Korean Idioms - Part 1 Flashcards
가락
skill; dexterity, efficiency
가락이 나다
get into the swing of one’s work; hit one’s stride
가랑이
a person’s crotch
가랑이가 찢어지게 가난하다
to suffer from extreme poverty
가로
horizontally; width
가로 지나 세로 지나
this way or that way
가면
mask
가면을 벗다
to show one’s true self
가면을 쓰다
to lie or pretend
가슴
chest
가슴에 맺히다
to have vengence or fear knotting up inside you
가슴에 못을 박다
to be hurt emotionally
가슴을 치다
feel frustration; feel wronged
가슴을 태우다
be very anxious
가슴이 내려앉다
be greatly surprised; be startled
가슴이 덜컹하다
be suddenly surprised or shocked
가슴이 미어지다
be stricken with grief, pain, sadness, or emotion
가슴이 부풀다
be buoyant with
가슴이 뿌듯하다
be full of excitement and emotion
가슴이 아프다
be hearted-broken
가슴이 찢어지다
be heart-broken
가슴이 철렁하다
be suddenly surprised or shocked
가슴이 후련하다
feel relieved inside
가시
thorn
가시가 돋치다
stinging words ; harsh language
가시 먹은 것 같다
feel a prick of conscience after receiving or taking something from someone
가위다리
the handles of scissors
가위다리를 치다
cross two lengths to make the shape of an X
가재
a crawfish; a crayfish
가재를 치다
return a purchased item
가재걸음
walking or crawling backward
가재걸음을 치다
walk or crawl backward; go backward instead of advance; progress at a snails pace
간
liver
간에 기별도 안가다
barely begin to satisfy one’s hunger
간에 붙었다 쓸개에 붙었다 하다
be fickle
간을 녹이다
charm; fascinate; bewitch
간을 졸이다
to worry oneself
간이 뒤집히다
to rebuke someone for laughing without reason
간이 떨어지다
to be suddenly surprised
간이 붓다
to be uppity
간이 작은
timid; faint-hearted
간이 철렁하다
be shocked
간이 콩알만해지다
to be frightened out of one’s wits
간이 크다
be plucky
간이 타다
be anxious for / pine
간
saltiness
간도 모르다
be unable to even guess the reasons behind some action
간을 보다
taste food to check if it is salted correctly
간담
liver & gall bladder
간담이 떨어지다
very surprised
간담이 서늘하다
be suddenly frightened
값
price; value
값을 놓다
set a price
값을 보다
offer a price
값을 부르다
ask a price
값을 치다
fix the price of a thing
값을 치르다
pay for
값을 하다
be worth; be worthy of ; deserve
값이 닿다
reach a price on something ; be reasonable priced
값이 없다
be worthless
값이 있다
valuable; worth its value
거미줄
spider web
거미줄 같다
be web-like e.g. a web of telephone wires
거미줄을 늘이다
cast a dragnet around a district
거짓말
a lie
거짓말을 보태다
exaggerate the truth
걱정
worry; concern
걱정이 태산이다
have a mountain of worries
교편
a teacher’s pointer
교편을 놓다
retire from teaching
교편을 잡다
work as a teacher
군눈
eyes attacted to something unworthwhile
군눈을 뜨다
become curious about unorthodox or unsavory things, such as aduletry
군물
water drunk between meals; water added to a boiling liquid; water that forms on top of paste or food
군물이 돌다
water forms on top of paste starch or food
군침
excess saliva in the mouth
군침을 돌다
one’s mouth waters from the desire to eat something
군침을 삼키다
one smacks one’s lips from the desire to eat something
군침을 흘리다
one smacks one’s lips from the desire to eat something
귀
ear
귀가 가렵다
to have a feeling someone is talking about you
귀가 따갑다
to be sick of hearing something ; an earache
귀가 먹다
to lose one’s hearing; to be deaf
귀가 밝다
to be sharp eared
귀가 번쩍 뜨이다
to come to one’s attention; to catch on
귀가 설다
be unfamiliar to one’s ears
귀가 솔깃한
welcome to the ears; tempting to the ears
귀가 어둡다
to be hard of hearing; to not be catch up on the news
귀가 여리다
to be easily fooled or seduced by other’s words
귀가 울다
to have a ringing in one’s ears
귀가 절벽이다
