Body idioms (관용어)
| idiom | literally | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 발이 넓다 | feet are wide | to know a lot of people |
| 눈이 높다 | eyes are high | to have high standards |
| 손이 크다 | hands are big | to be generous (makes/gives a lot) |
| 입이 짧다 | mouth is short | to be a picky eater |
| 귀가 얇다 | ears are thin | to be easily persuaded |
| 배가 아프다 | stomach hurts | to be jealous (of someone's success) |
| 미역국을 먹다 | to eat seaweed soup | to fail an exam |
Proverbs (속담)
- 누워서 떡 먹기 — eating rice cake lying down: a piece of cake.
- 식은 죽 먹기 — eating cold porridge: very easy.
- 고생 끝에 낙이 온다 — after hardship comes joy.
- 가는 말이 고와야 오는 말이 곱다 — kind words out bring kind words back.
- 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다 — even monkeys fall from trees.
- 낮말은 새가 듣고 밤말은 쥐가 듣는다 — birds hear daytime words, mice hear night words (walls have ears).
- 백문이 불여일견 — hearing a hundred times isn't as good as seeing once.