Showing 151–200 of 657 proverbs
literallyThe eyes are the mirror of the mind
A figurative expression meaning it is easy to guess someone's mind simply by looking into his/her eyes.
눈만 보아도 그 사람의 마음을 미루어 알 수 있다는 말.
literallyOne's nose is cut off even when one opens one's eyes
For the atmosphere of a society to be very coldhearted and inhuman.
세상인심이 매우 사납고 도리에서 벗어나 있다.
literallyOne needs to open one's eyes if one wants to see a star
An expression used to advise someone to make efforts and preparations to achieve something.
어떤 성과를 얻기 위해서는 그에 따르는 노력과 준비가 필요하다는 말.
literallyOne's eyes are the treasure
To be excellent at remembering things to such an extent that one does not forget anything that one has ever seen.
한 번 본 것은 잊지 않을 정도로 뛰어나다.
literallyOne cannot see one's own nose however bright it is
To be unable to completely know oneself however smart one might be.
자기가 아무리 똑똑해도 정작 자기 자신에 대해서는 잘 모른다.
literallyOne's eyes are the scale
For one's eye measurement of something to be exactly correct just like it was gauged with a scale.
눈으로 보고 짐작한 것이 저울에 단 것처럼 딱 들어맞는다는 말.
literallyPeople tend to become wasteful with tears when they become older
People tend to feel grief even with a minor and trivial thing as they grow older.
나이가 많아지면 작은 일에도 슬퍼하게 된다.
literallyPeople tend to feel sorrow more often and easily when they become older
People tend to feel sorrow more easily and often even with a minor and trivial thing as they grow older.
나이가 많아지면 작은 일에도 쉽게 서러워진다.
literallyPeople tend to become a child when when they become older
People tend to behave like a child, not like an adult, as they grow older.
나이가 들면 오히려 어린아이처럼 행동한다.
literallyPeople tend to become more nitpicky when they become older
People tend to interfere in other's business or behavior more easily and often as they grow older.
나이가 많아질수록 남의 일이나 행동에 대해 참견이 심해진다.
literallyA thief who has learned stealing later than others will not even realize that the day breaks while committing a theft
For a person who becomes interested in a certain thing later than others to tend to be more enthusiastic about it.
남보다 늦게 어떤 일에 흥미를 느낀 사람이 그것을 더 열심히 하게 된다.
literallyA thief who has learned stealing later than others will not even realize that the dawn breaks time while committing a theft
For a person who becomes interested in a certain thing later than others to tend to be more enthusiastic about it.
남보다 늦게 어떤 일에 흥미를 느낀 사람이 그것을 더 열심히 하게 된다.
literallyA nose drips into the juk, rice porridge, that was almost cooked
Something almost completed is spoiled by an absurd or ill-timed mistake.
거의 다 된 일을 어이없이 망쳐 버렸다.
literallyblow one's nose on the juk, rice porridge, that was almost cooked
To spoil something almost completed by an absurd or ill-timed mistake.
거의 다 된 일을 어이없이 망쳐 버리는 것.
literallyBite any of the five fingers and it will hurt the same
All children are equally beloved and precious.
자식은 똑같이 다 귀하고 소중하다.
literallyhave the taste of both the sweets and the bitters
To go through both the happiness and unhappiness of life.
인생의 행복과 불행을 모두 겪다.
1이 단맛 쓴맛 다 보다
나는 이미 인생의 단맛 쓴맛을 다 본 사람이기 때문에 지금 죽어도 미련이 없다.
literallyhitting a rock with an egg; a drop in the ocean; The elephant does not feel a flea bite
A situation where one is facing very difficult circumstances or an uphill battle against a very strong opponent.
매우 어려운 상황이거나 너무 강한 상대여서 맞서 싸워도 도저히 이길 수 없는 경우.
literallyThe moon will wane when it waxes
There is a time when everything goes well, but there is also a time when everything goes wrong.
세상 모든 일이 잘 되고 좋은 때가 있으면 그렇지 않은 때도 있다.
literallywhipping a running horse; urging on a willing person; lashing into fresh exertion
To build on the momentum when one's energy is in full swing.
기세가 한창 좋을 때 더 힘을 가하는 것.
literallyOne swallows something if it is sweet, while spitting it if it is bitter
To chase one's own interest without considering right or wrong, or keeping faith.