to be stone deaf; to be out of touch with the world
귀가 질기다
to be mentally slow and have a hard time understanding people
귀를 기울이다
strain one’s ears to hear
귀를 뜨다
to begin to discern sound as with a baby
귀를 의심하다
to hear something that makes you not believe your ears
귀를 주다
to overhear someone
귀 빠진 날
one’s birthday
귀에 거슬리다
to be harsh on the ears; grating
귀에 거칠다
to be disagreeable to hear; offensive
귀에 들어가다
to hear about something
귀에 못이 박히다
to be tired of hearing something
귀에 설다
to be unfamiliar to one’s ears
귀에 익다
to be used to hearing
귀청이 떨어지다
to be so loud that it hurts the ears
귓가로 듣다
to listen without paying attention
귓등으로 듣다
to pretend to be listening
귓구멍이 넓다
to readily believe what people say
귓문이 넓다
to readily believe what people say
귓전으로 듣다
to half-way listen to someone
귀신
a ghost; a spirit
귀신도 모른다
no one knows not even the ghosts
귀신이 들리다
be possessed by a ghost of evil spirit
귀신이 씌다
be possessed by a ghost or evil spirit
그릇
a bowl; a container
그릇 깨겠다
describes a women who is not well-behaved, quiet, or gentle
금
gold; a price; a value
금을 놓다
name a price; make an offer; appraise
금을 닿다
reach a buying or selling price
금을 맞추다
set prices based on the price of similar items
금을 보다
ask the price of something
금을 치다
quote a rough price for an item ; predict the future of a person or object
금
a line
금을 긋다
draw a line in the sand ; set limits or boundries
꼬집다
pinch
꼬집어 말하다
speak clearly and pointedly
꼬리
tail
꼬리가 길다
Were you born in a barn? Used when someone forgets to close a door.
꼬리를 감추다
cover one’s tracks; hide oneself
꼬리를 달다
make an additional comment in support of something; attach a condition to something
꼬리를 물다
continue one after another; in rapid succession
꼬리를 밟히다
give a clue to police ; be traced by
꼬리를 사리다
to shrink from danger; to shrink back in fear
꼬리를 잇다
continue one after another
꼬리를 잡다
discover the hidden mistakes of another
꼬리를 치다
a girl tries to seduce or entice a man ; flatter or butter up a person
꼬리를 흔들다
a girl tries to seduce or entice a man ; flatter or butter up a person
끝
an end; a limit
끝 간 데 없다
to be so vast that no end is in sight
낌새
a sign; an indication
낌새를 보다
sense something about a situation
ㄴ
(N)
나이
age
나이가 들다
to be quite old
나이가 아깝다
act childish for one’s age; die before one’s time
나이가 차다
be at the customary age for doing something, usually marriage; be ripe for marriage
나이를 먹다
grow older
날
a day
날을 받다
fix a date, usually a wedding date
날을 잡다
fix a date
날이 들다
skies clear after a snow or rain
날이면 날마다
an emphatic way of saying “everyday”
날이 새다
daybreak
날개
wings
날개가 돋치다
product sales soar; one’s spirit soars
날밤
a night one stays up all night
날밤을 새우다
stay up all night
날벼락
an unexpected disaster or calamity
날벼락을 맞다
meet unexpected misfortune
날품
day labor
날품을 팔다
work for wages as a day laborer
남
others; another
남 좋은 일을 하다
do all the work and get none of the reward
남대문
the South Gate of Seoul
남대문이 열리다
a humorous way of telling someone the fly of his pants is open
남의달
the month after an expected childbirth
남의달을 잡다
be a month late in childbirth
납덩이
a lump of lead
납덩이 같다
look pale in the face; be tired and listless; a dark, dull atmosphere
낮잠
a nap
낮잠을 자다
goofing off when one should be working; be lazy
낯
face
낯을 못 들다
be ashamed of oneself; cannot hold one’s head up
낯이 깎이다
lose one’s dignity
너을 볼 낯이 없다
I am too ashamed to face you.
