For this cultural post, I am focusing on Korean idioms! I did research on this topic because idioms are a good way to learn a new language and its culture. The first idiom is “딸바보.” “딸” means “daughter” and “바보” means “idiot.” However, this phrase does not refer to a foolish daughter. Rather, it is a name for someone who loves their daughter so much that they will do anything for the sake of their daughter. “딸” gives the word “바보” a positive connotation instead. This idiom reflects the emphasis on family in Korean culture, particularly the sacrifices that parents will make for their daughters. I remember hearing that in older Korean society, the role of the daughter was to take care of her parents when they became elderly. Perhaps parents who are “딸바보” sacrifice so much for their daughter because they know that she will one day take care of them. In modern society, I think this phrase is recognized because there are many Korean parents who love their daughter very much.
The next idiom I discovered is “뒤통수치다.” “뒤통수” refers to the back of one’s head, and “치다” means “to hit; to strike; to play (an instrument).” The direct translation of this phrase is “to strike the back of someone’s head.” However, it does not literally mean someone is hitting the back of someone else’s head. It is used when a person unexpectedly betrays someone. It is similar to the word “backstabber” in English. I would have guessed that idioms do not translate well between languages, but this one is fairly similar in Korean and English. I am curious which phrase was introduced first: “backstabber” or “뒤통수치다.”
An idiom that I presume is very relevant among students is “손 놓고 있다.” “손” means “hand” and “놓다” means “to let something go.” This expression literally means “to not have one’s hands on something.” However, it actually refers to when people do not do things that are supposed to be done. Most of the time, the procrastinator knows that the longer they do not complete the task, the worse the situation will get. I believe this idiom is very popular among students because I know that education is taken very seriously in Korea, especially before college. Students must learn the value of time and how to not procrastinate. This is a lesson that I am still learning, even after 15 years of education.
For my cultural artifact, I have posted cartoons of more Korean idioms. There are a lot of idioms related to food. I speculate that this is the case because food is relatable for everyone; it is not something that requires explanation. Therefore, there can be a deeper meaning to a simple phrase so that the deeper meaning can be learned and explained.
Comments
I enjoy learning about these idioms. I think idioms are tightly related to the culture since they were born out of the cultural context. It's a great way to learn both the language and the culture. Chinese has similar idioms like 딸바보. Both korean culture and Chinese culture are very family-oriented. Parents are willing to do a lot for their children.
I enjoyed reading about idioms in Korean and seeing the cartoons you included! Some idioms have really interesting stories or (often embellished) historical connotations associated with them, so this is worth looking into as well. It's also cool how you noted that some idioms are more popular with certain demographics (e.g. students), which I would never have considered. Overall, I agree that they're a great way to learn new insights into a culture, and am now curious about idioms in my target language as well.