| 1. |
Idiomatic use of -에 익다 or -이 익다 |
|
=> "to be familiar with" |
While 익다 means "to ripen" or "to be well done," its idiomatic use means "to be familiar with" and is used with 낯 "face," 눈 "eye," 귀 "ear," or 손 "hand."
- 이 노래는 귀에 익다.
=> This song sounds familiar.
- 그 사람의 얼굴이 눈에 익다.
=> His face looks familiar.
- 저 남자는 낯이 익은 사람이다.
=> The man has a familiar face.
- 일이 손에 익었다.
=> I am familiar with the work./I'm used to the job.
| 2. |
V. + 는 둥 마는 둥 (하고) |
|
=> "hurriedly," "haphazardly," "barely," "hardly" |
This expression describes the subject's hurried action or motion in doing things incompletely or haphazardly. It is often used with -하고 to connect two sentences, but, colloquially, -하고 is frequently dropped.
- 샤워를 하는 둥 마는 둥 (하고) 뛰어 나갔다.
=> I hurriedly took a shower and ran out.
- 아침을 먹는 둥 마는 둥 (하고) 학교에 왔다.
=> I hardly ate breakfast and then came to school.
- 잠을 자는 둥 마는 둥 (하고) 일어났다.
=> I had barely slept when I woke up.
- 약속이 있어서 인사를 하는 둥 마는 둥하고 아저씨 집을 나왔다.
=> Because I had an appointment, I left my uncle's house in a hurry, barely saying good-bye.
| 3. |
N. + 에 따르면 |
|
=> "according to," "on the basis of" |
This construction is from the verb 따르다 "to follow" and literally means "if (you) follow," but it is translated as "according to" or "based on."
- 최근 나온 잡지에 따르면 많은 미국인들이 은퇴한 후에 멕시코로 간다.
=> According to the latest magazine, many Americans move to Mexico after their retirement.
- 그 연구에 따르면 한국 사람은 오래 사는 사람들 중의 하나라고 하겠다.
=> On the basis of the research, we can say that Koreans are among those who live long.
| 4. |
Verbs with -하다 and -되다 |
Sino-Korean nouns are made into verbs usually ending in -하다 or -되다, with each ending having a different meaning. -하다 turns a noun into a transitive action verb; -되다 makes the action verb intransitive/passive or indicates that something is done, happens, or operates "automatically." The descriptive verb endings for the plain present form remain unchanged―for example, 그 분은 언제나 행복하다, not 그 분은 언제나 행복한다.
| Descriptive verbs |
Action verbs |
| (-하다 only) |
|
(-하다) |
|
(-되다) |
| 복잡하다 |
to be crowded |
공부하다 |
to study |
공부되다 |
| 충분하다 |
to be plenty |
건설하다 |
to build |
건설되다 |
| 침착하다 |
to be calm,
composed |
연구하다 |
to research |
연구되다 |
| 행복하다 |
to be happy |
도착하다 |
to arrive |
도착되다 |
| 불행하다 |
to be unhappy |
고생하다 |
to have
hardship |
고생되다 |
|
- 100원이면 충분해요.
=> 100 won is enough.
- 큰 도시는 어느 나라나 복잡해요.
=> A big city in any country is crowded.
- 동생이 공부를 열심히 해요.
=> My younger brother is studying very hard.
- 아침에 공부가 잘 돼요.
=> Studies go well in the morning (automatically)./I can study well in the morning.
- 제주도에 새 공항을 건설했어요.
=> We built a new airport on Cheju Island.
- 그 회사의 도움으로 새 회관이 건설돼요.
=> The conference hall is being built with company assistance.
- 암에 대하여/암을 연구해요.
=> I am doing research on cancer.
- AIDS가 많이 연구되고 있어요.
=> A lot of research is being done on AIDS.
| 5. |
V. + (ㄴ/는)다 하더라도 |
|
=> "even if," "although," "no matter (what, who, and so on)" |
This connective indicates a hypothetical or factual supposition.
- 미국과 지리적으로 가깝다 하더라도 멕시코는 경제적으로 차이가 많이 난다.
=> Although Mexico is close to the United States, they are quite different economically.
- 같은 미국에 살고 있다 하더라도 멀리 떨어져 살면 자주 만날 수가 없지요.
=> Even if we both live in the United States, if we're far apart, we can't see each other often.
- 한국으로 간다 하더라도 너를 잊지 않을게.
=> Even if you go to Korea, I'll not forget you.
- 비타민을 먹는다 하더라도 식사는 잘 해야 돼요.
=> Even if you take vitamins, you should eat well.
| 6. |
Animate N. + (들)끼리 |
|
=> "among/by themselves" |
Attached to a human or animal noun, this expression indicates exclusiveness in a group activity or
gathering.
| 우리끼리 |
"among us," "by ourselves" |
| 친구끼리(만) |
"(only) with friends" |
| 새들끼리 |
"among the birds by themselves" |
|
- 같은 인종들끼리만 모여 산다면 다른 문화를 배울 수 없어요.
=> If we live only among the same race, we can't learn about other cultures.
- 플로리다에 가면 노인들끼리 사는 동네가 있다.
=> If you go to Florida, there is a town where older people live by themselves.
- 파티에 가서 아는 친구끼리만 놀면 재미없어.
=> It's no fun to be only with your friends at a party.
| 7. |
천지차이(라고 생각하다) |
|
=> "(I think) it's a world apart" |
There are many four-syllable words of Sino-Korean origin with specific idiomatic meanings. Their literal translation does not always indicate their true meaning. 천지차이(天地差異) means literally "the difference between heaven and earth."
- 통일에 대한 남한과 북한의 의견은 천지차이에요.
=> The opinions of the South and North Koreans on unification are a world apart.
- 저희 할머니께서는 여자와 남자는 천지차이라고 생각하세요.
=> My grandmother thinks the difference between men and women is huge.
- 신세대와 어른들의 생각은 천지차이입니다.
=> The new generation and the older generation think quite differently.
Some commonly used expressions are these:
- 일석이조 (一石二鳥)
=> "one stone two birds"
- 만장일치 (滿場一致)
=> "unanimously"
- 십중팔구 (十中八九)
=> "eight or nine out of ten," "most likely"
- 백발백중 (百發百中)
=> "a hundred hits to a hundred shots"
- 금시초문 (今時初聞)
=> "hearing it for the first time"