낯가죽
the skin of the face
낯가죽이 두껍다
be brazen-faced
내일모레
the day after tomorrow
내일모레 동동
keep putting off returning something that was borrowed
냄새
smell
냄새를 맡다
suspect someone is hiding something; smell something fishy
냉수
cold water
냉수 먹고 속 차려라
wake up and come to your senses; stop dreaming figuratively
너구리
a raccoon
너구리 같다
a sly, deceitful person
너
you
너 죽고 나 죽자
Let’s fight to the death.
넉살
shamelessness; brazen-facedness
넉살이 좋다
be brazen-faced; be impudent
넋
a soul; a spirit
넋을 놓다
to lose oneself in something; become captivated
넋을 잃다
to lose oneself in something; become captivated
넋이 나가다
be absent-minded or in a daze
넌더리
disgust; aversion
넌더리가 나다
be fed up with; be bored with
넌더리를 대다
behave disgustfully; weary a person with requests
네발
the four feet of an animal
네발을 들다
give up; throw up one’s hands in defeat somewhat vulgar
네발을 타다
be allergic to red meat
네활개
one’s arms and legs
네활개를 치다
strut swinging one’s arms and legs; walk with a swaggering gait
노여움
anger
노여움을 사다
provoke a person to anger; give offense
노여움을 타다
be quick to take offense; be easily hurt
노여움을 풀다
relent towards a person
녹
a stipend; an allowance
녹을 먹다
receive a stipend
놀부
a cold-hearted brother from a Korean fable
놀부 심사
wickedness; ill-naturedness
눈
eye
눈도 깜짝 안 한다
to not bat an eyelid
눈뜨고 볼 수 없다
disgusting; shocking
눈먼 돈
an unexpected windfall; receive money unexpectedly
눈밖에 나다
to be out of favor with someone
눈알이 나오다
to have one’s eye pop out at some sight
눈에 거슬리다
to be an eyesore
눈에 넣어도 아프지 않다
be the apple of one’s eye
눈에 들다
to be in a person’s favor
눈에 띄다
to come in sight; to be conspicuous
눈에 밟히다
to haunt one’s memory
눈에 불을 켜다
to be angry
눈에 불이 나다
to become very angry
눈에서 번개가 번쩍 나다
to see stars when struck on the head
눈에 선하다
to be fresh in one’s memory; live vividly in one’s memory
눈에 설다
to be unfamilar to you
눈에 쌍심지를 켜다
to look with glaring eyes
눈에 어리다
to have a vivid image of
눈에 익다
to be used to seeing
눈에 차다
to look at something with satisfaction
눈에 헛거미가 잡히다
to have your eyes get fuzzy from hunger
눈에 흙이 들어가다
to die
눈썰미가 있다
to have a quick eye for learning things
눈을 끌다
to catch one’s eye; to attract one’s attention
눈을 돌리다
to turn one’s attention to
눈을 딱 감다
to stop worrying thinking about something
눈을 떼다
to take one’s eyes off of something
눈을 맞추다
to make eye contact with someone
눈을 부라리다
to glare upon; to look fiercely at
눈을 붙이다
to fall asleep
눈을 속이다
to trick someone with slight of hand
눈을 의심하다
to watch in disbelief.
눈을 주다
to look toward someone; to signal someone with one’s eyes
눈을 피하다
to avoid another’s observation
눈을 흘기다
to look at someone sideways
눈이 가다
to have one’s eyes drawn to something or someone
눈이 깜짝할 사이
happen in the blink of an eye
눈이 꺼지다
to be hallow-eyed
눈이 높다
to have high ambitions; to have a discerning eye
눈이 뒤집히다
to lose one’s sober judgment; to run wild
눈이 등잔만하다
to look with round-eyed wonder
눈이 맞다
fall in love
눈이 미치는 한
as far as the eye can see
눈이 빠지게〔빠지도록〕 기다리다
to wait anxiously
눈이 삐었지?
