10 Korean Idioms and Proverbs You Will Actually Hear

Korean speakers use idioms and proverbs all the time, and TOPIK reading passages use them too. The trick is that the literal words rarely tell you the meaning. Here are ten that come up often, each with the word-for-word translation, what it really means, and a sentence you can copy.

There are three kinds. A proverb (속담) is a whole saying. An idiom (관용구) is a short fixed phrase, often built on a body part. A four-character idiom (사자성어) comes from Chinese characters and is usually written in four syllables.

하늘의 별 따기 — proverb · 속담

Literally: “plucking stars from the sky.” Meaning: reaching for the stars; next to impossible.

성수기에 주말 기차표를 예매하는 건 하늘의 별 따기처럼 어려워. (Booking weekend train tickets in peak seasons is plucking stars from skies.)

누워서 떡 먹기 — proverb · 속담

Literally: “eating rice cakes lying down.” Meaning: a piece of cake; as easy as pie.

컴퓨터 포맷 정도는 오랜 경험이 있어서 내게는 누워서 떡 먹기야. (Formatting computers is a piece of cake for me thanks to long experience.)

시작이 반이다 — proverb · 속담

Literally: “the start is half of it.” Meaning: well begun is half done; starting is the hardest part.

운동하기 귀찮아도 시작이 반이니 일단 운동화부터 신고 나가자. (Even if unmotivated to exercise, starting is half done, so let's put on shoes.)

백지장도 맞들면 낫다 — proverb · 속담

Literally: “even a sheet of blank paper is lighter when held together.” Meaning: many hands make light work; cooperation makes any task easier.

청소가 간단해 보여도 백지장도 맞들면 나으니 같이 청소하자. (Even if cleaning looks simple, two heads are better than one, so let's do it together.)

호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다 — proverb · 속담

Literally: “speak of the tiger and it comes.” Meaning: speak of the devil and he appears.

민수 이야기하고 있었는데 호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다더니 마침 왔네. (We were just talking about Minsu, and speak of the devil, here he comes.)

발이 넓다 — idiom · 관용구

Literally: “feet are wide.” Meaning: to have a wide circle of acquaintances; to be well-connected.

그 친구는 발이 넓어서 어느 모임에 가나 아는 사람이 있어요. (That friend is so well-connected that he knows someone in every gathering.)

귀가 얇다 — idiom · 관용구

Literally: “ears are thin.” Meaning: to be gullible; to be easily influenced by others' words.

귀가 얇아서 남들이 좋다고 추천하는 물건은 바로 사 버려요. (Because I am gullible, I immediately buy anything others recommend as good.)

입이 무겁다 — idiom · 관용구

Literally: “mouth is heavy.” Meaning: to be tight-lipped; to be good at keeping secrets.

그 친구는 입이 무거워서 남에게 개인적인 고민을 털어놓기 좋아요. (That friend is so tight-lipped that it is easy to confide personal worries to him.)

일석이조 — four-character idiom · 사자성어

Literally: “one stone, two birds.” Meaning: to kill two birds with one stone.

자전거로 출퇴근하면 운동도 되고 돈도 아끼니 일석이조예요. (Commuting by bicycle gives you exercise and saves money, so it kills two birds with one stone.)

작심삼일 — four-character idiom · 사자성어

Literally: “resolved heart lasts three days.” Meaning: giving up on a resolution after just three days.

새해 운동 계획이 작심삼일로 끝나지 않게 매일 확인해야겠어요. (I must check daily so my New Year workout plan does not fizzle out after three days.)

How to learn them

• Learn the literal picture first, because a vivid image sticks. “Plucking stars from the sky” is easy to remember, and so is its meaning: nearly impossible.
• Copy the example sentence, then change one word to make your own.
• Notice the tone. Some idioms are praise, some are warnings, and some are only for casual talk.

A full workbook with 449 idioms, proverbs and four-character idioms is now available: 30 units, each with meanings, literal translations, example sentences and writing practice. Every book has a free sample.

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