🪄 Korean Metaphors and Figurative Language

Metaphors are more than just colorful language — they reveal how people think, feel, and interact in a culture. In Korean, figurative language is widely used in everyday conversations, K-dramas, and literature. Learning these expressions helps you sound more natural and understand native speakers better.

📌 1. What Are Metaphors in Korean?

A metaphor (은유 eunu, simile 비유 biyo) is a way to describe something by comparing it to something else. In Korean, this is often done through imagery and cultural references. These expressions can be poetic or humorous and are key to understanding how Koreans express emotions and observations.

💡 2. Why Learn Figurative Language?

Learning metaphors helps you:

Understand native-level Korean
Sound more fluent and expressive
Catch the deeper meanings in K-pop and K-dramas
Appreciate Korean humor and creativity

✨ 3. 10 Common Korean Metaphors

눈이 높다 (nuni nopda) – “To have high eyes” → To be picky or have high standards
발이 넓다 (bari neolbda) – “To have wide feet” → To be well-connected or sociable
입이 무겁다 (ibi mugeopda) – “To have a heavy mouth” → Someone who can keep secrets
가슴이 찢어지다 (gaseumi jjijeojida) – “My chest is torn” → To feel deep sorrow
배가 아프다 (baega apeuda) – “My stomach hurts” → To feel jealous (often playfully)
손이 크다 (soni keuda) – “To have big hands” → To be generous, especially with money or portions
하늘이 노랗다 (haneuri norata) – “The sky is yellow” → To feel faint or dizzy
귀가 얇다 (gwiga yalbda) – “To have thin ears” → To be easily persuaded or gullible
눈에 불을 켜다 (nune bureul kyeoda) – “To turn on fire in one’s eyes” → To be very focused or angry
허리가 휘다 (heoriga hwida) – “The back bends” → To be overworked or under heavy burden

🧠 4. How to Practice

Watch K-dramas and K-pop with subtitles and note down expressions
Use a language notebook to write one metaphor a day and make your own sentences
Practice using these in context during language exchange or journaling

💡 5. Did You Know?

Did you know that Korea ranks among the world’s top countries in book reading and literature production per capita? Many metaphors are passed down from traditional Korean poetry (시) and folktales. That’s why Korean figurative language is both poetic and deeply rooted in culture!