Learning Korean proverbs is not only a great way to study the language, but also a window to the unique Korean culture. To help you get the most out of your language studies, we’ve put together this useful Korean proverbs list for you to study. Who knows—you may find that you can start applying these words of wisdom to your own life!
Table of Contents
- 꿩 먹고 알 먹는다 (kkwong meokgo al meongneunda)
- 보기 좋은 떡이 먹기도 좋다 (bogi joeun tteogi meokgido jota)
- 로마는 하루아침에 이루어진 것이 아니다 (romaneun haruachime irueojin geosi anida)
- 낮말은 새가 듣고 밤말은 쥐가 듣는다 (nanmareun saega deutgo bammareun jwiga deunneunda)
- 세 살 버릇 여든까지 간다 (se sal beoleus yeodeunkkaji ganda)
- 말 한마디에 천냥 빚도 갚는다 (mal hanmadie cheonnyang bijdo gapneunda)
- 궁하면 통한다 (gunghamyeon tonghanda)
- 뜻이 있는 곳에 길이 있다 (tteusi inneun gose giri itda)
- 병 주고 약 준다 (byeong jugo yak junda)
- 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어질 때가 있다 (wonsungido namueseo tteoreojil ttaega itda)
- 옷이 날개다 (osi nalgaeda)
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1. 꿩 먹고 알 먹는다 (kkwong meokgo al meongneunda)
Vocabulary List:
Literal Translation: Eat a pheasant and eat its egg.
Close English Proverb: Kill two birds with one stone.
This phrase is used to describe a situation where you do one action and receive two benefits at the same time.
For example, imagine that you finally decide to stop smoking to improve your health. You could use this phrase to emphasize that you would not only become healthier than before, but also spend less money on hospital visits and insurance.
Another example would be if you were cleaning your house and found a stack of money that you had completely forgotten about. In that case, you might say:
꿩 먹고 알도 먹고! 방 청소하다가 돈 찾았어.
Kkwong meokgo aldo meokgo! Bang cheongsohadaga don chajasseo.
“Kill two birds with one stone! I found some money while cleaning the house.”
2. 보기 좋은 떡이 먹기도 좋다 (bogi joeun tteogi meokgido jota)
Vocabulary List:
- 보기 (bogi) – “to see”
- 좋은 (joeun) – “and to be good”
- 떡 (tteok) – “rice cake”
- 먹기도 (meokgido) – “and to eat”
- 좋다 (jota) – “good”
Literal Translation: Good looking tteok (rice cake) tastes good too.
Close English Proverb: What looks good also tastes good.
When you see something that looks good, it will likely be of good quality. This is because the nice appearance shows that someone put a lot of effort into it.
Example:
민수: 이 책, 내용이 주제별로 잘 분류되어 있고 사진의 질도 참 좋네.
Minsu: I chaek, naeyongi jujebyeollo jal bunryudoeeo itgo sajinui jildo cham jonne.
Minsu: “The contents of this book are well-organized by topic, and the quality of the photos is great.”
철수: 보기 좋은 떡이 먹기도 좋다는데, 한번 읽어봐.
Cheolsu: Bogi joeun tteogi meokgido jotaneunde, hanbeon ilgeobwa.
Cheolsu: “What looks good is usually good too, so read it.”
3. 로마는 하루아침에 이루어진 것이 아니다 (romaneun haruachime irueojin geosi anida)
Vocabulary List:
- 로마 (roma) – “Roma”
- 하루아침 (haruachim) – “one morning”
- 이루어지다 (irueojida) – “be achieved”
Literal Translation: Rome wasn’t made in one morning.
Close English Proverb: Rome wasn’t built in a day.
This Korean proverb is used to remind us that we cannot expect to do important tasks really quickly, because quality work takes time. For example, it takes time and effort to become 몸짱 (momzzang), meaning someone with muscle.
Example:
민수: 나 헬스클럽 등록했어. 몸짱 빨리 되고 싶다.
Minsu: Na helseukeulleop deungnokaesseo. Momjjang ppalli doego sipda.
Minsu: “I registered for a health club. I want to gain muscle quickly.”
철수: 로마는 하루아침에 이루어진 것이 아닌건 알지?
Cheolsu: Romaneun haruachime irueojin geosi aningeon alji?maneun haluachim-e ilueojin geos-i aningeon alji?
Cheolsu: “You know that Rome didn’t happen overnight, right?”
