Proverbs are passed down from generation to generation. You have probably heard them countless times in your country. Korea, of course, is no different.
So let's take a look at some popular aphorisms spoken daily in Korea and see if we can figure out where they came from.
Soup Without Steam Is Hotter
김 안나는 숭늉이 더 뜨겁다
Source: wjddydtjr.com/567
When we boil soup in stone pots, it maintains the temperature much longer. So even when you let it sit for a while and you think it cooled down...it hasn't. Basically, looks can be deceiving.
This can be understood in the following context: people are more afraid/aware of quiet people because you can't figure out what they're thinking.
Boisterous people who always speak directly are easy to read and there are no surprises.
Even Honey Is Bitter If It's For Medicine
꿀도 약이라면 쓰다
This is a very interesting expression. Most people really like honey and think of it as something sweet and enjoyable. But if you have the mindset that it's medicine, it won't taste sweet anymore.
Mostly, it refers to advice. Most people don't want to listen to advice.
So if someone says something nice, it tastes like honey, but as soon as they start trying to advise or coach you, it becomes bitter like medicine.
June Is The Prime Time For Grasshoppers
메뚜기도 유월이 한철이다
Grasshoppers usually have a short, eventful life. They're born and live their life energetically. However, a grasshopper's life is short and ends abruptly after the summer.
This expression is used on people who brag condescendingly about their success, saying that their glory may not last long. It teaches the lesson of staying humble even when having reached the top.
You Can Fill The Ocean, But You Can't Fulfill People's Greed
바다는 메워도 사람의 욕심은 못 채운다
Source: filcker@Meryl Ko
The ocean is vast and unconquerable. However, it would be easy to fill all the crevices of the ocean than to fulfill people's greed.
It's a great expression to describe someone who is so greedy that no matter what you do for them, they are never satisfied. They are more demanding than the sea. We all know someone like that.
You Can't Even Drink Cold Water When A Kid Is Watching
아이 보는 데는 찬물도 못 마신다
You have to be careful in front of children as they like to repeat the words that you say or copy your behavior.
Korea's birth rate is declining year-over-year so parents are becoming more and more careful about their behavior.
If they do something unhealthy or say bad words, they know the child will want to copy them.
Eat The Bird And Eat The Egg Too
꿩 먹고 알 먹는다
This is the Korean equivalent of "Kill two birds with one stone." Koreans often hunt for quail birds and they also eat quail eggs. So it's a two-for-one investment.
Beads Need To Be Threaded To Be Treasure
구슬이 서말이라도 꿰어야 보배
Basically, you can have a bucket full of great things. The context can pretty much be applied to anything. But if you don't make something out of it, it's worthless.
For example, you could have a million great ideas, but if you don't make something out of it, it's a worthless idea.
If You Can Hear The Bell Well, It's Going To Rain
종소리가 잘 들리면 비가 온다
This aphorism refers to weather in the same way that saying, "My knees hurt when it's going to rain." Even though it's just an expression, it's backed by science.
On cloudy days, the air pressure is different and sound travels better. So if you're able to hear bells from a far distance, it can be a sign of rain on the horizon.
A Fight Between Whales Breaks The Shrimp's Back
고래 싸움에 새우 등 터진다
Whales are huge. Much larger than shrimp. Bet you didn't know that!
So when two whales fight, it creates a huge ripple just like the butterfly effect.
The smaller fish in the sea all get hurt by their actions. It's kind of like if two huge powers, like the USA and China got into a war and it negatively affected other, smaller countries.
Frogs Forget About When They Were Tadpoles
개구리 올챙이 적 생각 못한다
Put simply, "People tend to forget the times of pain. When the wound has healed, it turns into a scar."
You should never forget your past and remember where you came from. There are a million different expressions to explain this one.
Even A Worm Wriggles When You Step On It
지렁이도 밟으면 꿈틀한다
Earthworms are very delicate and gentle creatures. Never hurting anyone and unable to defend himself at all. But there are still people who will step on them, causing them to wriggle and try to save themselves.
This is a useful expression for your meek friends who seem as though they are always kind and caring. But rest assured that if backed into a corner, they will probably fight back.
There Is A Hole That Will Appear Even If The Sky Collapses
하늘이 무너져도 솟아날 구멍이 있다
Similar to the expression, "One door opens when another closes," this expression is used to express that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and there is always something to look forward to.
There's always a way out of any situation.
If You Say Nice Things, Nice Things Will Come To You
가는 말이 고와야 오는 말이 곱다
It's like the rule of karma. People will treat you the way that you treat them. So if you compliment them and treat them well, they will do the same back to you.
This is meant to encourage people to be kind and empathetic.
Honestly, proverbs can be difficult in any language. So reading the Korean aphorisms in English might seem even more confusing.
But as you can see, the meanings are similar in different languages, but the way to express it is unique!