옳고 그른 것이나 신의를 신경 쓰지 않고 자기의 이익만을 따른다.
literallylike a chicken watching a cow, like a cow watching a chicken
The manner in which two look at each other with indifference.
서로 아무 관심도 없이 대하는 모양.
literallyshowing duck feet after eating chicken; play innocent; put on an act
To try to hide one's fault by misleading behavior after it was revealed.
자신이 저지른 잘못이 드러나자 엉뚱한 행동으로 이를 숨기려 한다.
literallylike a dog that has been chasing a chicken watching a roof[distance mountain]
The manner in which one is discouraged and disappointed at one's effort ending up in failure.
노력하여 하던 일이 실패하자 실망해 기운을 잃은 모양.
literallyThe dried persimmon is too sweet to eat now
To do something which is immediately good for oneself without preparing for the things to come in the future.
앞으로의 일은 생각하지 않고 지금 자신에게 좋은 것만 하다.
literallylightning in broad daylight
Misfortune from an unexpected accident.
뜻밖의 일로 당한 화.
literallyI wish things were always like they are on Hangawi, the Korean Thanksgiving Day, neither more than that nor less than that
An expression which conveys the wish that everything could be as abundant as it is on the Hangawi holliday, the Korean Thanksgiving Day, to help people enjoy a carefree life.
모든 것이 한가위 때만큼만 풍성해서 사는 것이 편안했으면 좋겠다는 말.
literallyNot even a dog will bark if it is meant to be stolen
Everything will go wrong if one is unfavored.
운수가 나쁘면 모든 것이 제대로 되지 않는다.
도둑을 맞으려면 개도 안 짖는다고 치킨 가게를 열었더니 조류 독감이 퍼져서 장사가 안 됐다.
literallyThe thief himself/herself feels numb in his/her own feet; He that commits a wrongful act or mistake thinks everyone speaks of it
For one to be bound to feel anxious if one is involved in misdeeds.
지은 죄가 있으면 자연히 마음이 조마조마해진다.
도둑이 제 발 저린다고 도둑은 자신의 범행이 들통 날까봐 안절부절못했다.
literallydredge a ditch and catch a crawfish; kill two birds with one stone
To gain two kinds of interest while working on a single business.
한 가지 일을 하면서 두 가지 이익을 보다.
운동으로 다이어트를 하면 살도 빼고 건강도 좋아지니 도랑 치고 가재 잡는 셈이다.
literallymeat on the cutting board
To be put under a dangerous situation where one can not budge at all.
꼼짝할 수 없이 위험한 상황에 처하다.
literallycomparing the height of acorns
For two who are more or less the same to make an argument to demonstrate one's superiority.
서로 비슷비슷한 사람끼리 자기가 더 낫다고 다툼.
외모가 비슷한 민준과 승규를 놓고 누가 더 잘생겼나 비교하는 것은 도토리 키 재기였다.
literallySometimes you have money and then you lose it; other times you do not have money and then you get some
An expression used to advise some not to care too much about accumulating wealth since it is supposed to come and go.
재물은 돌고 도는 것이므로 재물의 있고 없음에 너무 얽매이지 말라는 말.
literallyYou have to knock on a bridge before crossing it even if it is made of stone
An expression used to advise that one should double check and take caution even if one knows something well or it looks certain.
잘 알거나 확실해 보이는 일이라도 한 번 더 점검하고 주의해야 한다.
literallyIf you cannot give alms, at least do not break the small gourd
You may not want to disturb others when you can not help them.
다른 사람을 도와주지는 못해도 방해는 하지 마라.
literallyflashing in the east, flashing in the west ; dart in and out of places
An expression to describe the manner in which someone or something darts in and out of places at an incredibly high speed.
짐작할 수 없을 정도로 이곳저곳을 왔다 갔다 함을 뜻하는 말.
literallya necklace for the neck of a pig
An expression to describe something that does not suit one as one does not appreciate its value or it is out of one's character.
가치를 모르거나 격에 맞지 않아 어울리지 않는다는 말.
literallygive one doe, a Korean unit of measure equivalent to 1.8 liters, of something and get ten times of it back
To give others a small quantity of something and get a much larger quantity of it or something else.
다른 사람에게 조금 주고 훨씬 많은 양을 돌려받다.
literallya healthy and large tree can be recognized even as a seed leaf; Sandalwood is fragrant even in seed leaf; As the twig is bent, so grows the tree
A promising person stands out as a young child.