Is something wrong with eyes judgment ?
눈이 어둡다
to have bad eyesight
눈이 흐리다
to have bleared dim eye
눈곱
eye mucus; sleep
눈곱이 끼다
eye mucus gathers in the inside corner of an eye
눈곱만하다
be insignificantly small
눈길
the direction of one’s visual attention
눈길을 끌다
attract a person’s visual attention
눈길을 모으다
attract a crowd’s visual attention
눈꼴
the shape or movement of one’s eyes
눈꼴이 시다
hate to see
눈꼴이 틀리다
hate to see
눈물
tears
눈물을 삼키다
fight back tears; choke back tears
눈물을 짜다
be tearfully sentimental; be maudlin
눈물이 어리다
tears gather in the eyes
눈물이 앞을 가리다
be blinded by one’s tears
눈물이 지다
tears flow
눈발
snow flakes
눈발이 서다
It threatens to snow. / It looks like snow.
눈썹
eyebrow
눈썹도 까딱하지 않다
to remain unperturbed
눈알
eyeball
눈알을 부라리다
google at; glare at
눈알이 나오다
one’s eyes pop out in surprise or amasement
눈자위
the area or rim of the eyeball
눈자위가 꺼지다
to die
눈총
a glare; a scowl
눈총을 주다
glare at; scowl
눈총을 맞다
be hated; make oneself hated
눈치
tact; sense
눈치가 보이다
get vibes from people or the surroundings
눈치를 보다
try to read a person’s face or sense his feelings
눈치를 보이다
betray one’s feeling in one’s look
눈치를 채다
become aware of; sense
눈치코치
tact; sense
눈치코치도 모른다
be clueless to what a person is doing or thinking
눈코
the eyes and the nose
눈코 뜰 새 없다
be very busy
눈표
a reference mark in a sentence
눈표가 나다
to stand out
ㄷ
(D/T)
다리
legs
다리를 뻗고 자다
to sleep or live one’s life with a clean conscience
다리
bridge
다리를 놓다
to mediate; to act as an intermediary
달
moon; month
달이 차다
be ready to give birth
대어
a big fish
대어를 낚다
make a big haul; recruit a skilled person
대어를 놓치다
narrowly miss a great opportunity
도미
wag one’s tail
도미를 장식하다
to put forth one’s crowning effort
돈
money
돈을 걸다
bet with money
돈을 굴리다
lend out money for interest; practice usury
돈을 만지다
manage money; handle money
돈을 먹다
take a bribe
돈을 먹이다
give a bribe
돈을 물쓰듯 하다
spend money like water
돈을 뿌리다
spend carelessly or freely
돈을 치다
pitch coins
등
back
등을 대다
to rely or depend on someone else’s power or influence
등을 돌리다
to turn one’s back on someone
땀
sweat
땀을 빼다
to sweat a difficult situation
땀으로 미역을 감다
to be soaking in sweat
땀을 들이다
to take a rest and cool off
땀이 비 오듯 하다
to be dripping with sweat
ㅁ
(M)
마음
mind; spirit
마음에 두다
bare in mind; be mindful of
마음에 들다
to like something
마음에 새기다
take to heart
마음에 짚이다
to suspect
마음은 굴뚝 같다
be eager to
망음을 고쳐먹다
reform onself; turn over a new leaf
마음을 놓다
put one’s mind at ease; relax
마음을 먹다
make up one’s mind; be determined
마음을 붙이다
resolve to do something
마음을 사다
have an interest in
마음을 쓰다
concentrate on; pay attention to; mind
마음을 열다
open up and speak freely to someone
마음을 잡다
recover one’s composure; get a grip on oneself
마음을 졸이다
be anxious about; be uneasy about
마음이 끌리다
be attracted by; take an interest in
마음이 내키다
feel inclined to do ; feel like doing
마음이 달다
be very worried about
마음이 든든하다
feel secure; be reassuring
마음이 들뜨다
feel excited; be in a buoyant spirit
마음이 맞다
get along well with; hit it off
망음이 쓰이다
be worried about
마음이 죄이다
feel anxious; feel uneasy about
