15 Korean Proverbs: Wisdom Through Words [with Audio]

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If you want to spice up your Korean, learning some Korean proverbs will do the trick!

In every culture, proverbs play a significant role in conveying age-old wisdom, encapsulating life lessons, and reflecting the collective experiences of the people. Korean proverbs, or 속담 (sokdam), are no exception; they offer us a window into Korean thought, ethics, and traditions.

Korean proverbs often reflect the communal values, resilience, respect towards elders and nature, and the philosophical outlook that has guided life in Korea through the centuries.

In this article, I’m going to introduce you to 15 Korean proverbs you should know, along with some cultural insights for each. I am a Korean learner myself and work with Koreans from both North and South Korea, and it’s fascinating seeing how this wisdom comes out in diverse Korean cultures!

Here’s me visiting Korea back in 2016!

By the way, if you’re short on time, here’s a table to help you quickly learn the phrases:

Korean Proverbs with Audio

Korean	Romanization	IPA	English Equivalent	Audio
제 눈에 안경이다	Je nune angyeongida	[t͡ɕe nun.e an.gjʌŋ.i.da]	Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
꿩 먹고 알 먹는다	Kkwong meokgo al meokneunda	[k͈wʌŋ mʌk̚.ko al mʌk̚.nɯn.da]	Kill two birds with one stone
눈에서 멀어지면, 마음에서도 멀어진다	Nuneseo meoreojimyeon, maeumeseodo meoreojinda	[nu.nɛ.sʌ mʌɭ.ʌ.ʥi.mjʌn ma.ɯm.e.sʌ.do mʌɭ.ʌ.ʥin.da]	Out of sight, out of mind
고생 끝에 낙이 온다	Gosaeng kkeute nagi onda	[go.sɛŋ k͈ɯ.t͡ɕʰe na.ɡi on.da]	No pain, no gain
바늘 도둑이 소 도둑 된다	Baneul dodugi so doduk doenda	[ba.nɯl do.du.ɡi so do.duk̚ twen.da]	Give someone an inch and they'll take a mile
백지장도 맞들면 낫다	Baekjijangdo matdeulmyeon natda	[pɛk̚.t͡ɕi.ʥaŋ.do mad.dɯl.mjʌn nat̚.ta]	Many hands make light work
가재는 게 편이라	Gajaeneun ge pyeonira	[ka.d͡ʑe.nɯn ɡe pjʌ.ni.ɾa]	Birds of a feather flock together
엎질러진 물이다	Eopjilleojin murida	[ʌp.d͡ʑil.lʌ.d͡ʑin mu.ɾi.da]	There's no use crying over spilled milk
장님이 코끼리 만지는 격이다	Jangnimi kokkiri manjineun gyeogida	[d͡ʑaŋ.ni.mi kʰo.k͈i.ɾi man.d͡ʑi.nɯn ɡjʌ.ɡi.da]	The blind men and the elephant
다 된 밥에 재 뿌리지 마라	Da doen babe jae ppuriji mara	[ta dwen papʰe d͡ʑe p͈u.ɾi.d͡ʑi ma.ɾa]	Don't ruin a completed task
김치국부터 마시지 말라	Kimchigukbuteo masiji malla	[kʰim.t͡ɕʰi.ɡuk̚.pu.tʰʌ ma.ɕi.d͡ʑi mal.la]	Don't count your chickens before they hatch
원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다	Wonsungido namueseo tteoreojinda	[wʌn.su.ŋi.do na.mu.e.sʌ t͈ʰʌ.ɾʌ.d͡ʑin.da]	Even monkeys fall from trees
매도 먼저 맞는 게 낫다	Maedo meonjeo matneun ge natda	[me.do mʌn.d͡ʑʌ mat̚.nɯn ɡe nat̚.ta]	Better to get an unpleasant thing over with
옷이 날개다	Osi nalgaeda	[o.ɕi nal.ɡɛ.da]	Clothes make the man
공자 앞에서 문자 쓴다	Gongja apeseo munja sseunda	[ɡoŋ.d͡ʑa a.pʰe.sʌ mun.d͡ʑa s͈ɯn.da]	Teaching grandma to suck eggs

Ready to learn more? Let’s get to it!

