百聞不如一見

ko-noun

百聞不如一見 • (baengmunburyeoilgyeon) (hangeul 백문불여일견)

baengmunburyeoilgyeon (romanization)
백문불여일견 (hangeul)

백문불여일견 백문불여일견#Korean

hanja form of 백문불여일견 (“seeing is believing”)


모르는 것이 약이다

ko-pos

모르는 것-이 약-이다

[모(ː)르는거시야기다]

"not knowing is the cure/medicine"; ignorance is bliss


아는 것이 탈

Native Korean 아는 + 것 + 이 + 탈. Literally, "Knowledge is evil."


호미로 막을 것을 가래로 막는다

호미로 막을 것을 가래로 막는다

호미로 막을 것을 가래로 막는다 • (homiro mageul geoseul garaero mangneunda)

Native Korean, literally meaning "What could have been stopped using a short-handled hoe is now being stopped with a shovel."

a stitch in time saves nine
a stitch in time saves nine


빈 수레가 요란하다

empty vessels make the most sound
empty vessels make the most sound

empty vessels make the most sound, that is, "noisy, opinionated people are often stupid."


밤말은 쥐가 듣고 낮말은 새가 듣는다

밤말-은 쥐-가 듣고 낮말-은 새-가 듣는다

밤말은 쥐가 듣고 낮말은 새가 듣는다 • (bammar-eun jwi-ga deutgo nanmar-eun sae-ga deunneunda)

[pa̠mma̠ɾɯn t͡ɕɥiɡa̠ tɯt̚k͈o̞ na̠nma̠ɾɯn sʰɛɡa̠ tɯnnɯnda̠]

[pa̠mma̠ɾɯn t͡ɕɥiɡa̠ tɯt̚k͈o̞ na̠nma̠ɾɯn sʰe̞ɡa̠ tɯnnɯnda̠]

[pa̠mma̠ɾɯn t͡ɕyɡa̠ tɯt̚k͈o̞ na̠nma̠ɾɯn sʰɛɡa̠ tɯnnɯnda̠]

[pa̠mma̠ɾɯn t͡ɕyɡa̠ tɯt̚k͈o̞ na̠nma̠ɾɯn sʰe̞ɡa̠ tɯnnɯnda̠]

밤마른쥐가듣꼬난마른새가든는다

밤마른쥐가듣꼬난마른세가든는다

Native Korean, literally meaning "rats hear nighttime talks and birds hear daytime talks"

낮말은 새가 듣고 밤말은 쥐가 듣는다

nanmareun saega deutgo bammareun jwiga deunneunda


세월은 사람을 기다려 주지 않는다

세월-은 사람-을 기다려 주지 않는다

세월은 사람을 기다려 주지 않는다 • (sewor-eun saram-eul gidaryeo juji anneunda)

[ˈsʰe̞(ː)wʌ̹ɾɯn sʰa̠(ː)ɾa̠mɯɭ kida̠ɾjʌ̹ t͡ɕud͡ʑi a̠nnɯnda̠]

세(ː)워른사(ː)라믈기다려주지안는다

[세(ː)워른사(ː)라믈기다려주지안는다]

Calque of 세월부대인(歲月不待人) (sewolbudaein), ultimately from a verse of the fifth-century Chinese poet Tao Yuanming.

time and tide wait for no man
time and tide wait for no man


콩 심은 데 콩 나고 팥 심은 데 팥 난다

ko-proverb

콩 심은 데 콩 나고 팥 심은 데 팥 난다

콩 심은 데 콩 나고 팥 심은 데 팥 난다 • (kong simeun de kong nago pat simeun de pat nanda)

[kʰo̞ŋ ɕʰi(ː)mɯn te̞ kʰo̞ŋ na̠ɡo̞ pʰa̠t̚ ɕʰi(ː)mɯn te̞ pʰa̠t̚ na̠nda̠]

콩시(ː)믄데콩나고팓시(ː)믄데팓난다

[콩시(ː)믄데콩나고팓시(ː)믄데팓난다]

Literally, “If you plant soybeans, you get soybeans. If you plant red beans, you get red beans.”

