40 Korean Animal Idioms

Watching like a tiger eyeing prey (waiting for opportunity)

A fox borrowing the tiger's authority

Riding a tiger (can't stop midway)

Must enter the tiger's den to catch the tiger

Two tigers fighting each other

Dragon head, snake tail (strong start, weak finish)

Ascending the dragon gate (path to success)

Sleeping dragon and phoenix chick (hidden talents)

Drawing a dragon and dotting its eyes (finishing touch)

A fish becoming a dragon (great success)

The old man's horse (fortune is unpredictable)

Sky high and horses fat (beautiful autumn)

East wind in horse's ear (ignoring advice)

Looking at mountains from a running horse (cursory glance)

A horse that runs a thousand li daily

Killing two birds with one stone

Phoenix cries at morning sun (a great talent emerges)

Birds flying together, branches intertwined (deep marital love)

Crow flies, pear falls (coincidence)

Stretching neck like a crane waiting

Fisherman's profit (third party benefits)

Fishing in muddy water (taking advantage of chaos)

Seeking fish from a tree (impossible task)

The bond of water and fish (intimate relationship)

A frog in a well (narrow-minded)

Like dogs and monkeys (bitter enemies)

Dog and rabbit fight (third party benefits)

Crowing chickens and stealing dogs (petty tricks)

A dog at a funeral house (homeless wanderer)

Sheep's head but selling dog meat (false advertising)

A fool moving mountains (persistent effort)

One hair from nine oxen (extremely small)

Playing music to an ox (wasted effort)

Better a chicken's head than an ox's tail

Reading sutras to an ox (falling on deaf ears)

Drawing a snake and adding legs (overdoing it)

Dragon head, snake tail (weak ending)

Snake's legs (unnecessary addition)

Beating grass to scare the snake (giving warning)

Snake shadow in the cup (unnecessary worry)