Origin Story
Surprisingly, the root of this word lies in human anatomy. In traditional Korean medicine, mijua (尾周) referred to the very tail end of the small intestine, while gojua (尻周) pointed to the area around the tailbone near the anus. Because these were the deepest, most hidden parts of the body, to "dig up mijua and gojua" came to mean examining something in exhaustive detail, as if probing the innermost recesses of the body. From the end of the intestine to the tailbone — leaving absolutely nothing out, laying everything bare.
The Joseon-era medical classic Donguibogam divided the organs into remarkably fine sections, and the mijua and gojua were the very last regions a physician would examine. To check that far, then, meant you had inspected everything thoroughly, right down to the end.
Meaning Evolution
How It Is Used
My mother quizzed me about my whole day, "mijua-algojual," down to every last detail.
The reporter covered the entire affair in exhaustive, blow-by-blow detail.
My friend spilled the whole story of her love life, leaving out nothing at all.
Related Words
Memory Hook
Picture a physician scanning the body from start to finish — from the very end of the intestine (mijua) to the tailbone (gojua).
"The one who looks all the way to the very end is the truly thorough one."
