50 Essential Korean Idioms for Students

Killing two birds with one stone

Example: Exercising while listening to music is killing two birds with one stone.

You reap what you sow

Example: Not studying and failing the test is reaping what you sowed.

A blessing in disguise

Example: The failure became a blessing in disguise and led to a better path.

If you prepare, there is no worry

Example: As the saying goes, I brought an umbrella just in case.

The more the better

Example: Friends are the more the merrier.

Answering irrelevantly to a question

Example: I asked about homework and they talked about weather. Totally off-topic.

Heart-to-heart communication without words

Example: Best friends communicate heart-to-heart without words.

Growing day by day and month by month

Example: With steady practice, skills grew remarkably.

Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times

Example: Seeing it in person made all the difference.

Being so absorbed that you forget yourself

Example: I was so absorbed in the game I lost track of time.

After hardship comes sweetness

Example: After all the hard work, good results will come.

A great vessel takes time to complete

Example: It is okay to be slow now. Great things take time.

Reading scriptures to a cow. Pointless advice.

Example: No matter how I explain, it falls on deaf ears.

All things return to what is right

Example: The truth will come out eventually.

Think from the other person's perspective

Example: Try to see why your friend is upset from their perspective.

Enduring hardship for future revenge/success

Example: He prepared for a comeback with unwavering determination.

Fortune and misfortune are unpredictable

Example: I failed the exam, but who knows what good may come.

Surrounded by enemies on all sides

Example: It was a situation where no one was on my side.

Completely lost in fog; clueless

Example: We have no clue who the culprit is.

Fighting with no retreat; burning bridges

Example: I went all-in on the final exam.

A complete transformation

Example: Everyone was amazed at the complete transformation after the diet.

Not ashamed to ask those below you

Example: Always ask when you do not know, no matter who you ask.

Those with the same illness sympathize with each other

Example: I felt a bond with a friend who had the same worries.

Stubbornly clinging to outdated methods

Example: Sticking to old ways in new times is foolish.

Visiting someone three times to recruit talent

Example: The CEO recruited the expert after persistent visits.

Fooled by superficial differences

Example: It looks like a discount, but it might be the same deal.

A third party profits from others' conflict

Example: Consumers benefited while the two companies competed.

A crane among chickens; standing out

Example: That student really stands out in the class.

Learning new things by reviewing the old

Example: Study history with the spirit of learning from the past.

Letting advice go in one ear and out the other

Example: All advice goes in one ear and out the other.

Good things often face obstacles

Example: Problems arose during wedding prep, but good things face obstacles.

Acting recklessly without thinking

Example: Don't act recklessly; decide carefully.

A narrow escape from death

Example: I barely survived the car accident.

Adding flowers to brocade; icing on the cake

Example: Getting accepted and earning a scholarship is icing on the cake.

Studying hard despite difficult circumstances

Example: After studying hard through hardship, I finally passed.

Learning from others' mistakes

Example: I used a senior's failure as a lesson.

Discarding someone after they are no longer useful

Example: Companies should not discard employees after using them.

A clear mirror and still water; a calm mind

Example: I took the test with a calm and clear mind.

Blindly following others without your own opinion

Example: Don't just follow the crowd; think for yourself.

A castle built on sand; an unstable foundation

Example: Raising grades without fundamentals is building on sand.

Gratitude engraved in one's bones; unforgettable kindness

Example: My teacher's kindness is deeply engraved in my heart.

Calling a deer a horse; distorting the truth with power

Example: Distorting facts is like calling a deer a horse.

Trying to fix a small flaw and ruining the whole thing

Example: Obsessing over details ruined the whole project.

Climbing a tree to catch fish; using the wrong approach

Example: Trying to raise grades without studying is futile.

Repaying kindness even after death

Example: I will repay your kindness with all my heart.

Desire arises upon seeing something

Example: Going to the mall makes me want to buy everything.

Spilled water cannot be gathered again

Example: Words once spoken cannot be taken back, so be careful.

Finding joy in principles despite poverty

Example: The scholar devoted himself to research, content with simplicity.

Too much is as bad as too little

Example: Even studying should be balanced; too much is counterproductive.

Avoid actions that invite suspicion

Example: Avoid doing things that might be misunderstood.