Category:Idioms

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Just my list of idioms I have collected until now. This needs to be edited, organized, and cited.

가슴 (chest)

가슴에 맺히다 to have vengence of fear knotting up inside you

가슴에 못을 박다 to be hurt emotionally

가슴을 치다 feel frustration; feel wronged

가슴을 태우다 be very anxious

가슴이 내려앉다 be greatly surprised; be startled

가슴이 덜컹하다 be suddenly surprised or shocked

가슴이 미어지다 be stricken with grief, pain, sadness, or emotion

가슴이 부풀다 be buoyant (with)

가슴이 뿌듯하다 be full of excitement and emotion

가슴이 아프다 be hearted-broken

가슴이 찢어지다 be heart-broken

가슴이 철렁하다 be suddenly surprised or shocked

가슴이 후련하다 feel relieved (in the stomach)

간 (liver)

간에 기별도 안가다 barely begin to satisfy one's hunger

간에 붙었다 쓸개에 붙었다 하다 be fickle

간이 떨어지다 to be suddenly surprised

간이 붓다 to be uppity

간이 작은 timid; faint-hearted

간이 철렁하다 be shocked

간이 콩알만해지다 to be frightened out of one's wits

간(을) 졸이다 to worry oneself

간(이) 크다 be plucky

값 (price; value)

값을 정하다 set a price

값을 부르다 offer a price

값을 부르다 ask a price

값을 고치다 fix the price of (a thing)

값을 치르다 pay (for)

값을 하다 be worth; be worthy (of); deserve

가치가 없다 be worthless

가치가 있다 valuable; worth its value

그릇 (a bowl; a container)

그릇 깨겠다 (describes a women who is) not well-behaved, quiet, or gentle

귀 (ear)

귀가 가렵다 to have a feeling someone is talking about you

귀가 따갑다 to be sick of hearing (something); an earache

귀가 먹다 to lose one's hearing; to be deaf

귀가 밝다 to be sharp eared

귀가 번쩍 뜨이다 to come to one's attention; to catch on

귀가 솔깃한 welcome to the ears; tempting to the ears

귀가 어둡다 to be hard of hearing; to not be catch up on the news

귀가 얇다 to be easily fooled or seduced by other's words

귀가 울리다 to have a ringing in one's ears

귀를 의심하다 to (hear something that makes you) not believe your ears

귀 빠진 날 one's birthday

귀에 거슬리다 to be harsh on the ears; grating

귀에 거슬리다 to be disagreeable to hear; offensive

귀에 들어가다 to hear about (something)

귀에 못이 박히다 to be tired of hearing (something)

귀에 익다 to be familiar to one's ears

꼬리 (tail)

꼬리가 길다 "Were you born in a barn?" (Used when someone forgets to close a door.)

꼬리를 감추다 cover one's tracks; hide oneself

꼬리를 달다 make an additional comment in support of something; attach a condition to something

꼬리를 물다 continue one after another; in rapid succession

꼬리를 잇다 continue one after another

꼬리를 잡다 discover the hidden mistakes of another

꼬리를 치다/흔들다 (a girl tries to) seduce or entice (a man); flatter or butter up a person

납덩이 (a lump of lead)

납덩이 같다 look pale in the face; be tired and listless; a dark, dull atmosphere

낮잠 (a nap)

낮잠을 자다 goofing off when one should be working; be lazy

낯가죽 (the skin of the face)

낯가죽이 두껍다 be brazen-faced

나이 (age)

나이가 들다 to be quite old

나이가 아깝다 act childish for one's age; die before one's time

나이가 차다 be at the customary age for doing something, usually marriage; be ripe for marriage

나이를 먹다 grow older

날 (a day)

날을 받다 fix a date, usually a wedding date

날을 잡다 fix a date

날이면 날마다 an emphatic way of saying "everyday"

날이 새다 daybreak

날개 (wings)

날개가 돋치다 product sales soar; one's spirit soars

날밤 (a night one stays up all night)

날밤을 새우다 stay up all night

날벼락 (an unexpected disaster or calamity)

날벼락을 맞다 meet unexpected misfortune

남 (others; another)

남 좋은 일을 하다 do all the work and get none of the reward

남대문 (the South Gate of Seoul)

남대문이 열리다 a humorous way to tell someone the fly of their pants is open

내일모레 (the day after tomorrow)

냄새 (smell)