As you sow, so shall you reap.
as you sow, so shall you reap


말이 씨가 된다

Watch what you say; be careful of what you say; if you say something bad, it might come true


둏은 나무부터 띡히구 못 쓰는 낭그느 깉는다

head

둏은 나무-부터 띡히구 못 쓰는 낭그느 깉는다

둏은 나무부터 띡히구 못 쓰는 낭그느 깉는다 • (dyoeun namu-buteo ttikhigu mot sseuneun nanggeuneu ginneunda)

Literally "good trees are cut down first and the unusable trees remain".

en-둏은_나무부터_띡히구_못_쓰는_낭그느_깉는다-ko-proverb-1MoJY6g5


먼 무당이 용하다

Literally, "the shaman from far away is more skilled".

the grass is always greener on the other side

가까운 무당보다 먼 무당이 용하다

gakkaun mudangboda meon mudang-i yonghada

The shaman from far away is more skilled than the shaman from nearby


지성이면 감천이다

ko-proverb

지성이면 감천이다 • (jiseong-imyeon gamcheon-ida)

[지성이면감(ː)처니다]

Originally a reformulation according to Korean syntax of the Classical Chinese chengyu 至誠感天／至诚感天 (“utmost sincerity moves heaven”), probably ultimately from a line in Mencius (7:12):
:誠者，天之道也／诚者，天之道也
:As for sincerity, it is the way of heaven
Folk etymological folktale
The proverb is now associated with an etymological folktale about a lame beggar named Jiseong and a blind beggar named Gamcheon. Jiseong would point out the way for his friend, and Gamcheon would carry his friend on his back. One day, the two discovered a huge nugget of gold. They asked a peddler to split the nugget in half so that they could share it, but the gold appeared as a snake in the peddler's eyes. The two then asked a hunter to split the nugget; the gold appeared as a plain stone to the hunter, so he agreed to split it for them. Jiseong and Gamcheon took half the nugget each.
Some time later, they visited a Buddhist temple, where a monk advised them to offer the gold to the Buddha and to pray to him for a hundred days. When they had done so, both Jiseong and Gamcheon were cured of their disabilities.

zh-l

sincerity moves heaven; if one is truly sincere about achieving something, one shall attain it


장고 끝에 악수 둔다

ko-proverb

장고 끝-에 악수 둔다

장고 끝에 악수 둔다 • (janggo kkeut-e aksu dunda)

janggo kkeut-e aksu dunda (romanization)

Literally, "one makes a bad play after a long deliberation."

(originally game of go, now generally) you should trust your gut feeling


개가 짖어도 기차는 달린다

개-가 짖어-도 기차-는 달린다

개가 짖어도 기차는 달린다 • (gae-ga jijeo-do gicha-neun dallinda)

gae-ga jijeo-do gicha-neun dallinda (romanization)

[ˈkɛ(ː)ɡa̠ t͡ɕid͡ʑʌ̹do̞ kit͡ɕʰa̠nɯn ta̠ʎʎinda̠]

[ˈke̞(ː)ɡa̠ t͡ɕid͡ʑʌ̹do̞ kit͡ɕʰa̠nɯn ta̠ʎʎinda̠]

개(ː)가지저도기차는달린다

게(ː)가지저도기차는달린다

Literally "The dog(s) bark(s), but the train speeds on." Partial calque of English the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on.
Used commonly in both North and South Korea since at least the 1990s. In South Korea, the proverb is most famously associated with (and sometimes mistakenly considered an invention of) President Kim Young-sam, one of the country's first democratically elected leaders. In 1993, Kim disbanded the Hanahoe organization that had been the backbone of the preceding military dictatorship. This was Kim's response when he was asked if he did not fear retaliation from the generals of the Hanahoe.

calque

the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on
the dogs bark, but the caravan goes on


없는 자리에서는 나라님 욕도 한다

ko-proverb

없는 자리-에서-는 나라님 욕-도 한다

없는 자리에서는 나라님 욕도 한다 • (eomneun jari-eseo-neun naranim yok-do handa)

[ˈɘ(ː)mnɯn t͡ɕa̠ɾie̞sʰʌ̹nɯn na̠ɾa̠nim jok̚t͈o̞ ha̠nda̠]

엄(ː)는자리에서는나라님욕또한다

[엄(ː)는자리에서는나라님욕또한다]

Literally, "When he is not present, even His Majesty is spoken badly of."

People like to talk behind the backs of others; people like to speak badly of others


세 살 버릇 여든까지 간다

ko-pos

세 살 버릇 여든-까지 간다

세 살 버릇 여든까지 간다 • (se sal beoreut yeodeun-kkaji ganda)

se sal beoreut yeodeun-kkaji ganda (romanization)

[sʰe̞ sʰa̠ɭ pʌ̹ɾɯt̚ jʌ̹dɯnk͈a̠d͡ʑi ka̠nda̠]

[세살버륻여든까지간다]

Literally, "a habit at the age of three continues to eighty". Attested in the proverb collection 이담속찬/耳談續纂, 1820.