마음이 커지다
be emboldened
말
language, speech
말도 마라
that does not even begin to describe it
말을 내다
broach a subject
말을 놓다
to change from polite to a lower form of speech
말을 더듬다
stammer; falter; stutter
말을 듣다
act in accordance with someone’s request
말을 못 하다
be beyond words or explanation
말을 삼키다
begin to speak but stop
말이 굳다
stammer; stutter; have a speech impediment
말이 나다
be made of subject of conversation; be rumored
말이 되다
be reasonable; be logical
말이 떨어지다
a consent or command is spoken
말이 뜨다
be slow-spoken
말이 많다
be talkative
말이 새다
a secret leaks out
말이 아니다
be absurd; outrageous; ridiculous
말이 안 되다
be unreasonable; be illogical; be in poor condition
말이 적다
be taciturn; a person of few words
말이 청산유수 靑山流水 다
speak smoothly and fluently
맞불
backfire
맞불을 놓다
set a backfire; engage in a gun battle
머리
head
머리-하다
do one’s hair
머리가 가볍다
to feel refreshed and light
머리가 굳다
to be ingrained in someone’s head ; to be dimwitted
머리가 굵다
to become an adult
머리가 돌다
to go insane
머리가 돌아가다
to be a quick thinker
머리가 무겁다
to be in a bad mood; to feel heavy headed
머리가 수그러지다
to take off one’s hat to; to admire someone
머리가 젖다
to be influenced by
머리가 크다
to become an adult
머리를 굽히다
to surrender
머리를 깎다
to become a monk; to go to prison
머리를 내밀다
to make one’s existence known
머리를 들다
a thought enters one’s mind
머리를 모으다
to put one’s heads together in conference ; to brainstorm
머리를 숙이다
to show respect or admiration for someone
머리를 식히다
to cool off; to calm down
머리를 싸매고
to tie a cloth around one’s head; to commit to something
머리를 썩이다
to worry about
머리를 쓰다
to think; to view a matter from every angle
머리를 얹다
to get married; to lose one’s virginity
머리를 짜다
to rack one’s brains; to think hard
머리를 풀다
to mourn the death of a loved one
머리를 흔들다
to refuse; to deny
머리에 들어가다
to understand or remember something
목
neck or throat
목에 핏대를 세우다
to get angry; to get excited
목에 힘을 주다
to act arrogant
목을 걸다
to risk one’s neck or job
목을 베다
to be fired
목을 자르다
to be fired
목을 축이다
to quench one’s thirst
목이 곧다
to be stubborn or unyielding
목이 달아나다
to be fired
목이 떨어지다
to be fired
목이 메어 울다
to be choked with tears
목이 붙어 있다
to still be alive or employed
목이 빠지도록 기다리다
to wait anxiously for someone
목이 잠기다
to become hoarse
목이 타다
to feel very thirsty
몸
body
몸과 마음을 다 바치다
put one’s heart and soul into one’s work
몸 둘 바를 모르다
not know how to conduct oneself
몸에 배다
get used to something
몸을 가지다
be pregnant; have menstruation
몸을 더럽히다
lose one’s virginity to a man
몸을 던지다
throw oneself into a river
몸을 두다
to live in a certain place
몸을 망치다
shatter one’s constitution; injure one’s health
몸을 받다
have an inferior do a difficult job or task in one’s place
몸을 바치다
to sacrifice one’s life for a cause
몸을 버리다
hurt one’s health
몸을 붙이다
to live in a certain place
몸을 사리다
avoid exerting too much physical effort in a job
몸을 쓰다
be physically active
몸을 아끼다
avoid work or hardship
몸을 주다
give one’s body to a man
몸을 팔다
work as a prostitute
몸을 풀다
give birth; relieve stress and fatique
몸을 허락하다
give one’s body to a man