냄새를 맡다 suspect someone is hiding something; smell something fishy

냉수 (cold water)

냉수 먹고 속 차려라 wake up and come to your senses; stop dreaming (figuratively)

넋 (a soul; a spirit)

넋을 놓다/잃다 to lose oneself in something; become captivated

넋이 나가다 be absent-minded or in a daze

눈 (eye)

눈도 깜짝 안 한다 to not bat an eyelid

눈밖에 나다 to be out of favor with someone

눈알 (eyeball)

눈알이 나오다 to have one's eye pop out at some sight

눈알을 부라리다 google at; glare at

눈에 거슬리다 to be offensive to the eye; be unpardonable

눈에 넣어도 아프지 않다 be the apple of one's eye

눈에 들다 to be in a person's favor

눈에 띄다 to come in sight

눈에 밟히다 to haunt one's memory

눈에 불을 켜다 to be angry

눈에 불이 나다 to become very angry

눈에서 번개가 번쩍 나다 to see stars (when struck on the head)

눈에 선하다 to have an object or an event flash back into your memory

눈에 설다 to be unfamilar to you

눈에 쌍심지를 켜다 to glare with anger

눈에 어리다 to remain a vivid image in one's memory

눈에 익다 to be familar

눈에 차다 to see something you like

눈에 헛거미가 잡히다 to have your eyes get fuzzy from hunger

눈에 흙이 들어가다 to die

눈썰미가 있다 to have a quick eye for learning things

(눈썹 (eyebrow)

눈썹도 까딱하지 않다 to remain unperturbed

눈길을 끌다 to catch one's eye; to attract one's attention

눈을 돌리다 to turn one's attention to

눈을 딱 감다 to stop worrying (thinking) about something

눈을 떼다 to take one's eyes off of something

눈을 맞추다 to make eye contact with someone

눈을 부라리다 to glare upon; to look fiercely at

눈을 붙이다 to fall asleep

눈을 속이다 to trick someone with slight of hand

눈을 의심하다 to watch in disbelief.

눈을 주다 to look toward someone; to signal someone with one's eyes

눈을 피하다 to avoid another's observation

눈을 흘기다 to look at someone sideways

눈이 가다 to have one's eyes drawn to something or someone

눈 깜짝할 사이 happen in the blink of an eye

눈이 꺼지다 to be hallow-eyed

눈이 높다 to have high ambitions; to have a discerning eye

눈이 뒤집히다 to lose one's sober judgment; to run wild

눈이 맞다 fall in love

눈이 미치는 한 as far as the eye can see

눈이 빠지게〔빠지도록〕 기다리다 to wait anxiously

눈이 삐었지? Is something wrong with eyes (judgment)?

눈이 어둡다 to have bad eyesight

눈이 흐리다 to see something unclearly

눈곱 (eye mucus; sleep)

눈곱만하다 be insignificantly small

눈길 (the direction of one's visual attention)

눈길을 끌다 attract a person's visual attention

눈길을 모으다 attract a crowd's visual attention

눈꼴 (the shape or movement of one's eyes)

눈꼴이 시다/틀리다 hate to see

눈물 (tears)

눈물을 삼키다 fight back tears; choke back tears

눈물을 짜다 be tearfully sentimental; be maudlin

눈물이 어리다 tears gather in the eyes

눈물이 앞을 가리다 be blinded by one's tears

눈물이 지다 tears flow

눈자위 (the area or rim of the eyeball)

눈자위가 꺼지다 to die

눈총 (a glare; a scowl)

눈총을 주다 glare at; scowl

눈총을 맞다 be hated; make oneself hated

눈치 (tact; sense)

눈치가 보이다 get vibes from people or the surroundings

눈치를 보다 try to read a person's face or sense his feelings

눈치를 보이다 betray one's feeling in one's look

눈치를 채다 become aware of; sense

눈발 (snow flakes)

눈발이 서다 It threatens to snow. / It looks like snow.

