Proverbs
Good clothes are those that are new, and good people are those who one has known for a long time
An expression meaning when it comes to a product, a new one is good, but when it comes to a person, an old, familiar and close one is good.
Clothes are wings
An expression to describe a situation where a good outfit makes one stand out.
a frog[fish] in a well; a babe in the woods
A person who is full of self-conceit as he/she has a limited or narrow view of the world.
feel like having sent a child to the place around a well
To feel anxious due to worrying about someone.
seek sungnyung, scorched-rice water, from a well
To rush into something recklessly without following the appropriate order and procedure.
You should dig a single well
It is advised that one should stick to something until he/she successfully concludes it because juggling too many things or frequently changing the course is unlikely to help achieve a desirable outcome.
The water in the Daedonggang River melts on usu, the day on which ice starts to melt, and gyeongchip, the day on which insects appear from their holes in the earth
Even a severe cold snap subsides after usu, the day on which ice starts to melt, and gyeongchip, the day on which insects appear from their holes in the earth.
One laughs because one cannot cry
To be very surprised and dumbfounded because one unexpectedly suffers big trouble.
slap a person[someone in the face] with a smile
To pretend to be nice, but actually hate someone or do harm to him/her.
You cannot spit on a smiling face; A soft answer turns away wrath
It is difficult to be hostile toward someone who approaches in a friendly manner.
A smiling house will have good fortune
A family whose members are on good terms with each other and whose home is filled with laughter will be blessed.
tears at the end of laughter
An expression to describe a situation where something goes well at first but ends up with a negative result or in a tragedy.
encounter an enemy on a single log bridge; meet bad luck one cannot escape
An expression used to describe a situation where one runs into someone whom one hates or shuns in a situation where interaction cannot be avoided.
encounter an enemy on a single log bridge; meet bad luck one cannot escape
An expression meaning if one does harm to someone, one will eventually suffer the consequences of it.
Even a monkey can fall from a tree
A person with long-term experience and good skills in something can sometimes make a mistake.
The upstream water should be clean first in order to have clean water down the stream
A senior with higher status should first behave well to set an example for his/her junior to follow.
A shaded place will become a sunny place and a sunny place will become a shaded place
There are good times as well as bad times because the wheel of fortune turns.
You can still live with your gums if you do not have teeth
You will still find a way to solve a problem even if you do not have something essential.
Winning is equal to losing
An expression used to advise that one may want to pretend to lose in a fight and put an end to it because there is no point in holding out to win.