Have you ever been puzzled when a Korean speaker uses an expression that doesn’t quite make sense in English? Or perhaps you've come across phrases like "입이 무겁다" or "고래 싸움에 새우 등 터진다" and wondered what they actually mean?
Mastering idioms is an excellent way to enhance your Korean language abilities while gaining a deeper insight into Korean culture. Like any language, Korean idioms don’t always translate literally, but they bring richness and depth to everyday conversations. If you want to speak more naturally and fluently in Korean, learning some of the most common idioms is key. In this blog post, I'll present 10 more idioms, continuing from the previous one.
11. 천리길도 한 걸음부터 (cheolligil-do han georeum-buteo)
Literal Translation: A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step
Meaning: Every big task starts with a small step
Example: 큰 목표를 이루려면 천리길도 한 걸음부터 시작해야 한다.
(To achieve a big goal, a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.)
12. 콩 심은 데 콩 나고, 팥 심은 데 팥 난다 (kong sim-eun de kong nago, pat sim-eun de pat nanda)
Literal Translation: Where you plant beans, beans grow; where you plant red beans, red beans grow
Meaning: You reap what you sow
Example: 그가 노력한 만큼 결과가 나왔다. 콩 심은 데 콩 나고, 팥 심은 데 팥 난다.
(He got the results based on his effort. You reap what you sow.)
13. 배보다 배꼽이 크다 (baeboda baekkobi keuda)
Literal Translation: The belly button is bigger than the stomach
Meaning: Something is disproportionally more important than the main thing
Example: 프로젝트에 부수적인 일에 너무 많은 시간을 쏟고 있어. 배보다 배꼽이 크다.
(We’re spending too much time on secondary tasks in the project. The belly button is bigger than the stomach.)
14. 우물 안 개구리 (umul an gaeguri)
Literal Translation: A frog in a well
Meaning: Someone with a narrow perspective or limited knowledge
Example: 그는 세계를 잘 몰라. 우물 안 개구리야.
(He doesn’t know much about the world. He’s a frog in a well.)
15. 나무를 보고 숲을 보지 못하다 (namureul bogo sup-eul boji mothada)
Literal Translation: To see the tree but not the forest
Meaning: To focus on the small details and miss the bigger picture
Example: 그가 그 문제만 보고 있어. 나무를 보고 숲을 보지 못하고 있어.
(He’s focusing on the issue at hand. He’s seeing the tree but not the forest.)
16. 시작이 반이다 (sijagi banida)
Literal Translation: Starting is half the battle
Meaning: The hardest part is starting; once you begin, you're halfway there
Example: 이 프로젝트는 시작이 반이다. 시작만 하면 금방 끝날 거야.
(Starting this project is half the battle. Once we begin, it’ll be finished quickly.)
17. 바위에 물 흐르듯 (bawie mul heureudeut)
Literal Translation: Like water flowing over a rock
Meaning: Something that is smooth or effortless
Example: 그의 발표는 바위에 물 흐르듯 자연스러웠다.
(His presentation was as smooth as water flowing over a rock.)
18. 기회는 날아간다 (gihoeneun naraganda)
Literal Translation: Opportunity flies away
Meaning: Opportunities are fleeting and should be seized quickly
Example: 기회를 놓치지 마세요, 기회는 날아갑니다.
(Don’t miss the opportunity, it flies away.)
19. 입이 짧다 (ipi jjalbda)
Literal Translation: To have a short mouth
Meaning: To be picky about food or to eat small portions
Example: 그녀는 입이 짧아서 한 끼도 잘 먹지 않아요.
(She’s picky about food and doesn’t eat much at a time.)
20. 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다 (wonsungi-do namueseo tteoreojinda)
Literal Translation: Even monkeys fall from trees
Meaning: Even experts can make mistakes
Example: 그는 실수를 했지만 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다.
(He made a mistake, but even monkeys fall from trees.)
By learning and using these 30 Korean idioms, you’ll sound more like a native speaker and understand Korean culture on a deeper level. Korean idioms are a fun and interesting way to make your conversations more vivid and expressive. Try incorporating these expressions into your daily conversations and watch your language skills grow!