눈치코치 (tact; sense)

눈치코치도 모른다 be clueless to what a person is doing or thinking

눈코 (the eyes and the nose)

눈코 뜰 새 없다 be very busy

다리 (legs)

다리를 뻗고 자다 to sleep or live one's life with a clean conscience

등 (back)

등을 대다 to rely or depend on someone else's power or influence

등을 돌리다 to turn one's back on (someone)

돈 (money)

돈을 먹다 take a bribe

돈을 먹이다 give a bribe

돈을 물쓰듯 하다 spend money like water

돈을 뿌리다 spend carelessly or freely

땀 (sweat)

땀을 빼다 to sweat a difficult situation

땀에 젖다 to be soaking in sweat

땀을 식히다 to take a rest and cool off

땀이 비 오듯 하다 to be dripping with sweat

땀이 빠지다 to sweat heavily

마음 (mind; spirit)

마음에 두다 bare in mind; be mindful of

마음에 들다 to like something

마음에 새기다 take to heart

마음에 짚이다 to suspect

마음은 굴뚝 같다 be eager to

마음을 고쳐먹다 reform onself; turn over a new leaf

마음을 놓다 put one's mind at ease; relax

마음을 먹다 make up one's mind; be determined

마음을 붙이다 resolve to (do something)

마음을 사다 have an interest in

마음을 쓰다 concentrate on; pay attention to; mind

마음을 열다 open up and speak freely to someone

마음을 잡다 recover one's composure; get a grip on oneself

마음을 졸이다 be anxious about; be uneasy about

마음이 끌리다 be attracted by; take an interest in

마음이 내키다 feel inclined to (do); feel like (doing)

마음이 든든하다 feel secure; be reassuring

마음이 들뜨다 feel excited; be in a buoyant spirit

마음이 맞다 get along well with; hit it off

마음이 쓰이다 be worried about

마음이 커지다 be emboldened

말 (language, speech)

말도 마라 that does not even begin to describe it

말을 놓다 to change from polite to a lower form of speech

말을 더듬다 stammer; falter; stutter

말을 듣다 act in accordance with someone's request

말을 못 하다 be beyond words or explanation

말을 삼키다 begin to speak but stop

말이 되다 be reasonable; be logical

말이 떨어지다 a consent or command is spoken

말이 뜨다 be slow-spoken

말이 많다 be talkative

말이 새다 a secret leaks out

말이 아니다 be absurd; outrageous; ridiculous

말이 안 되다 be unreasonable; be illogical; be in poor condition

말이 적다 be taciturn; (a person) of few words

무릎 (knee)

무릎(을) 꿇다 to submit or surrender

무릎(을) 치다 to slap one's knee in surprise or glee

목 (neck or throat)

목에 핏대를 세우다 to get angry; to get excited

목에 힘을 주다 to act arrogant

목을 베다 to be fired

목을 자르다 to be fired

목을 축이다 to quench one's thirst

목이 곧다 to be stubborn or unyielding

목이 달아나다/떨어지다 to be fired

목이 메어 울다 to be choked with tears

목이 붙어 있다 to still be alive (or employed)

목이 빠지도록 기다리다 to wait anxiously for (someone)

목이 잠기다 to become hoarse

목이 타다 to feel very thirsty

머리 (head)

머리-하다 do one's hair

머리가 가볍다 to feel refreshed and light

머리가 돌다 to go insane

머리가 돌아가다 to be a quick thinker

머리가 무겁다 to be in a bad mood; to feel heavy headed

머리가 수그러지다 to take off one's hat to; to admire (someone)

머리(가) 굳다 to be hard-headed; stubborn

머리(가) 굵다 to become an adult

머리(를) 굽히다 to surrender

머리(를) 깎다 to become a monk; to go to prison

머리(를) 내밀다 to make one's existence known

머리(를) 들다 to make one's views or objective known

머리(를) 모으다 to put one's heads together

머리(를) 숙이다 to show respect and admiration for (someone)

머리(를) 식히다 to cool off

머리(를) 싸매고 to tie a cloth around one's head; to commit to (something)

머리(를) 썩이다 to worry about

머리(를) 쓰다 to think; to view a matter from every angle

머리(를) 얹다 to get married; to lose one's virginity

머리에 들어가다 to understand or remember something

머리(를) 짜다 to rack one's brains; to think hard

머리(가) 크다 to become an adult

머리(를) 풀다 to lose one's parents

머리(를) 흔들다 to refuse; to deny

몸 (body)

몸과 마음을 다 바치다 put one's heart and soul into one's work

몸 둘 바를 모르다 not know how to conduct oneself

몸에 배다 get used to something

몸을 두다 to live in a certain place

몸을 망치다 shatter one's constitution; injure one's health

몸을 받다 have an inferior do a difficult job or task in one's place

몸을 바치다 to sacrifice one's life for a cause

몸을 버리다 hurt one's health

몸을 붙이다 to live in a certain place

몸을 사리다 avoid exerting too much physical effort in a job

몸을 쓰다 be physically active

몸을 아끼다 avoid work or hardship

몸이 달다 be anxious and nervous

몸이 부서지도록 일하다 work oneself to the bone

물 (water)

