During the past two classes, we looked at Korean idioms. Idioms intrigue me because they usually contain a small story behind each specific sentence which entails a larger meaning behind. By using these idioms in normal day to day conversations it will make one seem more fluent or more aware of the Korean culture. Through the process of learning these idioms, I came to realize that there are many idioms in Korean that are very similar to Chinese idioms with even literal translations, but there are also ones that have almost the exact same literal translation but different meanings. Here are some of the examples of the idioms we have looked at in class:
갈수록 태산. Literal translation: As you go there are higher and bigger mountains. Meaning: things are going to get worse and worse, and there will be harder and more difficult barriers to overcome.
그림의 떡. Literal translation: Pie in the painting. Meaning: referring to untouchable things or something one can only see and not have.
누워서 떡 먹기. Literal translation: Like eating cake lying down. Meaning: It is so easy that you can do it while lying down.
미운 놈 떡 하나 더 준다. Literal translation: give one more rice cake to your enemy. Meaning: the more you hate someone the better you should treat them. Aka kill your enemy with kindness.
믿는 도끼에 발등 찍힌다. Literal translation: Be chopped in the foot by the ax you trust. Meaning: used to describe the situation where one is betrayed and hurt by someone or something you trust.
병 주고 약 준다. Literal translation: to give illness and then medicine. Meaning: first you give someone a punishment then you give them a reward.
작은 고추가 더 맵다. Literal translation: the smaller the pepper, the spicier it is. Meaning: people that look ordinary are better at work/ or have more skills.
지나가던 개가 웃겠다. Literal translation: a passing dog will laugh. Meaning: the joke is so bad or the situation is so absurd that the dog passing by will laugh.
혼자서 북 치고 장구 친다 / 혼자서 모두 일을 알아서 한다. Meaning: doing everything by yourself.
하나를 보면 열을 안다. Literal translation: when you see one, you will know ten. Meaning: able to give examples by looking at one particular case.
하룻강아지 범 무서운 줄 모른다. Literal translation: a puppy isn’t afraid of a tiger. Meaning: one who is ignorant doesn’t understand the situation or how much they should be afraid. One similar phrase in English is fool rush in where angels fear to tread.
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It is interesting that you are learning idioms so early in your learning process. I wouldn't have chosen this, but the value you stated is important: it is good to know "nativisms" such as the peculiar ways in which language is used to form meaning, idioms being one example. It is a difference in strategy, but I have actively tried to ignore idioms because they confuse me. In Turkish, for example, there is "I am waiting with four eyes." It is hard to understand what this means by oneself and harder yet for a native speaker to explain it to you. This is why I have set them aside for later. However, that is just me and it seems you have a grasp on the ones you have learned.
That's quite interesting! I really wonder what does "I am waiting with four eyes means." I think it is easier for me to grasp what these Korean Idioms mean because of the cultural tie it has with the Chinese culture, making many of them direct translations of ones we have in Chinese.