4. 낮말은 새가 듣고 밤말은 쥐가 듣는다 (nanmareun saega deutgo bammareun jwiga deunneunda)
Vocabulary List:
- 낮말 (nanmal) – “words spoken during daytime”
- 새 (sae) – “bird”
- 밤말 (bammal) – “words spoken during nighttime”
- 쥐 (jwi) – “mouse”
- 듣는다 (deutneunda) – “listens”
Literal Translation: “Birds hear the words spoken in the day, and mice hear the words spoken at night.”
Close English Proverb: The walls have ears.
This proverb means that no matter how secretly you say something, others are likely to hear. If you know someone who spreads rumors or says bad things about others, you should step in and quote this Korean proverb.
Example:
민수: 너 내가 없을때 나에 대해 나쁜 얘기 했다면서?
Minsu: Neo naega eopseulttae nae daehae nappeun yaegi haetdamyeonseo?
Minsu: “You said bad things about me when I wasn’t there?”
철수: 아니 그런적 없는데?
Cheolsu: Ani geureonjeok eomneunde?
Chulsoo: “No, I didn’t.”
민수: 낮말은 새가 듣고 밤말은 쥐가 듣는다고, 너 말 조심하고 다녀.
Minsu: Nanmareun saega deutgo bammareun jwiga deunneundago, neo mal josimhago danyeo.
Minsu: “Birds listen during the day, and rats listen during the night. Watch your mouth.”
5. 세 살 버릇 여든까지 간다 (se sal beoleus yeodeunkkaji ganda)
Vocabulary List:
- 세 살 (se sal) – “3 years old”
- 버릇 (beoreut) – “habit” (usually bad habits)
- 여든 (yeodeun) – “80 years old”
- 까지 (kkaji) – “until”
- 간다 (ganda) – “to go”
Literal Translation: Habits (learned) at three last until one is eighty.
Close English Proverb: What’s learned in the cradle is carried to the grave.
This wise Korean proverb is used to warn that bad habits should be corrected early in life, since they’re very difficult to correct later in life. You could say this, for instance, when somebody keeps repeating the same mistakes.
Example:
민수: 세 살 버릇 여든까지 간다는 말 몰라? 그 버릇 때문에 힘들어질걸?
Minsu: Se sal beoreut yeodeunkkaji gandaneun mal molla? Geu beoreut ttaemune himdeureojilgeol?
Minsu: “Don’t you know the saying that 3-year-old habits last until you’re 80? You’re going to suffer from that habit!”
6. 말 한마디에 천냥 빚도 갚는다 (mal hanmadie cheonnyang bijdo gapneunda)
Vocabulary List:
- 말 (mal) – “saying”
- 한마디 (hanmadi) – “a single word”
- 천 (cheon) – “a thousand”
- 냥: (nyang) – “an old unit of Korean coinage”
- 빚 (bit) – “a debt”
- 도 (do) – “also”
- 갚는다 (gamneunda) – “to pay back”
Literal Translation: One word can repay a thousand nyang (old Korean currency) debt.
Close English Proverb: A good tongue is a good weapon.
This proverb highlights the importance of how you speak to people. You could use this proverb in a situation where someone is trying to persuade another party to do something; it would emphasize the importance of choosing their words carefully.
Example:
말 한마디에 천냥 빚도 갚는다고, 항상 말 조심해야해.
mal hanmadie cheonnyang bijdo gapneundago, hangsang mal josimhaeyahae.
“A good tongue is a good weapon, so be careful what you say.”
7. 궁하면 통한다 (gunghamyeon tonghanda)
Vocabulary List:
- 궁하면 (gunghamyeon) – “if you need something”
- 통한다 (tonghanda) – “it will open up”
Literal Translation: If you need something, it will open up.
Close English Proverb: There is always a way out.
This is a proverb often used to motivate others to find an innovative solution to a problem that otherwise seems helpless. For example, if a friend of yours wanted to become a YouTuber, you could use this proverb to encourage them.
Example:
민수: 유튜버가 되고 싶다.
Minsu: Yutyubeoga doego sipda.
Minsu: “I want to be a YouTuber.”
철수: 궁하면 통한다고 한번 해봐!
Cheolsu: Gunghamyeon tonghandago hanbeon haebwa!
Chulsoo: “Try it, maybe it will work!”