물 끓듯 하다 (used to describe) a bustling crowd

물 뿌린 듯이 (used to describe) a crowd that suddenly goes silent

물 만난 고기 regaining the advantage of being on one's home turf

물에 빠진 생쥐 be dripping wet and as pitiful looking as a wet rat

물 위의 기름 be as incompatiable as water and oil

물을 끼얹은 듯 (used to describe) a noisy crowd that suddenly goes silent

물 찬 제비 a slim, good-looking figure

바가지 (a dipper made of plastic or half a gourd)

바가지를 긁다 to nag

바가지를 쓰다 to be overcharged

바가지를 씌우다 to overcharge someone

바가지를 차다 to fall into poverty

바람 (wind)

바람을 넣다 incite a person to action

바람을 맞다 be stood up for a date; get the cold shouder; suffer a stroke

바람을 맞히다 stand someone up; give someone the cold shoulder; snub (someone)

바람을 쐬다 go outside for some fresh air

바람을 잡다 indulge in a fast life style; indulge in dreams of fancy

바람을 피우다 have an illicit love affair; to unfaithful

바람이 나가다 to wane; the bubble of prosperity or enthusiasm deflates

바람이 나다 have a love affair; hit one's stride

바람이 들다 suffer a setback; be filled with wild ideas

바람이 들리다 put wild ideas into a person's head

배꼽 (navel; bellybutton)

배꼽을 빼다 to laugh very hard (slightly vulgar)

배꼽을 쥐다 to burst out laughing

배꼽이 빠지도록 웃다 laugh oneself into convulsions

비위 (the spleen and the stomach)

비위가 상하다 be displeased with; be disgusted at

비위가 틀리다 be displeased with; be in an ugly mood

비위를 거스르다/건드리다 give offense to; hurt a person's feelings

비위를 맞추다 humor a person; let a person have his way; butter up a person

비위에 거슬리다 get on a person's nerves

발 (foot)

발에 채다 to be scattered in abundance at one's feet

발을 구르다 stamp one's feet with annoyance or chagrin

발을 끊다 to end relations with (someone); to stop visiting (somewhere)

발을 벗고 나서다 to actively participate in (something)

발을 빼다 to wash one's hands of (an affair); sever connections

발을 뻗고 자다 to feel peace of mind

발이 길다 to arrive just in time for a treat

발이 넓다 to know a lot of people; to get around

발 디딜 틈도 없다 to be crowded with people

발이 맞다 to be in step; to fall in step

발이 묶이다 to be stranded without transport

발이 떨어지지 않다 be unable to leave because of an attraction for the place or people

손이 발이 되도록 빌다 to beg or pray so imploringly that you use both your hands and feet

발목 (ankle)

발목(을) 잡히다 to be busy with (work); tied to a job

발바닥 (the sole of the foot)

발바닥에 흙 안 묻히고 살다 to live a quiet and comfortable life

배 (belly)

배를 채우다 to satisfy one's appetite for material goods

배가 아프다 to feel intense jealousy

배를 앓다 to feel intense jealousy

배를 튕기다 to brazenly ignore someone's requests

볼 (cheek)

볼(이) 붓다 to show an angry expression

뼈 (bone)

뼈도 못 추리다 to boast that one will completely destroy an opponent

뼈를 깎다 to feel unbearable pain (about something)

뼈만 남다 to be skin and bones

뼈만 앙상하다 to be skin and bones

뼈에 사무치다 to have a deep, buring pain or grudge

살 (skin)

살로 가다 What one eats goes to fat.

살을 붙이다 give body or shape to something, like a novel or a sculpture

살을 에다 pain, sadness, or hardship (as from the cold) so intense that it "cuts at the flesh"

살이 두껍다 have thick skin; fleshy

살이 빠지다 become thinner; lose weight

살이 오르다/붙다 become fatter; put on weight

손 (hand)

손에 걸리다 to catch with one's hand

손에 넣다 to get; to gain possession of

손에 달리다 an outcome rests in someone else's hands

손에 땀을 쥐다 to be in breathless suspense or with suppressed excitement

손에 떨어지다 to have power or authority fall in one's hands

손에 붙다 to get good at something

손에 익다 to get used to doing something

손에 잡히지 않다 be in no mood to work

손에 쥐다 to gain possession of something

손을 거치다 to pass through someone's hands; to go through an intermediary

손을 끊다 sever one's connections with; cease to deal with

손을 나누다 to seperate from someone.