어시 없이는 살아두 쉐 없이는 못 산다

head

어시 없이-는 살아두 쉐 없이-는 못 산다

어시 없이는 살아두 쉐 없이는 못 산다 • (eosi eopsi-neun saradu swe eopsi-neun mot sanda)

Literally, "one may live without parents, but not without cattle."

(Yukjin) A proverb about the importance of cattle in traditional Korean life.


아이와 늙은이는 괴는 데로 간다

ko-pos

아이-와 늙은이-는 괴는 데-로 간다

아이와 늙은이는 괴는 데로 간다 • (ai-wa neulgeuni-neun goeneun de-ro ganda)

[a̠iwa̠ nɯɭɡɯninɯn kwe̞nɯn te̞ɾo̞ ka̠nda̠]

[a̠iwa̠ nɯɭɡɯninɯn kø̞nɯn te̞ɾo̞ ka̠nda̠]

아이와늘그니는궤는데로간다

아이와늘그니는괴는데로간다

The proverb preserves in fossilized form the otherwise nearly obsolete verb 괴다 (goeda, “to love”). The syntax of the Korean is ambiguous to the subject of this verb.

The children and the old [alike] will go to where they are loved; (alternatively) the children and the old [alike] will go to the place they love (i.e. people will seek out love)


한국말은 끝까지 들어봐야 한다

한국말-은 끝-까지 들어봐야 한다

한국말은 끝까지 들어봐야 한다 • (han'gungmar-eun kkeut-kkaji deureobwaya handa)

[ˈha̠(ː)nɡuŋma̠ɾɯn k͈ɯt̚k͈a̠d͡ʑi tɯɾʌ̹bwa̠ja̠ ha̠nda̠]

한(ː)궁마른끋까지드러봐야한다

[한(ː)궁마른끋까지드러봐야한다]

Probably a recent coinage influenced by modern linguistic concepts such as head-finality.

"In the Korean language, one must listen until the end"; one should listen to everything that others have to say before responding or making judgments


선무당이 사람 잡는다

head

선무당-이 사람 잡는다

선무당이 사람 잡는다 • (seonmudang-i saram jamneunda)

seonmudang-i saram jamneunda (romanization)

선(ː)무당이사(ː)람잠는다

[선(ː)무당이사(ː)람잠는다]

First appears in the chengyu-ized form 生巫殺人 in the 公私恒用錄/공사항용록 Gongsa hangyongnok, c. 1800, as an example of a native Korean proverb.

a little knowledge is a dangerous thing
a little knowledge is a dangerous thing

"the novice shaman kills the person [that they were trying to heal]"; a little knowledge is a dangerous thing

선무당이 사람 속인다

(of an incompetent person) to successfully trick someone into believing something; the novice shaman fools a person

선무당이 장구 탓한다

(of a novice) to blame circumstances rather than one's own lack of practice; the novice shaman blames the drums


반풍수가 집안 망친다

ko-pos

반풍수-가 집안 망친다

반풍수가 집안 망친다 • (banpungsu-ga jiban mangchinda)

banpungsu-ga jiban mangchinda (romanization)

반(ː)풍수가지반망친다

[반(ː)풍수가지반망친다]

"half-learned feng shui brings the household to ruin"; a little knowledge is a dangerous thing


벼는 익을수록 고개를 숙인다

벼-는 익을수록 고개-를 숙인다

벼는 익을수록 고개를 숙인다 • (byeo-neun igeulsurok gogae-reul suginda)

byeo-neun igeulsurok gogae-reul suginda (romanization)

[pjʌ̹nɯn iɡɯɭsʰuɾo̞k̚ ko̞ɡɛɾɯɭ sʰuɡinda̠]

[pjʌ̹nɯn iɡɯɭsʰuɾo̞k̚ ko̞ɡe̞ɾɯɭ sʰuɡinda̠]

벼는이글수록고개를수긴다

벼는이글수록고게를수긴다

"the riper the rice plant, the more it bends its head":

people who know a lot are (or should be) humble about their knowledge


곳간에서 인심 난다

"generosity is born from the storehouse": one must be wealthy to afford to be generous towards others; only the wealthy are generous