8. 뜻이 있는 곳에 길이 있다 (tteusi inneun gose giri itda)
Vocabulary List:
Literal Translation: In the place there is a will, there is a way.
Close English Proverb: Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
You can use this Korean proverb exactly the same way you would use its English equivalent. It means that a person can achieve anything, despite the difficulties, if they want it bad enough.
Example:
민수: 저 직장 너무 갖고 싶다.
Minsu: Jeo jigjang neomu gatgo sipda.
Minsu: “I really want that job.”
철수: 뜻이 있는 곳에 길이 있다고 열심히 해봐!
Cheolsu: Tteusi itneun gose giri itdago yeolsimhi haebwa!
Chulsoo: “Try hard because where there’s a will, there’s a way!”
9. 병 주고 약 준다 (byeong jugo yak junda)
Vocabulary List:
Literal Translation: Give a disease then give medicine.
Close English Proverb: To make trouble and then give help.
This proverb describes the actions of a deceptive person, who first causes harm and then offers a remedy in order to appear like the rescuer.
Example:
철수: 콜록콜록
Cheolsu: kollogkollog
Chulsoo: coughing
수미: 야! 너 감기 걸렸어?
Sumi: Ya! neo gamgi geollyeoss-eo?
Sumi: “Hey! Do you have a cold?”
다음날 (daeumnal) – “Next day”
수미: 콜록콜록
Sumi: kollogkollog
Sumi: coughing
철수: 미안해, 이 약 먹고 빨리 나아.
Cheolsu: Mianhae, i yag meoggo ppalli naa.
Chulsoo: “Sorry, I hope you get better with this medicine.”
수미: 지금 병 주고 약 주냐?
Sumi: Jigeum byeong jugo yag junya?
Sumi: “Are you being nice or nasty?”
10. 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어질 때가 있다 (wonsungido namueseo tteoreojil ttaega itda)
Vocabulary List:
- 원숭이 (wonesungi) – “a monkey”
- 도 (do) – “also” / “too”
- 나무 (namu) – “a tree”
- 에서(eseo) – “from”
- 떨어질 때가 (tteoreojil ttaega) – There is a time when one falls~
- 있다 (itda) – “there is”
Literal Translation: Monkeys sometimes fall from trees.
Close English Proverb: Even Homer sometimes nods.
Use this phrase to emphasize that even an expert sometimes makes mistakes.
Example:
민수: 저 피겨스케이터 전세계 1위인데도 넘어질때가 있네.
Minsu: Jeo pigyeoseukeiteo jeonsegye irwiindedo neomeojilttaega itne.
Minsu: “Even though she is the number-one figure skater in the world, she sometimes falls too.”
철수: 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어질 때가 있잖아.
Cheolsu: Wonsungido namueseo tteoreojil ttaega itjana.
Chulsoo: “Even Homer sometimes nods.”
11. 옷이 날개다 (osi nalgaeda)
Vocabulary List:
- 옷 (ot) – “clothing”
- 날개 (nalgae) – “wing”
Literal Translation: Clothes are your wings.
Close English Proverb: Dress to impress.
This proverb emphasizes the importance of dressing well.
Example:
민수: 우와, 너 오늘따라 진짜 멋있어 보인다.
Minsu: Uwa, neo oneulttala jinjja meosisseo boinda.
Minsu: “Wow, you look really cool today.”
철수: 옷이 날개라고, 새로운 옷 좀 샀지.
Cheolsu: Osi nalgaerago, saeroun ot jom satji.
Chulsoo: “Dress to impress. I bought some new clothes.”
12. Want to Learn More? KoreanClass101 Can Help!
In this article, you learned several unique Korean proverbs as well as a few you may recognize from English. Memorizing these proverbs is a fun way to complement your Korean studies, because you can compare them with proverbs from your country. While some of them are difficult to understand, this gives you more reason to brush up on your knowledge of Korean culture!
If you want to learn more about Korean proverbs and other sayings, there are several pages on KoreanClass101.com (and elsewhere on the web) where you can find more proverbs. Feel free to check them out when you have time!
KoreanClass101:
- Do You Know These Korean Proverbs? (you’ll be surprised!) / YouTube
- Do You Know the Most Common Korean Proverbs? | Learn Basic Korean / YouTube
- Top 10 Quotes About Language Learning
- Top 10 Inspirational Quotes
Other:
Do you have any questions about the proverbs we’ve covered? If so, leave us a comment below and we’ll be glad to help!
