Korean proverbs

Proverbs from all Korean speaking parts of the world.

A

• 아는 길도 물어가라
  • Transliteration: Aneun gildo muleogara.
  • Even if you know the way, ask one more time.
  • English equivalent: Measure twice, cut once.
  • Meaning: Do not be overconfident and assume that you know anything perfectly well. There are always unknown or unexpected details.
  • 왕문용 (20 August 2008). 국어 와 의사 소통. 한국 문화사. p. 118. 

• 알면 뭐해?
  • Transliteration: Almyŏn mwŏ hae?
  • What'll you do if you know?
  • As quoted in "On the Demolition of the North-South Liaison Office" (20 June 2020), by Brian Reynolds Myers, Sthele Press

B

• 박수를 치려면 두 손이 있어야 합니다
  • Transliteration: Bagsureul chiryeomyeon du son-i iss-eoya habnida.
  • It takes two hands to clap.
  • As quoted in "South Korea's Park urges North Korea to choose new path" (8 May 2013), Reuters

• 빈 수레가 요란하다
  • Transliteration: Bin surega yoranhada.
  • An empty cart rattles loudly.
  • English equivalent: Empty vessels makes the most noise.
  • "I never desire to converse with a man who has written more than he has read."
  • Quoted in the "Apophthegms, Sentiments, Opinions and Occasional Reflections" of Sir John Hawkins (1787-1789) in Johnsonian Miscellanies (1897), vol. II, p. 6, edited by George Birkbeck Hill
  • Choe, Torchia (2007). Looking for a Mr. Kim in Seoul: A Guide to Korean Expressions. Infini Press. p. 232. 

• 방귀뀐 놈이 성낸다
  • 한국어연구회, KBS (2006). KBS 아나운서와함께배우는바른말고운말 2. 한국방송출판. p. 14. ISBN 978-89-7200-219-2. 

D

• 닭의 모가지를 비틀어도 새벽은 온다
  • Transliteration: Dalg-ui mogajileul biteul-eodo saebyeog-eun onda.
  • Dawn will come even if the rooster is strangled.
  • English equivalent: You can strangle the rooster but the dawn will still come.
  • As quoted in "Kim Young-sam: Former President of South Korea Dies at 87" (22 November 2015), by Sang-Hun Choe, The New York Times, New York

G

• 고래 싸움에 새우등 터진다
  • Transliteration: Gorae ssaum-e saeudeung teojinda.
  • When whales fight, shrimps get their back broken.
  • As quoted in What Americans Need to Know About Korea (2013), by Mark A. Peterson

K

• 콩 심은데 콩나고, 팥 심은데 팥난다
  • Transliteration: Kong simeundae kongnago, pat simeundae pat nanda.
  • Beans come out from where beans are planted, and padd (red beans) come out from where red beans are planted.
  • English equivalent: You reap what you sow.
  • "Children observe daily and — in their behaviour — often follow the example of their parents."
  • Paczolay, Gyula (1997). "48". European proverbs: in 55 languages, with equivalents in Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Chinese and Japanese. Veszprémi Nyomda. p. 259. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 
  • Hong, University (2007). Empowering families through enhancing "FILIAL PIETY" for parents at Jusarang Church, Ilsan, Korea. Regent University. p. 5. 

N

• 낮말은 새가 듣고 밤말은 쥐가 듣는다.
  • Transliteration:Natmaleun saega deudgo bammaleun juiga deudneunda.
  • Birds listen to day-words and rats listen to night-words.
  • English equivalent: The walls have ears; Fields have eyes, and woods have ears.
  • "What you say may be overheard; used as a warning."
  • Martin H. Manser (2007). The Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 287. ISBN 978-0-8160-6673-5. Retrieved on 27 September 2013. 
  • 언어교육원 (2005). 말이트이는한국어. 이화여자대학교출판부. p. 135. 

S

• [R]ivers and mountains change after a decade.
  • As quoted in "71 years later, prisoners of war in North Korea are still waiting to return home" (December 2021), by Chaewon Chung, NK News

• 서당개 삼 년에 풍월 읊는다
  • Transliteration: Seodanggae sam nyeone pungweol eupneunda.
  • After three years at a village schoolhouse, even a dog can recite a poem.
  • English equivalent: Practice makes perfect.
    
  • Choe, Torchia (2007). Looking for a Mr. Kim in Seoul: A Guide to Korean Expressions. Infini Press. p. 121. 

• 사촌이 땅을 사면 배가 아프다
  • Translitration: Sachoni ddang sago naega bae apuda.
  • If one cousin buys land, the other cousin gets a stomachache.
  • As quoted in "Stressed and Depressed, Koreans Avoid Therapy" (6 July 2011), by Mark McDonald, The New York Times, New York
  • As quoted in "Korean Sijo in the U.S.?!" (4 November 2019), by Mark A. Peterson, The Frog Outside the Well, Provo, Utah: The Frog Outside the Well Research Center

T

• 뜻이 있는 곳에 길이 있다
  • Transliteration: Tteusi itneun kose kiri itda.
  • In a place where there is will, there is a road.
  • English equivalent: Where there's a will, there's a way.
  • "If you are sufficiently determined to achieve something, then you will find a way of doing so."
  • Martin H. Manser (2007). The Facts on File Dictionary of Proverbs. Infobase Publishing. p. 299. ISBN 978-0-8160-6673-5. 
  • 열린대문과냉면한그릇. 이화여자대학교출판부. 1994. p. 65. 

V

• 시작이 반이다
  • Transliteration: Shijagi banida.
  • Starting is half the task.
  • English equivalent: Well begun is half done.
  • "Starting properly ensures the speedy completion of a process. A beginning is often blocked by one or more obstacles (potential barriers) the removal of which may ensure the smooth course of the process."
  • Paczolay, Gyula (1997). "40". European proverbs: in 55 languages, with equivalents in Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit, Chinese and Japanese. Veszprémi Nyomda. p. 228. ISBN 1-875943-44-7. 
  • (Korea) (1991). 2000-yōn. Hyŏndae Sahoe Yŏnʼguso. p. 149. 

X

• 손바닥으로 하늘을 가리려한다
  • Transliteration: Sonbadageuro haneureul gariryeohanda
  • Translation Don't try to cover the whole sky with the palm of your hand.
  • One can only "cover" the sky if he covers his own eyes, but the sky is still there and can not be denied its existence. Therefore, this is a very foolish thing to do. It can either mean that you are denying your past actions and can not come to terms with yourself nor with the other person(s). or You are not being honest to yourself and not admitting how you feel about someone or something. or You are avoiding the obvious, but you are going to have to face it one day.
  • "What happens to a dream deferred?
    Does it dry up
    like a raisin in the sun?
    Or fester like a sore —
    And then run?
    Does it stink like rotten meat?
    Or crust and sugar over —
    like a syrupy sweet?
    Maybe it just sags
    like a heavy load.
    Or does it explode?"
  • Langston Hughes, in "Harlem" in Montage of a Dream Deferred (1951).
  • Wŏlgan Chungang. 中央日報社. 1989. p. 271. 

“The only true death is dieing alone and no one wants that”

W

• 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다.
  • Transliteration: Weonsungido namueseo ddeoreojinda.
  • Translation: Even monkeys may fall from trees.
  • English equivalent: A good marksman may miss
  • Even experts make mistakes.
  • 논리와사고(증보개정판). 이화여자대학교출판부. 2003. p. 100.