크게 될 사람은 어릴 때부터 남다르다.
될 성부른 나무는 떡잎부터 알아본다고 어릴 때부터 똑똑하고 대범하던 지수는 자라서 유능한 사업가가 되었다.
literallyTwo palms have to slap against each other to make sound
Whatever it is, both parties involved should be of one mind to make it happen.
무슨 일이든 두 편에서 뜻이 맞아야 이루어질 수 있다.
두 손뼉이 맞아야 소리가 나지 그 사람이 나한테 아무 짓도 안 했는데 내가 괜히 화를 냈겠어?
literallyleave something and make soup out of it later
(teasing) To save and hold something that should be used.
(놀리는 말로) 써야 할 것을 쓰지 않고 가지고 있다.
너 귀걸이는 사서 한 번도 안 하고, 그렇게 두었다가 국 끓여 먹겠다.
literallywhether hurling something to the ground or flinging it down to the ground
An expression used to describe a situation where one gains the same results in which way one does something.
이렇게 하나 저렇게 하나 결과가 마찬가지인 경우를 뜻하는 말.
둘러치나 메어치나 같은 말이니 굳이 또 되풀이할 필요가 없다.
literallyNeither one will know if one of the two dies while eating
For food to be very delicious.
음식이 아주 맛있다.
literallyshell the pumpkin seed in the back
To pretend to be gentle and nice but do something bad when nobody is looking.
평소에는 점잖아 보이나 남이 보지 않는 곳에서 못된 짓을 하다.
걔는 사람들 앞에서는 좋은 말만 하면서 뒤로 호박씨 까고 다닌다더라.
literallyA person[man] who says 'You wait and see' does not become a threat
There is no use of saying one will do something later.
나중에 어떻게 하겠다고 말하는 것은 아무 소용이 없다.
뒤에 보자는 사람 무섭지 않다고 지금 당장 이 일을 하지 않을 거면 그만 둬.
literallythe fate of a dwi-ungbak, a calabash
An expression which means a fate trapped in a calabash whose mouth is narrow and describes a miserable life one is quagmired in once it is ruined.
입구가 좁은 뒤웅박 속에 갇힌 팔자라는 뜻으로, 일단 신세를 망치면 거기서 빠져나오기가 어려움을 뜻하는 말.
literallyThe dwigan/dwitgan, an outhouse, and the house of one's-in-laws should be distant; Good fences make good neighbors
Just like an outhouse should be as far away as possible because of the smell, so too should the house of one's in-laws be far away since rumors spread.
뒷간이 나쁜 냄새가 나기 때문에 멀리 있을수록 좋은 것처럼 사돈집 사이에는 말이 나돌기 쉬우므로 서로 멀어야 한다.
literallyhave a certain state of mind when going into the dwigan/dwitgan, an outhouse, but have a different state of mind when coming out of it
For one to beg someone desperately for help when his/her help is urgently needed, but to ignore him/her after things have finished and their troubles have ended.
자기 일이 급할 때는 간절히 매달리다가 일을 무사히 다 마치고 나면 모른 체한다.
literallyshell the pumpkin seed through the back hole
For one to be seemingly prudent and upright in one's behavior and attitude, but to behave differently when others are not around.
겉으로는 행동과 태도가 신중하고 바르지만 남이 보지 않는 곳에서는 그와 다르게 행동한다.
literallyPeople tend to be unaware of affection that is coming in, but be aware of affection that is going out
People barely realize that they have become attached to someone when they are getting close to him/her, but definitely know when they lose affection.
정이 드는 것은 드는 줄 모르게 들지만 정이 떨어질 때는 확실하게 알 수 있다.
드는 정은 몰라도 나는 정은 안다고 친했던 친구가 마음에 안 들기 시작하니까 계속 안 좋은 모습만 보여.
literallyPeople tend to be unaware when things come in, but are aware when things go out
People can hardly realize when they gain a personal relationship or fortune, but clearly realize it when they lose him/her or it.
사람이나 재물 등이 붙는 것은 잘 드러나지 않아도 떨어지는 것은 쉽게 알 수 있다.
Showing 151–200 of 657 proverbs
Entries, definitions, literal glosses and examples from the 국립국어원 한국어기초사전, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.