During the past two classes, we learned Korean idioms. I find some Korean idioms has great similarities with Chinese idiom and that might because of the great influence of ancient Chinese cultural to Korean. The Korean idiom is even more commonly used in daily conversations than Chinese idiom. I have seen a Korean variety show called New Journey to The West, which contains a game about idiom, to test whether the participants are familiar with them. It makes people more aware of traditional culture.
갈수록 태산.
translation: The further you go, the more mountains you will meet. Things are going to be harder and harder, and there will be many barriers waiting for you in the future. It is often used when you get a small success and the elders advise you not to be complacent.
그림의 떡.
translation: Pie in the painting. It referring to untouchable things or something one can only see.
누워서 떡 먹기.
translation: eating cake lying down. It means you can get it without paying many effort.
미운 놈 떡 하나 더 준다.
translation: give one more rice cake to your enemy. The more you hate someone, the better you should treat them. I guess it means “spoil” the one you hate so that he or she will be more and more annoying so that nobody will like them.
믿는 도끼에 발등 찍힌다.
translation: Be chopped in the foot by the ax you trust. It refers to one was betrayed and hurt by someone he or she trust.
병 주고 약 준다.
translation: to give illness and then medicine. It means at first you did not treat one well but you give them a reward after then. There is a similar Chinese idiom and its literal meaning is slap your face then give you a sweet dates.
작은 고추가 더 맵다.
translation: the smaller the pepper, the spicier it is. It means people that look shorter might have larger energy and more skills.
지나가던 개가 웃겠다.
translation: a passing dog will laugh. It means the joke is so boring that only the dog passing by will laugh.
혼자서 북 치고 장구 친다 / 혼자서 모두 일을 알아서 한다.
translation: doing everything by yourself.
하나를 보면 열을 안다.
translation: See one part, it shows ten more aspects.
하룻강아지 범 무서운 줄 모른다.
translation: a puppy isn’t afraid of a tiger. A genuine and ignorant one will not be afraid because he or she did not truly understand the situation. There is a same one in Chinese idiom: a calf is not afraid of a tiger.
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