Idiomatic phrases Flashcards
Give me the common expression for ‘To put on airs’
잘난 척하다
To act like you’re better than others (literal: To show off).
Example sentence:
그는 항상 잘난 척해.
He always puts on airs.
Give me the common expression for ‘To take someone for a ride’
속이다
To deceive someone (literal: To trick).
Example sentence:
그는 나를 속여서 돈을 가져갔어.
He took me for a ride and took my money.
Give me the common expression for ‘To hit the roof’
화가 머리끝까지 나다
To get extremely angry (literal: Anger reaches the top of the head).
Example sentence:
그 소식을 듣자마자 그는 화가 머리끝까지 났다.
He hit the roof when he heard the news.
Give me the common expression for ‘To be out of one’s mind’
정신이 나가다
To lose one’s mind (literal).
Example sentence:
너 정말 정신 나간 거 아니야?
Are you out of your mind?
Give me the common expression for ‘To pull strings’
빽을 쓰다
To use connections or influence (literal: To use one’s backing).
Example sentence:
그는 그 회사에 들어가려고 빽을 썼어.
He pulled strings to get into that company.
Give me the common expression for ‘To eat one’s words’
말을 주워 담다
To take back what you said (literal: To pick up one’s words).
Example sentence:
그는 결국 자신의 말을 주워 담았어.
He had to eat his words in the end.
Give me the common expression for ‘To stab someone in the back’
뒤통수를 치다
To betray someone (literal: To hit the back of their head).
Example sentence:
그는 나를 뒤통수쳤어.
He stabbed me in the back.
Give me the common expression for ‘To have a finger in every pie’
손을 안 뻗는 곳이 없다
To be involved in everything (literal: There’s no place they haven’t stretched their hands).
Example sentence:
그 사람은 어디든 손을 안 뻗는 곳이 없어.
He has a finger in every pie.
Give me the common expression for ‘To be chicken’
겁쟁이다
To be a coward (literal: To be afraid).
Example sentence:
그는 겁쟁이라서 그런 일을 못 해.
He’s too chicken to do something like that.
Give me the common expression for ‘To have one’s hands full’
손이 모자라다
To be too busy (literal: Not enough hands).
Example sentence:
지금 너무 바빠서 손이 모자라.
I have my hands full right now.
Give me the common expression for ‘To be full of hot air’
허풍쟁이다
To be boastful without reason (literal: To be full of hot air).
Example sentence:
그 사람은 허풍쟁이라서 믿을 수 없어.
He’s full of hot air, so I can’t trust him.
Give me the common expression for ‘To save face’
체면을 세우다
To maintain dignity (literal: To keep face).
Example sentence:
그는 체면을 세우려고 거짓말했어.
He lied to save face.
Give me the common expression for ‘To drop the ball’
일을 그르치다
To mess up (literal: To ruin the task).
Example sentence:
너가 그 일을 그르쳤어.
You dropped the ball on that task.
Give me the common expression for ‘To dig one’s own grave’
자기 무덤을 파다
To create one’s own downfall (literal: To dig one’s own grave).
Example sentence:
그는 그렇게 해서 자기 무덤을 팠어.
He dug his own grave by doing that.
Give me the common expression for ‘To bend over backward’
무리하게 애쓰다
To go to great lengths (literal: To try too hard).
Example sentence:
그는 나를 위해 무리하게 애썼어.
He bent over backward for me.
Give me the common expression for ‘To burn bridges’
다리 건너 불을 지르다
To destroy relationships or opportunities (literal: To burn bridges after crossing them).
Example sentence:
그는 다리 건너 불을 질렀어.
He burned his bridges with that decision.
Give me the common expression for ‘To throw someone under the bus’
남을 희생시키다
To sacrifice someone for one’s own benefit (literal: To throw someone under the bus).
Example sentence:
그는 나를 희생시켜서 자기 이익을 챙겼어.
He threw me under the bus to save himself.
Give me the common expression for ‘To sleep on it’
숙고하다
To think something over carefully (literal: To think overnight).
Example sentence:
그 문제에 대해 숙고해 보고 결정할게.
I’ll sleep on it and decide tomorrow.
Give me the common expression for ‘To face the music’
결과를 감수하다
To accept the consequences (literal: To face the result).
Example sentence:
그는 결국 결과를 감수해야 했어.
He had to face the music in the end.
Give me the common expression for ‘To be two-faced’
이중적인 사람이다
To be deceitful (literal: To be a double-faced person).
Example sentence:
그 사람은 너무 이중적이라서 믿을 수 없어.
He’s so two-faced, I can’t trust him.
Give me the common expression for ‘To be in the same boat’
같은 처지에 있다
To be in the same situation (literal: To be in the same position).
Example sentence:
우리는 다 같은 처지에 있어.
We’re all in the same boat.
Give me the common expression for ‘To jump the gun’
성급하게 행동하다
To act prematurely (literal: To act hastily).
Example sentence:
너무 성급하게 행동하지 마.
Don’t jump the gun.
Give me the common expression for ‘To hit below the belt’
비열한 짓을 하다
To act unfairly (literal: To do something low).
Example sentence:
그는 경쟁에서 비열한 짓을 했어.
He hit below the belt in the competition.
Give me the common expression for ‘To hit rock bottom’
바닥을 치다
To reach the lowest point (literal: To hit the bottom).
Example sentence:
그는 인생에서 완전히 바닥을 쳤어.
He hit rock bottom in life.
Give me the common expression for ‘To get cold feet’
간이 콩알만 해지다
To get scared (literal: One’s liver shrinks to the size of a bean).
Example sentence:
결혼식 전에 간이 콩알만 해졌어.
I got cold feet before the wedding.
Give me the common expression for ‘To drag one’s feet’
발을 끌다
To delay or procrastinate (literal: To drag one’s feet).
Example sentence:
그는 항상 결정을 내릴 때 발을 끌어.
He always drags his feet when making decisions.
Give me the common expression for ‘To go off the deep end’
극단적으로 행동하다
To act irrationally (literal: To act in an extreme way).
Example sentence:
그는 그 사건 이후로 극단적으로 행동하기 시작했어.
He went off the deep end after that incident.
Give me the common expression for ‘To keep someone at arm’s length’
거리를 두다
To maintain distance (literal: To keep a distance).
Example sentence:
나는 그와 일정한 거리를 두고 있어.
I’m keeping him at arm’s length.
Give me the common expression for ‘To turn a blind eye’
눈 감아주다
To ignore wrongdoing (literal: To close one’s eyes).
Example sentence:
그는 그 문제에 대해 눈 감아줬어.
He turned a blind eye to the issue.
Give me the common expression for ‘To bite off more than you can chew’
욕심 부리다
To take on more than you can handle (literal: To be greedy).
Example sentence:
그는 너무 욕심을 부리다가 일을 망쳤어.
He bit off more than he could chew and ruined everything.
Give me the common expression for ‘To sweep something under the rug’
문제를 덮다
To hide a problem (literal: To cover up a problem).
Example sentence:
그들은 그 문제를 덮으려고 했어.
They tried to sweep the issue under the rug.