15 Korean Proverbs You Must Know

In this section, I’ll introduce you to 15 Korean proverbs that offer a spectrum of wisdom, humor, and, of course, cultural insights. Some are quite like the English sayings, and some are quite different! Take a look:

1. 제 눈에 안경이다 (Je nune angyeongida)

Literal Translation: Glasses in my eyes.
English Equivalent: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Cultural Insight: This proverb emphasizes personal perspective and subjectivity in perception. It highlights the Korean cultural understanding that personal preferences and tastes differ, promoting a respect for diversity in opinions and tastes.

2. 꿩 먹고 알 먹는다 (Kkwong meokgo al meongneunda)

Literal Translation: Eat the pheasant and the egg.
English Equivalent: Kill two birds with one stone.
Cultural Insight: This proverb is often used in business or personal scenarios to describe situations where one can achieve multiple objectives with a single action, reflecting the Korean value of efficiency and pragmatism.

3. 눈에서 멀어지면, 마음에서도 멀어진다 (Nuneseo meoreojimyeon, maeumeseodo meoreojinda)

Literal Translation: If it becomes distant from your eyes, it also becomes distant from your mind.
English Equivalent: Out of sight, out of mind.
Cultural Insight: In Korea, maintaining strong interpersonal relationships is crucial. This proverb warns against the fading of relationships and emotions due to physical or emotional distance, emphasizing the importance of staying connected.

4. 고생 끝에 낙이 온다 (Gosaeng kkeute nagionda)

Literal Translation: Happiness comes at the end of hardship.
English Equivalent: No pain, no gain.
Cultural Insight: This reflects the Korean ethos of perseverance and hard work believing that enduring difficulties ultimately leads to rewarding outcomes, a reflection of Korea’s tumultuous history and economic rise.

5. 바늘 도둑이 소 도둑 된다 (Baneul dodugi so doduk doenda)

Literal Translation: A needle thief becomes a cow thief.
English Equivalent: Give someone an inch and they’ll take a mile.
Cultural Insight: This proverb underscores the belief in integrity and the dangers of overlooking small misdeeds, which could escalate into larger ethical breaches, reflecting the societal emphasis on morality.

6. 백지장도 맞들면 낫다 (Baekjijangdo matdeulmyeon natda)

Literal Translation: Even a piece of paper is lighter when lifted together.
English Equivalent: Many hands make light work.
Cultural Insight: Highlighting the importance of cooperation and communal effort, this proverb is often used in Korea to encourage teamwork, whether in family, work, or community settings.

7. 가재는 게 편이라 (Gajaeneun ge pyeonila)

Literal Translation: A crayfish sides with the crab.
English Equivalent: Birds of a feather flock together.
Cultural Insight: This proverb is used to explain the natural human tendency to associate with like-minded individuals. It reflects the Korean emphasis on social harmony and the importance of community bonds.

8. 엎질러진 물이다 (Eopjilleojin murida)

Literal Translation: It’s spilled water.
English Equivalent: There’s no use crying over spilled milk.
Cultural Insight: Commonly used to encourage moving past mistakes or misfortunes, this proverb teaches resilience and the importance of focusing on the future rather than dwelling on the past.

9. 장님이 코끼리 만지는 격이다 (Jangnimi kokkiri manjineun gyeogida)

Literal Translation: It’s like a blind man touching an elephant.
English Equivalent: The blind men and the elephant.
Cultural Insight: This proverb is used to comment on situations where a full understanding is impossible due to partial information. It cautions against making quick judgments and underscores the value of comprehensive understanding in Korean culture.

