosmic opposition in Buddhism (Mara) and Christianity (Satan). It appears in discussions of religious doctrine, moral corruption, and abstract vices personified as active tempters. It frequently combines with modifiers denoting malice or extremity, such as 사악한, 흉악한, and 인면수심의, and pairs with expressions of temptation like 유혹.
Can carry a heavy, absolute moral weight when invoked in discussions of human behavior, framing acts of extreme cruelty as beyond ordinary wrongdoing.
Can carry a heavy, absolute moral weight when invoked in discussions of human behavior, framing acts of extreme cruelty as beyond ordinary wrongdoing.
Other sides of 악마
◆ The 'Temptation' Archetype — Speakers use this to describe temptations or forces that lead individuals astray into bad habits or poor decisions, such as gambling or bribery. It frequently combines with words like 유혹 (temptation) and 빠지다 (to fall into). In everyday exchanges, it appears when discussing the various temptations present in daily life and the importance of watching out for greed.
When applied to minor lifestyle slips like breaking a diet or spending too much money, it can sound playful and exaggerated, framing a personal weakness as an irresistible external force.
◆ Fandom/Visual Aesthetic — Speakers use this term to describe figures who possess moral corruption or who torment others. It appears in contexts discussing harmful temptations, malicious behavior, or historical atrocities. The term combines with modifiers denoting evil, cruelty, or temptation, and occurs in formal discussions as well as everyday observations about destructive human behavior.
Among younger speakers and in pop culture contexts, this can occasionally extend to describe idols or fictional characters with sharp, predatory features or a dark, charismatic stage persona, shifting the nuance toward high-fashion visual aesthetics rather than literal evil.
◆ Hyperbolic Workplace Stress — Speakers use this term to describe someone who torments others or causes extreme distress. It appears in contexts discussing cruel behavior, ranging from severe criminal acts to tyrannical figures who subject others to harsh treatment. It combines with descriptors like 잔인한 and 폭군.
In professional environments, applying this label to a demanding superior or colleague functions as a hyperbolic vent for intense frustration behind closed doors, allowing speakers to dramatize severe workplace stress.
When applied to minor lifestyle slips like breaking a diet or spending too much money, it can sound playful and exaggerated, framing a personal weakness as an irresistible external force.
◆ Fandom/Visual Aesthetic — Speakers use this term to describe figures who possess moral corruption or who torment others. It appears in contexts discussing harmful temptations, malicious behavior, or historical atrocities. The term combines with modifiers denoting evil, cruelty, or temptation, and occurs in formal discussions as well as everyday observations about destructive human behavior.
Among younger speakers and in pop culture contexts, this can occasionally extend to describe idols or fictional characters with sharp, predatory features or a dark, charismatic stage persona, shifting the nuance toward high-fashion visual aesthetics rather than literal evil.
◆ Hyperbolic Workplace Stress — Speakers use this term to describe someone who torments others or causes extreme distress. It appears in contexts discussing cruel behavior, ranging from severe criminal acts to tyrannical figures who subject others to harsh treatment. It combines with descriptors like 잔인한 and 폭군.
In professional environments, applying this label to a demanding superior or colleague functions as a hyperbolic vent for intense frustration behind closed doors, allowing speakers to dramatize severe workplace stress.
🎙️ 악마는 표기 그대로 읽지 않아요 — 실제로는 [앙마]로 소리나요 (비음화). 발음 연습하기 →
How it's actually used
- 불교에서 악마는 중생에게 해를 끼친다.
bul-gyo-e-seo ak-ma-neun jung-saeng-e-ge hae-reul kki-jin-da.
In Buddhism, demons do harm to sentient beings.
💡 A general statement explaining the role of demons in Buddhist doctrine. - 기독교에서 악마는 인류를 신에게서 멀어지게 유혹하는 존재이다.
gi-dok-gyo-e-seo ak-ma-neun in-ryu-reul sin-e-ge-seo meo-reo-ji-ge yu-hok-ha-neun jon-jae-i-da.
In Christianity, the devil is an entity that tempts humanity to turn away from God.
💡 A formal description of the devil's function in Christian theology. - 자기 부모를 살해한 범인은 인면수심의 악마였다.
ja-gi bu-mo-reul sal-hae-han beo-min-eun in-myeon-su-sim-ui ak-ma-yeot-da.
The criminal who murdered his own parents was a heartless devil.
💡 Describing an act of absolute moral depravity.