몸이 달다
be anxious and nervous
몸이 부서지도록 일하다
work oneself to the bone
무릎
knee
무릎 을 꿇다
to submit or surrender
무릎 을 치다
to slap one’s knee in surprise or glee
물꼬
an irrigation gate; a sluice gate
물꼬를 트다
break a deadlock; seek a compromise
물
water
물 끓듯 하다
used to describe a bustling crowd
물 뿌린 듯이
used to describe a crowd that suddenly goes silent
물 얻은 고기
regaining the advantage of being on one’s home turf
물에 빠진 생쥐
be dripping wet and as pitiful looking as a wet rat
물 위의 기름
be as incompatiable as water and oil
물을 끼얹은 듯
used to describe a noisy crowd that suddenly goes silent
물을 잡다
gather water or cause water to build up as in a rice paddy
물이 잡히다
a blister forms on one’s skin
물 찬 제비
a slim, good-looking figure
밑거름
manure spread at planting time
밑거름이 되다
make a sacrifice of oneself for
ㅂ
(B)
바가지
a dipper made of plastic or half a gourd
바가지를 긁다
to nag
바가지를 쓰다
to be overcharged
바가지를 씌우다
to overcharge someone
바가지를 차다
to fall into poverty
바람
wind
바람을 넣다
incite a person to action
바람을 맞다
be stood up for a date; get the cold shouder; suffer a stroke
바람을 맞히다
stand someone up; give someone the cold shoulder; snub someone
바람을 쐬다
go outside for some fresh air
바람을 잡다
indulge in a fast life style; indulge in dreams of fancy
바람을 켜다
take to living the fast life
바람을 피우다
have an illicit love affair; to be unfaithful
바람이 끼다
get a yearning for romance or a fast life style
바람이 나가다
to wane; the bubble of prosperity or enthusiasm deflates
바람이 나다
have a love affair; hit one’s stride
바람이 들다
suffer a setback; be filled with wild ideas
바람이 들리다
put wild ideas into a person’s head
바람이 자다
a person calms down from an excited state
발
foot
발 디딜 틈도 없다
to be crowded with people
발에 채다
to be scattered in abundance at one’s feet
발을 구르다
stamp one’s feet with annoyance or chagrin
발을 끊다
to end relations with someone ; to stop visiting somewhere
발을 벗고 나서다
to actively participate in something
발을 벗다
to take off one’s shoes or socks
발을 빼다
to wash one’s hands of an affair ; sever connections
발을 뻗고 자다
to feel peace of mind
발이 길다
to arrive just in time for a treat
발이 너르다
to know a lot of people; to get around
발이 넓다
to know a lot of people; to get around
발이 떨어지지 않다
unable to leave because of an attraction for the place or people
발이 맞다
to be in step; to fall in step
발이 묶이다
to be stranded without transport
발이 손이 되도록 빌다
to beg so imploringly that you use both your hands and feet
발이 짧다
to come too late for a treat
발목
ankle
발목을 잡히다
to be busy with work ; tied to a job
발바닥
the sole of the foot
발바닥에 흙 안 묻히고 살다
to live a quiet and comfortable life
배
belly
배가 맞다
to have illicit intercourse with ; to conspire with
배가 아프다
to feel intense jealousy
배를 내밀다
to reject a person’s offer ; to snub a person
배를 따다
to cut open a fish’s belly
배를 불리다
enrich oneself; feather one’s own nest
배를 앓다
to feel intense jealousy
배를 채우다
to satisfy one’s appetite for material goods
배를 튕기다
to brazenly ignore someone’s requests
배에 기름이 오르다
to be materially secure in life
배꼽
navel; bellybutton