사공이 많으면 배가 산으로 간다

사공-이 많으면 배-가 산-으로 간다

사공이 많으면 배가 산으로 간다 • (sagong-i maneumyeon bae-ga san-euro ganda)

[sʰa̠ɡo̞ŋi ma̠(ː)nɯmjʌ̹n pɛɡa̠ sʰa̠nɯɾo̞ ka̠nda̠]

[sʰa̠ɡo̞ŋi ma̠(ː)nɯmjʌ̹n pe̞ɡa̠ sʰa̠nɯɾo̞ ka̠nda̠]

사공이마(ː)느면배가사느로간다

사공이마(ː)느면베가사느로간다

Compare Japanese 船頭(せんどう)多(おお)くして船(ふね)山(やま)に登(のぼ)る (sendō ōku shite fune yama ni noboru).

ja-r

船頭 多く して 船 山 に 登る

せんどう おおく して ふね やま に のぼる

too many cooks spoil the broth
too many cooks spoil the broth

"if there are many captains, the ship goes to the mountains"; too many cooks spoil the broth


호랑이는 죽어서 가죽을 남기고 사람은 죽어서 이름을 남긴다

ko-proverb

호랑이-는 죽어서 가죽-을 남기고 사람-은 죽어서 이름-을 남긴다

호랑이는 죽어서 가죽을 남기고 사람은 죽어서 이름을 남긴다 • (horang'i-neun jugeoseo gajug-eul namgigo saram-eun jugeoseo ireum-eul namginda)

[ˈɸʷo̞(ː)ɾa̠ŋinɯn t͡ɕuɡʌ̹sʰʌ̹ ka̠d͡ʑuɡɯɭ na̠(ː)mɡiɡo̞ sʰa̠(ː)ɾa̠mɯn t͡ɕuɡʌ̹sʰʌ̹ iɾɯmɯɭ na̠mɡinda̠]

호(ː)랑이는주거서가주글남(ː)기고사(ː)라믄주거서이르믈남긴다

[호(ː)랑이는주거서가주글남(ː)기고사(ː)라믄주거서이르믈남긴다]

Calque of Chinese 虎死留皮，人死留名 (hǔ sǐ liú pí, rén sǐ liú míng), literally “when a tiger dies, it leaves behind its pelt; when a person dies, they leave behind their name”.

calque

a person should focus on the legacy they will have on others

en-호랑이는_죽어서_가죽을_남기고_사람은_죽어서_이름을_남긴다-ko-proverb-~4R1REUy

호사유피 인사유명(虎死留皮人死留名)

same meaning, borrowed instead of calqued


쇠뿔도 단김에 빼랬다

head

쇠뿔-도 단김-에 빼랬다

쇠뿔도 단김에 빼랬다 • (soeppul-do dan'gim-e ppaeraetda)

soeppul-do dan'gim-e ppaeraetda (romanization)

strike while the iron is hot
strike while the iron is hot


그 아버지에 그 아들

ko-proverb

그 아버지-에 그 아들

[kɯ a̠bʌ̹d͡ʑie̞ kɯ a̠dɯɭ]

like father, like son
like father, like son


광에서 인심 난다

[광(ː)에서인심난다]

곳간에서 인심 난다
곳간에서 인심 난다#Korean

Alternative form of 곳간에서 인심 난다 (gotganeseo insim nanda, “only the wealthy are generous”)


갗에서 좀 난다

From 갗 (gat, “leather”) + 에서 (-eseo, “on”) + 좀 (jom, “moth”) + 난다 (nanda, “to be born”). Literally meaning "the moths [that feed] on the leather are born from [the leather]."

com

the root of the issue (or problem) can be found within itself


흉년에 윤달

From 흉년(凶年) (hyungnyeon, “a year of poor harvest”) + 에 (-e) + 윤(閏)달 (yundal, “leap month”).

one bad turn deserves another
one bad turn deserves another

ill often comes on the back of worse; one bad turn deserves another


한 마리의 제비가 왔다고 봄이 온 것은 아니다

ko-pos

한 마리-의 제비-가 왔다고 봄-이 온 것-은 아니다

한 마리의 제비가 왔다고 봄이 온 것은 아니다 • (han mari-ui jebi-ga watdago bom-i on geos-eun anida)

[ha̠n ma̠ɾiɰi t͡ɕe̞biɡa̠ wa̠t̚t͈a̠ɡo̞ po̞mi o̞n kʌ̹sʰɯn a̠nida̠]