손을 내밀다 to ask to receive something

손을 떼다 to quit a job

손을 멈추다 to pause in one's work

손을 붙이다 be begin; set one's hand to

손을 벌리다 to irritatingly demand something (like money)

손을 보다 show one's anger by using violence against somene

손이 비다 have no work to do; be at leisure

손을 빌리다 ask for help on a job

손을 빼다 to quit a job before it is finished

손을 뻗치다 to try a new line of work; to expand one's power or influence

손을 씻다 to disassociate oneself from some questionable act or job

손을 젓다 to turn down a request or to deny something

손을 타다 have (one's rice) stolen little by little

손을 털다 to lose all of one's investiment

손이 거칠다 to be inclined to steal

손이 놀다 to be at leisure

손이 달리다 be short-handed; be undermanned

손이 떨어지다 to be finished with a job

손이 많이 가다 require much work; be troublesome

손이 맞다 be in cahoots with (someone)

손이 맵다 to have a stinging hand (when hitting someone)

손이 모자라다/부족하다 be short-handed; be undermanned

손이 서투르다 be clumsy with one's hands; unskillful

손이 미치다 to be within one's power or influence

손이 작다 to have few options; to have few resources

손이 크다 generous; open-handed; resourceful

심장 (heart)

심장이 강하다 to be pushy and strong-willed

심장이 약하다 to be timid and weak-willed

속 (one's insides, one's heart)

속을 긁다 hurt a person's feelings, offend (a person)

속을 끓이다 to worry about (something); be frustrated

속을 떠보다 guess a person's mind or feelings

속을 썩이다 be bothered by a bad outcome or situation

속을 차리다 behave responsibly

속을 태우다 worry oneself (about)

속이 달다 be anxious or eager; be impatient

속이 뒤집히다 feel nauseous

속이 보이다 be transparent; easy to see through

속이 상하다 be distressed; be unhappy; feel depressed

속이 시원하다 a refreshing feeling; feel relieved

속이 썩다 be very troubled

속이 타다 be distressed (about); be nervous

속이 트이다 be broadminded and open

속이 풀리다 to calm down after being angry

이 (teeth)

이가 갈리다 get angry about something

이가 맞다 to be a perfect fit or match

이를 갈다 lose one's baby teeth; grind one's teeth in anger

이를 악물다 clench one's teeth with determination or strained patience

입 (mouth)

입만 살다 be all talk and no deed; be bold in word only

입만 아프다 to talk in vain

입 밖에 내다 speak of; mention

입에 거미줄 치다 lose one's means of living

입에 담다 speak of; mention

입에 대다 taste; touch; eat

입에 맞는 떡 an agreeable food or thing

입에 맞다 suit one's taste or palate

입에 발린 소리 lip service

입에서 신물이 난다 be fed up with

입에서 젖내가 난다 be babyish; be green

입에 오르내리다 be the talk of the town

입에 오르다 be the talk of the town

입에 올리다 speak of; mention

입에 침이 마르도록 speak highly of someone

입에 풀칠을 하다 make one's living; win one's daily bread

입을 놀리다 talk at random

입을 다물다 keep silent

입을 딱 벌리다 one's mouth drops in shock or amazement

입을 떼다 begin to talk; break the silence; broach a subject

입을 막다 silence a person

입을 모으다 a group of people all speak with one voice

입을 씻기다 pay hush money; buy a person's silence

입을 씻다 feign innocence

입을 열다 tell; confess; disclose a secret

입이 가볍다 be loose-lipped

입이 걸걸하다 be foulmouthed

입이 고급이다 be a discriminating eater

입이 궁금하다 desire to eat something

입이 근질근질하다 be anxious to tell people about something you know

입이 까다롭다

입이 닳도록 over and over again

입이 더럽다 be abusive; swear at

입이 떨어지다 to talk (usually used with negative verbs and adverbs)