10. 다 된 밥에 재 뿌리지 마라 (Da doen babe jae ppuriji mara)

Literal Translation: Don’t sprinkle ashes on cooked rice.
English Equivalent: Don’t ruin a completed task.
Cultural Insight: Often employed to advise against actions that could spoil or undo someone’s efforts, highlighting the respect for other’s achievements and the importance of consideration in interactions.

11. 김치국부터 마시지 말라 (Kimchigugbuteo masiji malla)

Literal Translation: Don’t drink the kimchi soup first.
English Equivalent: Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Cultural Insight: This proverb warns against premature assumptions, particularly in matters of success or profit. It reminds Koreans to be patient and ensure that outcomes are secure before celebrating, reflecting the practical and cautious aspects of the Korean mindset.

12. 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다 (Wonsungido namueseo tteoleojinda)

Literal Translation: Even monkeys fall from trees.
English Equivalent: Even experts can make mistakes.
Cultural Insight: Used to express humility and acknowledge that nobody is perfect, this proverb encourages a forgiving attitude towards mistakes, even from the most skilled individuals. It underscores the Korean values of humility and continuous improvement.

13. 매도 먼저 맞는 게 낫다 (Maedo meonjeo matneun ge natda)

Literal Translation: It’s better to get beaten by the whip first.
English Equivalent: Better to get an unpleasant thing over with.
Cultural Insight: This proverb reflects a pragmatic approach to handling inevitable hardships. It suggests that confronting challenges head-on is preferable to delaying, embodying the Korean virtue of resilience and proactive problem-solving.

14. 옷이 날개다 (Osi nalgaeda)

Literal Translation: Clothes are wings.
English Equivalent: Clothes make the man.
Cultural Insight: Highlighting the importance of appearances and first impressions in Korean society, this proverb underpins the belief that how one dresses can greatly influence public perception and personal success. It reinforces the cultural emphasis on propriety and decorum.

15. 공자 앞에서 문자 쓴다 (Gongja apeseo munja sseunda)

Literal Translation: Writing Hanja in front of Confucius.
English Equivalent: Teaching grandma to suck eggs.
Cultural Insight: This proverb is used to describe an act of arrogance or ignorance, particularly when someone tries to explain something to an expert in that field. It cautions against overconfidence and respects the depth of knowledge and expertise, reflecting Confucian principles of respect for elders and wisdom.

How to Learn Korean Proverbs

Korean proverbs hold the power to significantly enrich your command of the Korean language and deepen your understanding of Korean culture. Whether you are a language learner or a cultural enthusiast, knowing when and how to use these proverbs can bridge the gap between basic communication and meaningful interaction.

In Korea, proverbs are used in daily conversations to convey insights and advice succinctly, so you can apply these in your interactions. Whether it’s giving advice or sharing a perspective, using a proverb can express your thoughts in a way that’s both culturally insightful and engaging.

Even in discussions, presentations, or writings, Korean proverbs can be effectively used to summarize key points or to emphasize a lesson or moral.

To start learning proverbs, choose a few that resonate the most with you. Reflect on the values and beliefs each proverb conveys. How do they compare with your own cultural norms and values? This reflection can lead to greater cultural sensitivity and understanding, essential in today’s globalized world.

To take this a step further, see if you can participate in or initiate discussions in study groups focusing on Korean language and culture. Proverbs can serve as great discussion starters for exploring cultural differences and similarities.

By the way, here are my top tips on memorizing and practicing proverbs:

1. Flashcards: Create flashcards with the proverb on one side and its meaning and usage on the other. Regularly review these to help cement them in your memory.

By integrating Korean proverbs into your language learning and everyday use, you not only enhance your linguistic skills but also gain a profound appreciation and understanding of Korean culture. This holistic approach to learning fosters a greater connection to the language and its speakers, opening doors to a richer interaction and deeper cultural exchange.

Spice Up Your Korean with Proverbs

Have you encountered any Korean proverbs that struck a chord with you? Maybe you’ve used one in a conversation and seen firsthand the cultural connection it can create. So keep at it, and you’ll have these all mastered in no time. Happy learning!

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