한마리의제비가왇따고보미온거슨아니다

[한마리의제비가왇따고보미온거슨아니다]

Calque of English one swallow does not a summer make. From 한 (han, “one”) + 마리 (mari) + 의 (-ui, “of”) + 제비 (jebi, “swallow”) + 가 (-ga) + 왔다고 (watdago, “to come”) + 봄 (bom, “spring”) + 이 (-i) + 온 (on, “come”) + 것 (geot, “something”) + 은 (-eun) + 아니다 (anida, “to be not something”).

com

one swallow does not a summer make#English

en-한_마리의_제비가_왔다고_봄이_온_것은_아니다-ko-proverb-P-5rXwRC


호사유피 인사유명

ko-proverb

호사유피 인사유명 • (hosayupi insayumyeong) (hanja 虎死留皮，人死留名)

hosayupi insayumyeong (romanization)
虎死留皮，人死留名 (hanja)

Borrowed from Chinese 虎死留皮，人死留名 (hǔ sǐ liú pí, rén sǐ liú míng), literally “when a tiger dies, it leaves behind its pelt; when a person dies, they leave behind their name”.

bor

호랑(虎狼)이는 죽어서 가죽을 남기고 사람은 죽어서 이름을 남긴다

same meaning, calqued instead of borrowed

horang'ineun jugeoseo gajugeul namgigo sarameun jugeoseo ireumeul namginda


꽃보다 경단

From 꽃 (kkot, “flowers”) + 보다 (-boda, “[more] than”) + 경단(瓊團) (gyeongdan, “dumplings”). Cognate with Japanese 花(はな)より団子(だんご) (hanayoridango).

com

business before pleasure
business before pleasure#English


소나기는 피하는 게 상책

head

소나기-는 피하는 게 상책

소나기는 피하는 게 상책 • (sonagi-neun pihaneun ge sangchaek)

sonagi-neun pihaneun ge sangchaek (romanization)

[sʰo̞na̠ɡinɯn pʰi(ː)ɦa̠nɯn ke̞ sʰa̠(ː)ŋt͡ɕʰɛk̚]

[sʰo̞na̠ɡinɯn pʰi(ː)ɦa̠nɯn ke̞ sʰa̠(ː)ŋt͡ɕʰe̞k̚]

소나기는피(ː)하는게상(ː)책

소나기는피(ː)하는게상(ː)첵

"a rain shower is better off avoiding": don't pointlessly ask for trouble


칼을 뽑았으면 무라도 썰어라

칼-을 뽑-았--으면 무-라도 썰-어라

칼을 뽑았으면 무라도 썰어라 • (kar-eul ppob-ass-eumyeon mu-rado sseor-eora)

[kʰa̠ɾɯɭ p͈o̞ba̠s͈ɯmjʌ̹n mu(ː)ɾa̠do̞ s͈ʌ̹ɾʌ̹ɾa̠]

카를뽀바쓰면무(ː)라도써러라

[카를뽀바쓰면무(ː)라도써러라]

"Once you've taken out your knife/sword, cut something, even a radish"; once you've begun something, you ought to produce some kind of result, no matter how trivial or little; don't give up halfway


악화가 양화를 구축한다

ko-proverb

악화-가 양화-를 구축한다

惡貨가 良貨를 驅逐한다

악화가 양화를 구축한다 • (akhwa-ga yanghwa-reul guchukhanda) (hanja 惡貨가 良貨를 驅逐한다)

akhwa-ga yanghwa-reul guchukhanda (romanization)
惡貨가 良貨를 驅逐한다 (hanja)

[a̠kʰwa̠ɡa̠ ja̠ŋβwa̠ɾɯɭ kut͡ɕʰukʰa̠nda̠]

[아콰가양화를구추칸다]

Probably calque of English bad money drives out good: the principle of Gresham's law, formulated in 1860. A figurative use of the phrase is common in East Asia, cf. Chinese 劣幣驅逐良幣／劣币驱逐良币 (lièbì qūzhú liángbì), Japanese 悪貨(あっか)は良貨(りょうか)を駆逐(くちく)する (akka wa ryōka o kuchiku suru).

ja-r

あっか は りょうか を くちく する

bad money drives out good
bad money drives out good

(literal, economics) bad money drives out good

(figurative) people of mediocre talent, or items of mediocre value, drive out real talent or value