입이 많다 have a big family to feed

입이 무겁다 be tight-lipped

입이 바르다 be frank; be outspoken

입이 빠르다 one who spreads rumors

입이 벌어지다 be in openmouthed amazement

입이 싸다 be talkative; be loose-lipped

입이 쓰다 be bitter, displeased, or unhappy

입이 짧다 have a small appetite

얼굴 (face)

얼굴에 똥칠을 하다 cause someone to lose face; shame a person

얼굴에 먹칠을 하다 cause someone to lose face; shame a person

얼굴을 깎다 cause someone to lose face; shame a person

얼굴을 내밀다 make an appearance: show oneself

얼굴을 붉히다 to turn red in the face from embarrassment or rage

얼굴이 깍이다 lose face; lose one's honor

얼굴이 두껍다 bold self-assurance

얼굴이 뜨겁다 to feel embarrassment

얼굴이 반쪽이 되다 look very haggard from sickness or pain

얼굴이 팔리다 become famous or well-known

얼굴이 피다 have a full, healthy-looking face

엉덩이 (the buttocks)

엉덩이가 가볍다 do not stay long in one place; change jobs frequently

엉덩이가 근질근질하다 be restless; fidgety

엉덩이가 무겁다 be lazy; be indolent

엉덩이를 붙이다 to sit down

어깨 (shoulder)

어깨가 가벼워지다 be relieved of one's burden (responsibility)

어깨가 무겁다 bear a heavy responsibility; be burdensome

어깨가 움츠러들다 to shrink back in shame or embarrassment

어깨가 으쓱거리다 to feel righteous and proud

어깨가 처지다 one's shoulders drop

어깨로 숨을 쉬다 breathe hard; pant

어깨를 겨누다/겨루다 rank with another; can compare with another

어깨를 나란히 하다 stand shoulder to shoulder; stay side by side

어깨를 으쓱거리다 square one's shoulders

어깨를 짓누르다 to feel strong pressure from duty, reponsibility, or restrictions

정신 (mind; spirit)

정신이 나가다 lose one's presence of mind; be upset

정신이 나다 regain one's reasoning abilities

정신이 들다 regain consciousness; regain one's reasoning abilities

정신이 없다 be very busy; lose one's reasoning abilities

정신을 잃다 lose consciousness; be stunned (by the news)

정신을 차리다 come to one's senses; pay attention; regain coinsciousness

정신이 팔리다 be detracted from one's work; be absorbed in

카인 (Cain--the son of Adam and Eve)

카인의 후예 a cursed group; used to refer to convicts

칼 (knife)

칼을 품다 harbor murderous intentions

칼자루 (the handle of a knife)

칼자루를 잡다/쥐다 have an advantage over an opponent; have the final say

코 (nose)

코가 꿰이다 be restricted or hindered by something or someone

코가 납작해지다 be shamed by someone; lose one's nerve

코가 높다 to put on airs; to act proud

코를 골다 to snore

코를 맞대다 to be nose-to-nose with someone

코를 찌르다 to be offensive to one's nose

코 먹은 소리 to speak through one's nose; to nazalize

코 묻은 돈 used to make fun of the pocket change kids carry around

코가 빠지다 to lose one's nerve or spirit

코에 걸다 to brag about something

코를 풀다 to blow one's nose

코앞에 (under one's nose)

코앞에 닥치다 be close at hand; be imminent

콧구멍 (a nostril)

콧구멍만하다 a very small hole or something with a very small width

콧김 (the breath from the nose)

콧김이 세다 to have a strong influence on others

콧대 (the bridge or ridge of the nose)

콧대가 높다 put on airs; to be puffed up with pride

콧대가 세다 to be stubborn and ignore what others say

콧대를 꺾다 put a person in his or her place; knock a person down a peg

콧대를 세우다 act arrogant and conceited

콩가루 (soybean flour)

콩가루가 되다 be destroyed and turned to dust

콩가루 집안이다 a family troubled by domestic violence

콩나물 (bean sprouts)

콩나물 시루 같다 be packed like sardines; be jammed up

콩밥 (bean-mixed rice)

콩밥을 먹다 serve time in jail or prison

콩밥을 먹이다 send a person to jail

쾌재 (a feeling of relief or joy)

쾌재를 부르다 shout with joy

큰마음 (a big heart; a generous heart; a great desire)

큰 마음 먹다 be generous; finally make a difficult decision

큰상 (a formal table of food for an honored guest)

큰상을 받다 be honored with a feast

큰집 (home of the family head)

