Back to Blog

30 Korean Idioms of Love and Friendship

Discover 30 beautiful Korean idioms that express love, friendship, and family bonds. Use these elegant expressions to convey your feelings to someone special.

#1 Love

백년해로

百年偕老

Growing old together for a hundred years (marital devotion)

#2 Love

비익조

比翼鳥

Birds flying side by side (harmonious couple)

#3 Love

연리지

連理枝

Two trees with intertwined branches (destined couple)

#4 Friendship

청매죽마

靑梅竹馬

Green plums and bamboo horse (childhood friends)

#5 Love

금슬상화

琴瑟相和

Geomungo and bipa in harmony (marital harmony)

#6 Love

일편단심

一片丹心

A single red heart (unchanging love)

#7 Friendship

동병상련

同病相憐

Those with the same illness pity each other

#8 Friendship

막역지우

莫逆之友

Friends whose hearts never conflict

#9 Friendship

관포지교

管鮑之交

The friendship of Guan Zhong and Bao Shu (true friendship)

#10 Friendship

수어지교

水魚之交

The bond of water and fish (inseparable relationship)

#11 Friendship

지란지교

芝蘭之交

The friendship of orchids (noble friendship)

#12 Friendship

문경지교

刎頸之交

Friendship worth dying for

#13 Friendship

금란지계

金蘭之契

A promise as solid as gold and orchids

#14 Friendship

고산유수

高山流水

High mountains and flowing water (friendship of soulmates)

#15 Friendship

죽마고우

竹馬故友

Old friends who played with bamboo horses

#16 Gratitude

결초보은

結草報恩

Weaving grass to repay kindness

#17 Family

반포지효

反哺之孝

A crow feeding its parents (filial piety)

#18 Family

풍수지탄

風樹之歎

Trees swaying in the wind, longing for parents

#19 Family

망운지정

望雲之情

Gazing at clouds, missing parents

#20 Gratitude

각골난망

刻骨難忘

Carved in bone, unforgettable (deep gratitude)

#21 Friendship

백아절현

伯牙絶絃

Boya cutting his strings (grief for a lost soulmate)

#22 Happiness

고복격양

鼓腹擊壤

Patting belly and stomping ground with joy

#23 Love

천생연분

天生緣分

A match made in heaven

#24 Love

해로동혈

偕老同穴

Growing old and being buried together

#25 Love

원앙지계

鴛鴦之契

A promise like mandarin ducks

#26 Love

산해맹서

山海盟誓

An oath sworn on mountains and seas

#27 Love

일심동체

一心同體

One heart, one body

#28 Family

혈육지정

血肉之情

The bond of flesh and blood

#29 Family

골육상잔

骨肉相殘

Family members harming each other

#30 Family

형제투금

兄弟鬪金

Siblings fighting over wealth

Learn Korean Idioms Through Music

ONGO helps you learn Korean idioms enjoyably through music.

Browse Tracks