머리가 나쁘면 몸이 고생한다

head

머리-가 나쁘-면 몸-이 고생한다

머리가 나쁘면 몸이 고생한다 • (meori-ga nappeu-myeon mom-i gosaenghanda)

[mʌ̹ɾiɡa̠ na̠p͈ɯmjʌ̹n mo̞mi ko̞sʰɛŋɦa̠nda̠]

[mʌ̹ɾiɡa̠ na̠p͈ɯmjʌ̹n mo̞mi ko̞sʰe̞ŋɦa̠nda̠]

머리가나쁘면모미고생한다

머리가나쁘면모미고셍한다

Literally, “If you are stupid, it's the body that suffers”: if you do not think things out, you will have to resort to physical force to do something


신선놀음에 도낏자루 썩는 줄 모른다

신선놀음-에 도낏자루 썩는 줄 모른다

신선놀음에 도낏자루 썩는 줄 모른다 • (sinseonnoreum-e dokkitjaru sseongneun jul moreunda)

[ɕʰinsʰʌ̹nno̞ɾɯme̞ to̞k͈it̚t͡ɕ͈a̠ɾu s͈ʌ̹ŋnɯn t͡ɕuɭ mo̞ɾɯnda̠]

신선노르메도낃짜루썽는줄모른다

[신선노르메도낃짜루썽는줄모른다]

Literally, “Caught up in the Daoist immortals' game [of Go], you forget that the handle of your hatchet is rotting”. From the Shuyiji by Ren Fang (lived 460—508 AD), a Chinese writer

m-g

Caught up in the Daoist immortals' game 􂀿of Go􂁀, you forget that the handle of your hatchet is rotting

lit

In Mount Shishi in Xin'an County during the Jin dynasty, Wang Zhi went to fell timber and chanced upon a few children who were playing the game of Go and singing. So Wang Zhi listened to them. The children gave something to Zhi which looked like a jujube seed. Zhi held it in his mouth and was no longer conscious of hunger. A little while after, the children said: "Why aren't you leaving?" Zhi stood up and saw that the handle of his hatchet had rotted away to nothing. When he went back, there was nobody from his own time left.

Xìn'ān jùn Shíshì shān, jìn shí Wáng Zhì fámù, zhì jiàn tóngzǐ shù rén, qí ér gē, zhì yīn tīng zhī. Tóngzǐ yǐ yī wù yǔ zhì, rú zǎohé, zhì hán zhī bù jiào jī. Éqǐng, tóngzǐ wèi yuē: ‘Hé bù qù?’, zhì qǐ, shì fǔkē làn jìn, jì guī, wú fù shírén.

信安郡石室山，晉時王質伐木，至見童子數人，棋而歌，質因聽之。童子以一物與質，如棗核，質含之不覺饑。俄頃，童子謂曰：『何不去？』，質起，視斧柯爛盡，既歸，無復時人。

信安郡石室山，晋时王质伐木，至见童子数人，棋而歌，质因听之。童子以一物与质，如枣核，质含之不觉饥。俄顷，童子谓曰：『何不去？』，质起，视斧柯烂尽，既归，无复时人。

time flies when you're having fun
time flies when you're having fun

(as a warning) If one is too focused on entertainment, one might forget something important


낫 놓고 기역 자도 모른다

head

낫 놓-고 기역 자-도 모른다

낫 놓고 기역 자도 모른다 • (nat no-ko giyeok ja-do moreunda)

nat no-ko giyeok ja-do moreunda (romanization)

[na̠t̚ no̞kʰo̞ kijʌ̹k̚ t͡ɕa̠do̞ mo̞ɾɯnda̠]

[낟노코기역자도모른다]

Literally, “Even if a sickle [which is shaped like the letter giyeok or "ㄱ"] were planted [in the ground], you wouldn't recognise or see it resembles the letter giyeok.”: hence, Used to indicate that one is very clueless or ignorant


절이 싫으면 중이 떠나야 한다

절-이 싫으면 중-이 떠나-야 한다

절이 싫으면 중이 떠나야 한다 • (jeor-i sireumyeon jung-i tteona-ya handa)

[t͡ɕʌ̹ɾi ɕʰiɾɯmjʌ̹n t͡ɕu(ː)ŋi t͈ʌ̹na̠ja̠ ha̠nda̠]

저리시르면중(ː)이떠나야한다

[저리시르면중(ː)이떠나야한다]

Literally, “If the monk hates the monastery, he should leave”; if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen