TOPIK 6 Idioms

literallycapitalist country

A country based on an economic system that guarantees the free production activities of individuals.

literallynatural childbirth

The act of giving birth to a baby on one's own without any artificial help such as a surgery.

literallynature worship

The act of worshipping a particular natural phenomenon or natural object as if it were a god.

literallyhave thin[pale] sensitivity to sound during sleep

To have a keen ear during sleep to such an extent that one wakes up even by the slightest noise.

literallylong-distance call

A phone call where one talks with another who is far away from him/her.

literallymonsoon front

A front that stays in the southern part of Korea and brings monsoon rain in the summer.

literallygo to the afterlife

(euphemism) To die.

literallysend to the afterlife

(euphemism) To kill.

literallytraditional fairy tale

A fairy tale handed down from ancient times. It is mainly developed from myths and legends.

literallyexecutive director

A board member who assists the president and vice president and oversees the company's business activities.

literallyfull body exercise

An exercise where one moves one's entire body.

literallyriot police

A police unit that is responsible for maintaining civil order and guard duty that sometimes can be aimed at preventing the spying activities of enemies.

literallycombat troops

Troops that actually fight battles when a war breaks out.

literallyhave something undone by one's own trick; The biter is bitten; Many go for wool and come home shorn

To be cheated by one's own trick that was devised to cheat someone.

literallytrace[dig into] one's lineage

To thoroughly investigate the source of something.

literallysentence-closing ending

An ending that is used to finish a sentence.

literallybe slapped across the face in Jongno, give a sidelong scowl in Hangang River; go home and kick the dog

To not immediately react to the humiliation from someone and grumble behind him/her afterwards.

literallybid an end

To put an end to a certain business or phenomenon.

literallysubordinate connective ending

An ending used to connect the preceding clause and the following clause with the former serving as a subordinate to the latter.

literallyStrangers when a good thing happens, and relatives when a bad thing happens

An expression used to describe a situation where a person contacts his/her relatives only when things go wrong while being neglectful of them when things go well.

literallysovereign state

A country that can make decisions and policies independently without interference by other countries.

literallyshareholders' meeting; stockholders' meeting

The highest decision-making body of a company where those owning the company's shares and participating in management make decisions for the company.

literallysubject honorification

A level of speech that raises the subject of a sentence by attaching '-시-', a pre-final ending for honorification, to the stem of the predicate of a clause.

literallybe unable to handle

To be unable to cope with something because it is burdensome and troublesome.

literallyeither dying or fainting

An expression used to describe an attitude of a person who runs every risk and makes all-out efforts.

literallymiddle man

A merchant who provides or trades products as an intermediary between producers and consumers.

literallyperceive beforehand; notice in advance

To notice that something will happen before it happens.

literallyputting on the wanted list

An act of publishing the name and photo of a criminal nationally or in a certain area in order to catch him/her when his or her whereabouts are unknown.

literallyDevotion will touch heaven; Sincerity moves heaven; Faith will move a mountain

An expression meaning you will produce good results in anything if you do your utmost because one's deep devotion will touch the sky.

literallyright triangle

In mathematics, a triangle in which one of the angles is a right angle.

literallypound and behave frivolously

To act in a very shallow and careless manner saying something nonsensical and inconsistent.

literallypour cold water

To jump into something that is going well and impede the progress or ruin the mood of it.

literallyimpose a whip

To give someone a startling admonition to help him/her improve.

literallya pile of books

An act of stacking books, or a lot of books.

literallythousand strands and ten thousand strands

A very large number of branches.

literallyThe world shakes

For a sound to be very loud.

literallyas if having gained the world

As if being very pleasant and satisfied.

literallyIron Age

In human history, an era in which people made items such as weapons or production tools out of iron.

literallygive an iron club

To punish someone severely or take a heavy toll on someone.

literallyBronze Age

In human history, an era in which people made items such as weapons or production tools out of bronze.

literallykeep one's feelers alert

To get focused and alert in order to become poised to immediately respond.

literallywield the handle of a knife

To exercise one's power.

literallycomputer graphics

A method of outputting various visual shapes such as pictures, photographs, shapes, and images using a computer.

literallynot show even the tip of one's nose

To not show up at all.

literallylift up one's nose

To act conceited and put on airs.

literallysnort; sniff

To ignore what someone said because one feels upset about or displeased with it.

literallya destiny that one is born with; an accident of birth

A good or bad destiny that one is born with and therefore has an impact on one's whole life.

literallyreceive elasticity

To gradually increase in number, quantity, degree, speed, etc.

literallytaegeuk mark

A sign indicating that you are a national representative.

literallyrite of passage

A ceremony such as a birth, coming-of-age, wedding, death, etc., that a person must go through at a transition to a new state in life.