Learning different proverbs from various countries teaches good fortune to a lot of people. In Korean culture, common Korean Proverbs are part of their everyday life. Today’s blog will talk about useful Korean Proverbs to learn to sound like a local.
In a word, the Korean proverb describes wisdom. Through their ancestors, they passed various Korean idioms, sayings, and proverbs that talk about how to become wise in everyday life.
In Korean class, a Korean student is taught to appreciate more of their Korean culture and history than any other else. For example, they respect elders (seniority), they are hardworking (busy learning skills), respect other religions and beliefs, and other history-related festivals and rituals. Those values and wisdom that came from their ancestors reflect the lives of Korean up until now.
Knowing those backgrounds tend Koreans to recognize the importance of their history to learn Korean or Hangul more seriously. For them, learning Korean is understanding and preserving their Korean culture. An example of this is learning a Korean proverb.
Want to know about the common Korean Proverbs and their meanings? Check this out!
Common Korean Proverbs And Their Meanings
공자 앞에서 문자 쓴다 (gongja apeseo munja sseunda)
The meaning of this Korean Proverb is ‘Don’t try to teach a fish how to swim.’ You can use this proverb to a person whose arrogant and try to be more expert to a more intellectual person.
다 된 밥에 재 뿌리지 마라 (da doen babe jae ppuriji mara)
This proverb means ‘Don’t rain on someone’s parade.’ The literal translation of this Korean proverb is ‘Don’t spread ashes on cooked rice.’ You can use this proverb to advise someone not to ruin a fun or lovely scenario. For instance, you are delivering bad news at a family reunion.
장님이 코끼리 만지는 격이다 (jangnimi kokkiri manjineun gyeogida)
This common Korean proverb means ‘It is like a blind man describing an elephant.’ The literal translation is, ‘It is like a blind man touching an elephant.’ The usage of this proverb is if you want to describe someone who is acting like a genius, but you know that he lacks in intellectual aspects. This proverb is the same with 공자 앞에서 문자 쓴다 (gongja apeseo munja sseunda).
고생 끝에 낙이 온다 (gosaeng kkeute nagionda)
The literal translation of this is, ‘At the end of hardship comes happiness.’ This Korean proverb is often used to encourage someone to overcome worry and never give up on difficult times.
개천에서 용 난다 (gaecheoneseo yong nanda)
The literal meaning of this Korean proverb is ‘A dragon rises up from a small stream.’ This Korean proverb came from the ancient myths and stories about dragons rising from the depths of the sea; therefore, it would be both unexpected and astonishing if one were to rise from a shallow stream. In short, this Korean proverb is used to describe an individual arising from humble beginnings.
누워서 떡 먹기 (nuwoseo tteog meoggi)
The literal translation is ‘eating rice cakes while lying down.’ This Korean Proverb is similar to the English expression ‘a piece of cake’. So I know you are familiar with this English expression that means ‘very easy.’
낮말은 새가 듣고 밤말은 쥐가 듣는다 (deudgo bammal-eun jwiga deudneunda)
The literal meaning of this Korean proverb is ‘Birds hear the words spoken in the day, and the mice those at night.’ This is commonly used to warn someone to be careful what he or she says. Because he or she will never know who may be listening. The western equivalent of this proverb is ‘walls have ears.’
김치국부터 마시지 말라 – (Kimchigugbuteo masiji malla)
The Korean language’s literal translation is ‘Don’t drink the kimchi soup first.’ We all know that in South Korea, kimchi soup is usually eaten after the main course to aid digestion, so the person should finish the main meal before eating it. This proverb means that you should not expect too early but wait until what you expect happens before taking it into action. Its brave literal translation in English idiomatic expressions is ‘don’t count your chickens before they hatch!’
가재는 게 편이라 (gajaeneun ge pyeonila)
The Korean literal meaning of this is ‘The crayfish sides with the crab.’ I want to share a trivia, do you know that crayfish and crab have many similar traits? This defines that they would side with each other. This is a company literal translation that means individuals with similar traits or characteristics usually stick together.
과부 설움은 홀아비가 안다 (gwabu seolumeun holabiga anda)
The Korean literal meaning of this proverb is ‘a widower knows a widow’s sorrow.’ This is commonly used to express the unhappiness of an individual who likes to express his/her feelings and emotions to others and is comforted by the unhappiness of others. In English idiomatic expressions, it is ‘misery loves company.’
원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다 (Wonsungido namueseo tteoleojinda)
The literal meaning of this is ‘even monkeys fall from trees.’ This is one of the traditional Korean proverbs. In addition, this Korean expression implies that even if a person says that he/she is an expert in something, they sometimes make mistakes. Since monkeys are great climbers, but even they sometimes fall. So this Korean proverb can be used to explain motivations that sometimes mistakes happen.
그림의 떡 (crimue ddeok)
The literal meaning of this Korean proverb is ‘a picture of a rice cake.’ We all know that most South Koreans love to eat rice cakes. For instance, when a person wants to have something, he or she tends to imagine a picture of it. Since it is all about imagination, they only see a picture of it in their eyes. For that reason, that person may feel that he or she needs to have it, but since it is an imagination, they can’t get it, so they try to forget about it.
제 눈에 안경이다 (je nune angyeongida)
This Korean proverb’s literal meaning is ‘glasses in my eyes.’ It is also like the most common English proverb ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You can use this common proverb when you have a different perspective than others. For instance, your friend is attracted to a person who wears formal attire, but you are not. Furthermore, we appreciate and see a different perspective on life.