큰집 드나들듯 to frequent a place so often that one feels very familiar with it

큰춤 (a full-dress dance)

큰춤을 보다 enjoy the pleasure of being the guest of honor at a formal dress

타월 (towel)

타월을 던지다 throw in the towel

탈 (mask)

탈을 벗다 to reveal one's true self

탈을 쓰다 to pretend to be someone one is not

통 (caliber; generosity; boldness)

통이 크다 generous; broad-minded; bold; daring

통이 작다 be a person of small caliber

트집 (a fault; a blemish)

트집을 잡다 find fault with; make a false charge

틀 (frame; mold; a shape)

틀에 맞추다 shape to fit a certain mold or form

틀에 박히다 be conventional; be stereotyped

틀이 잡히다 materialize; take a concrete form

티 (a chip; a blemish; a flaw)

티를 찾다 look for a flaw in something

티 (an air; a look; a manner; an attitude)

티를 내다 intentionally assume an certain attitude or appearance

팔자 (fate; destiny)

팔자가 늘어지다 be blessed with good fortune

팔자가 사납다/세다 be unlucky; be ill-fated

팔자가 좋다 be lucky; be blessed with good fortune

팔자를 고치다 a woman remarries; suddenly become rich or rise in status

팔자에 없다 luxury or excess that seems out of place with one's status

파리 (a fly)

파리를 날리다 be in a business slump (so bad that the owner spends all day just shooing away flies)

피 (blood)

피는 물보다 진하다 Blood is thicker than water

피가 거꾸로 솟다 be so excited one's blood rushes to one's head

피가 마르다 be very distressed or anxious

피가 통하다 be connected by human compassion or emotion

피(가) 끓다 one's blood boilings

피 나다 experience great hardship

피도 눈물도 없다 be cold-blooded; be stonehearted

피를 나누다 be blood-related

피를 받다 to inherit physical or personality traits from one's parents or ancestors

피를 빨다 exploit

혀 (tongue)

혀가 잘 안 돌아가다 to be uneloguent in speech; mispronounce (a foreign language)

혀가 잘 돌아가다 have a glib tongue; talk a lot; be eloguent in speech

혀가 짧다 to stutter or not pronounce clearly

혀가 꼬부라지다 be have slurred speech because of drink or sickness

혀를 굴리다 make a slip of the tongue; blurt out; trill (the "r")

혀를 내두르다 to be dumbstruck

혀를 내밀다 make fun of someone behind their back; a gesture done to hide one's embarrassment

혀를 놀리다 make a slip of the tongue; blurt out

혀를 차다 click one's tongue, usually in disapproval

하늘 (sky, heaven)

하늘은 스스로 돕는 자를 돕는다 Heaven helps those who help themselves

하늘과 땅 a great distance or difference between two things

하늘 높은 줄 모르고 오르다 (prices) soar sky high

하늘에 맡기다 entrust to Providence

하늘을 지붕 삼다 make the sky your roof; live outdoors

하늘을 찌르다 (a mountain or building that) soars high into the clouds; full of spirit or vigor

하늘이 노랗다 be so weak or full of despire that even heaven looks hopeless

하늘이 두 쪽이 나도 (determine to succeed) no matter what the obstacles

흥 (interest; fun; pleasure)

흥에 겹다 be excited and restless

흥정 (bargaining; haggling; negotiation)

흥정을 붙이다 act as a middleman between buyers and sellers

희다 (white; a vain empty boast; brag)

흰 눈으로 보다 look sideways (at someone)

희기가 까치 뱃바닥 같다 be an inflated braggart

희고 곰팡 슨 소리 arrogant, trite talk

희색 (a joyful look)

희색이 만면하다 be all smiles

흰소리 (vain empty boast)

흰소리를 치다 talk big; talk through one's hat

흰죽 (rice gruel)

흰죽에 코 be unable to distinguish the good from the bad

힘 (strength; power; ability)

힘에 부치다 be beyond one's power or ability

허리 (waist)

허리가 꼿꼿하다 be unusually fit for one's age

허리가 부러지다 be in a difficult to manage or a physically challenging situation

허리가 휘다 be physically challenged by excessive labor or life's hardships

허리를 굽히다 bow; show humility; show submission to a person

허리를 못 펴다 be intimidated by someone

허리를 잡다 to fall over laughing

허리를 쥐고 웃다 to fall over laughing

허리를 펴다 overcome personal economic hardships