안녕하세요 여러분! Koreanstudyjunkie입니다. Today, I'm gonna introduce a few Korean Idioms that I think could be very useful in some common situations.
Idiom 1: 계란으로 / 달걀로 바위치기
Literal Translation: Hitting a rock with an egg
Meaning: An un-winnable situation
English Equivalent: Throw straws against the wind, To sweep the sea with a broom.
Example: 네가 힘으로 그 친구를 이기겠다는 건 계란으로 바위 치기인 격이야.
You winning against your friend using brute force is the same as hitting a rick with an egg.
Vocab Breakdown:
계란 - Egg
달걀 - Egg
으로 - With/By/Using
바위치다 - to Hit
Idiom 2: 티끌 모아 태산
Literal Translation: Accumulating dust forms a mountain
Meaning: Small things can turn into big things - every little bit helps.
English Equivalent: A penny saved is a penny earned
Vocab Breakdown:
티끌 - Dirt
모으다 - Gather, Collect
티끌을 모으다 - gather dust, gather dirt
산 - Mountain
태산 - Huge Mountain
Idiom 3: 오르지 못할 나무는 쳐다보지도 마라
Literal Translation: Don’t stare at a tree you can’t climb
Meaning: Be realistic, Don’t focus on the impossible
Example:
이 실력으로 대회에서 상을 받는다는 것은 무리니까 그냥 오르지 못할 나무는 쳐다보지도 마라.
It's impossible to win a prize in a competition for this skill, so don't just look at a tree that can't climb.
Vocab Breakdown:
오르다 - to climb, to go up
V-지 못하다 - can't Verb
나무 - tree
쳐다보다 - to stare ar
V-지 마 - don't do Verb (command)
Idiom 4: 손바닥으로 하늘을 가린다
Literal Translation: Trying to cover the sky with your palm
Meaning: You can’t hide the truth., Hiding the truth is futile
Example Dialogue:
가: 너도 지수가 거짓말을 한 거 알고 있었어?
A: Did you also know that Jisoo was lying?
나: 응, 손바닥으로 하늘 가리기나 마찬가지인데 왜 거짓말을 했나 몰라.
B: Yeah, It's the same as trying to cover the sky with your palm, so I have no Idea why she lied.
Vocab Breakdown:
손바닥 - palm (of your hand)
으로 - with, by, using
하늘 - sky
가리다 - to cover
Idiom 5: 쥐구멍에도 볕 들 날 있다
Literal Translation: Even a mouse hole gets sunlight
Meaning: Even good things come from bad situations.
English Equivalent: There's a light at the end of every tunnel, Every cloud has a silver lining, Every dog has his day.
Example Dialogue:
가: 이것 봐! 우리가 복권에 당첨되었어!
A: Look at this! We won the lottery!
나: 정말? 쥐구멍에도 볕 들 날 있다더니 이제 우리 생활도좀 나아지겠구나.
B: Really? They say every dog has its day, and now our lives are gonna get a bit better.
Vocab Breakdown:
쥐 - mouse, rat
쥐구멍 - a mouse hole
볕들다 - shine into
날 - day
있다 - to exist, to be
Idiom 6: 발등에 불이 떨어지다
Literal Translation: Fire coming off your feet
Meaning: If someone has fire coming off their feet, it means they are moving quickly.
English Equivalent: Pressed for time
Examples:
마감이 코 앞이라 발등에 불이 떨어졌다.
The deadline is so soon I’m so busy!
그는 발등에 불이 떨어져야 일을 시작한다.
He only starts his work at the last minute (when he is pressed for time).
Vocab Breakdown:
발등 - the top of the foot
불 - fire
떨어지다 - to drop, fall
Idiom 7: 보는 눈 없어
Literal Translation: To not have eyes for something, To not have eyes to see
Meaning: Having a bad sense of something
English Equivalent: To have bad taste in something
Examples:
빈센트는 나쁜 여자만 계속 만나는 걸 보니 여자 보는 눈이 없다
Vincent seems to only meet bad women, he has such bad taste in women.
난 한 번도 패션을 제대로 보는 눈을 가져 본 적이 없어.
I’ve never had much of an eye for fashion.
제가 사실 그런 거 보는 눈이 없어요.
I don't have an eye for that kind of stuff.
Vocab Breakdown:
보다 - to see
눈 - eyes
That's all for this post! Click here to get my 300+ Korean Quotes, Phrases, and Idioms Book.
Here's more Idioms if you'd like to keep learning > https://www.koreanstudyjunkie.com/post/korean-idioms-that-will-make-you-think-weird-korean-idioms