보기 좋은 떡이 먹기도 좋다 (bogi joeun tteogi meokgido jota)
The Korean literal translation of this proverb means ‘good looking tteok (rice cake) tastes good.’ This also means ‘what looks good tastes good’ in English. For instance, there comes a time when you see something good, and you also think that it also has a good quality because someone put an effort to make it look good. You can use this Korean proverb when you see something delicious because it is prepared with creativity, just like some Korean Cuisines.
눈에서 멀어지면, 마음에서도 멀어진다 (nuneseo meoreojimyeon, maeumeseodo meoreojinda)
The meaning of this Korean proverb is ‘out of sight, out of mind,’ but its literal translation in Korea is ‘If it becomes distant from your eyes, it also becomes distant from your mind (heart).’ Therefore, you can use this proverb when you want to forget someone or something. For instance, if you’re going to forget about your past relationship, you should never see them or think about them so you to forget them easily. Furthermore, in Korea, they usually use this proverb when a particular couple who have a problem in their long-distance relationship. They use this proverb because they used to drift apart if they couldn’t often see each other.
Other Famous Quotes In Korean Translation To Add Up To Your Vocabulary
| Korean Proverbs | Pronunciation | Literal Meaning |
| 멈추지 말고 계속 해나가기만 한다면 늦어도 상관없다 | meomchuji malgo gyesok haenagagiman handamyeon neujeodo sanggwaneopda | It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. – Confucius |
| 어디든 가치가 있는 곳으로 가려면 지름길은 없다 | eodideun gachiga inneun goseuro garyeomyeon jireumgireun eopda | There are no shortcuts to any place worth going to. – Beverly Sills |
| 세상에서 보고싶은 변화가 있다면 당신 스스로 그 변화가 되어라 | sesangeseo bogosipeun byeonhwaga itdamyeon dangsin seuseuro geu byeonhwaga doeeora | Be the change you want to see in the world. – Mahatma Ghandi |
| 성공에 대한 의지를 품는 것은 무엇보다 중요하다. 성공에 대한 의지를 품는 것은 무엇보다 중요하다 | seonggonge daehan uijireul pumneun geoseun mueotboda jungyohada | Always bear in mind that your resolution to succeed is more important than any other.– Abraham Lincoln |
| 나무를 심는데 가장 좋았던 때는 20년 전이었다. 두 번째로 좋은 때는 지금이다 | namureul simneunde gajang joatdeon ttaeneun isipnyeon jeonieotda. Du beonjjaero joeun ttaeneun jigeumida | The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now. – Chinese Proverb |
| 행복은 이미 완성된 것이 아니라, 당신의 행동으로부터 오는 것이다.행복은 이미 완성된 것이 아니라, 당신의 행동으로부터 오는 것이다 | haengbogeun imi wanseongdoen geosi anira, dangsinui haengdongeurobuteo oneun geosida | Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.– Dalai Lama |
| 꿈을 꾸고 믿을 수 있다면 이룰 수도 있다. 꿈을 꾸고 믿을 수 있다면 이룰 수도 있다 | kkumeul kkugo mideul su itdamyeon irul sudo itda | Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. – Napoleon Hill |
| 해안이 보이지 않는 것을 이겨낼 용기가 없다면 절대로 바다를 건널 수 없다. 해안이 보이지 않는 것을 이겨낼 용기가 없다면 절대로 바다를 건널 수 없다 | haeani boiji anneun geoseul igyeonael yonggiga eopdamyeon jeoldaero badareul geonneol su eopda | You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. – Christopher Columbus |
| 대부분의 사람들에게 있어 가장 위험한 일은 목표를 너무 높게 잡아서 그것을 이루지 못하는 것이 아니라 목표를 너무 낮게 잡아서 그것을 달성해 버리는 것이다. 대부분의 사람들에게 있어 가장 위험한 일은 목표를 너무 높게 잡아서 그것을 이루지 못하는 것이 아니라 목표를 너무 낮게 잡아서 그것을 달성해 버리는 것이다 | daebubunui saramdeurege itseo gajang wiheomhan ireun mokpyoreul neomu nopge jabaseo geugeoseul iruji motaneun geosi anira mokpyoreul neomu natge jabaseo geugeoseul dalseonghae beorineun geosida | The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that is it too low and we reach it. – Michaelangelo |
Korean Proverbs And Sayings On The Lives Of Koreans
Korean proverbs have a great impact on the current life of Koreans. Through the different types of Korean literal translations from western equivalent words (like words literal translation, literal tree translation, literal medicine translation or best medicine literal translation, drink literal translation, cure literal translation, beholder literal translation, tomorrow literal translation, way literal translation, one literal translation, never literal translation, none literal translation, day literal translation, mind literal translation, literal policy translation or best policy literal translation, and other kinds of Korean coinage). They use these as their words of wisdom and guidance in having their own business and in their own life or their own will.
As you can observe, the common Korean Proverbs that are presented above are adapted from English Proverbs and expressions. It’s like the Korean equivalent of Western Proverbs. In other words, the proverbs from the past are still present and are reflected today in the lives of Korean.
Aside from the Western proverbs, various Korean Proverbs were also adapted from Japanese and Chinese characters because their culture is alike. Also, the Korean alphabet, Japanese alphabet, and Chinese alphabet have similarities. That’s why some of their proverbs came from their neighboring countries.
All in all, the culture of a certain country is often preserved through the usage of words, phrases, and sentences that have become famous sayings, expressions, idioms, and most probably the continuous usage of proverbs. But as language learners, we should not only say those proverbs. We should act it. Remember the great saying, ‘actions speak louder than words.’
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