Lesson 6

Korean Proverbs & Idioms

Learn popular Korean proverbs and everyday idiomatic expressions.

Body Part Idioms in Korean

Korean idioms often use body parts: 눈 (eye) = standards/perception, 귀 (ear) = listening tendency, 입 (mouth) = eating/speaking, 발 (foot) = connections/range, 손 (hand) = skill/generosity.

손이 크다 = 음식을 많이 만든다 (generous with portions)soni keudaHands are big = makes a lot of food (generous)

눈이 빠지게 기다리다 = 간절히 기다리다 (wait desperately)nuni ppajige gidaridaWait until eyes fall out = wait desperately

~는 격이다 / ~는 셈이다 — It's like / It amounts to

~는 격이다 / ~는 셈이다 are used when applying a proverb to a real situation. It means 'it's essentially the same as ~'. 소 잃고 외양간 고치는 격이에요 (It's like fixing the barn after losing the cow).

지금 준비해도 늦은 셈이에요.jigeum junbihaedo neujeun semieyoEven if you prepare now, it's essentially too late.

거의 다 끝난 격이에요.geoui da kkeutnan gyeogieyoIt's essentially almost done.

소 잃고 외양간 고친다so ilko oeyanggan gochindaFix the barn after losing the cow (too late)

Examples백업을 안 해서 데이터를 잃었어요. 소 잃고 외양간 고치는 격이에요.baekeop-eul an haeseo deiteoreul ilheosseoyo. so ilko oeyanggan gochineun gyeogieyoI lost data because I didn't back up. It's like fixing the barn after the cow is gone.

눈이 높다nuni nopdato have high standards (lit: eyes are high)

Examples그 친구는 눈이 너무 높아서 아직 연인이 없어요.geu chinguneun nuni neomu nopaseo ajik yeoni eopseoyoThat friend has such high standards they still don't have a partner.

발이 넓다bari neoldato know many people (lit: feet are wide)

Examples우리 언니는 발이 넓어서 어디든 아는 사람이 있어요.uri eonnineun bari neolbeoseo eodideun aneun sarami isseoyoMy sister knows so many people, she has connections everywhere.

식은 죽 먹기sigeun juk meokgia piece of cake (lit: eating cold porridge)

Examples이 문제는 식은 죽 먹기예요.i munjeneun sigeun juk meokgiyeyoThis problem is a piece of cake.

귀가 얇다gwiga yaldaeasily influenced (lit: ears are thin)

Examples귀가 얇아서 광고를 보면 다 사고 싶어요.gwiga yalbaseo gwanggoreul bomyeon da sago sipeoyoI'm easily influenced, so I want to buy everything I see advertised.

입이 짧다ibi jjaldapicky eater (lit: mouth is short)

Examples아이가 입이 짧아서 밥을 잘 안 먹어요.aiga ibi jjalbaseo babeul jal an meogeoyoThe child is a picky eater and doesn't eat well.