Famous Korean Proverbs: 30 Words with Romanization and Audio

Famous Korean Proverbs at a Glance

A proverb is a short saying that gives advice. In Korean it is called 속담 (sokdam). Famous Korean proverbs mostly come from farm life, wells, tigers and old markets, so each has a picture you can see. Once you know the picture, the lesson is easy to guess. The thirty on this page are well known across ages. Many are quoted in school, on posters, in dramas and by parents. A few borrow Chinese characters, such as 백문이 불여일견 (百聞不如一見), which is also a four-character idiom.

The page belongs to Korean Proverbs, which teaches 40 sayings in all. If you want to compare Korean sayings with English ones, see Korean Proverbs and English Equivalents. For the four-character form, see the four-character idioms lessons.

Which Famous Korean Proverbs Should You Learn First?

Learn the proverbs that you will hear before the ones you will read. The ones students quote most often make the best start, because teachers, parents and friends say them at exam time, on birthdays and when plans go wrong.

• Say first. 시작이 반이다, 고생 끝에 낙이 온다, 아는 길도 물어 가라, 하늘의 별 따기, 아는 것이 힘이다.
• Use often. 천 리 길도 한 걸음부터, 가는 말이 고와야 오는 말이 곱다, 친구 따라 강남 간다, 급할수록 돌아가라, 돌다리도 두들겨 보고 건너라.
• Recognise first, mostly in books. 될성부른 나무는 떡잎부터 알아본다, 호미로 막을 것을 가래로 막는다, 혀 아래 도끼 들었다, 참을 인 자 셋이면 살인도 피한다.

The scene below is a village road with a well, a bridge, a market and a house. Ten numbered objects match ten famous proverbs. Tap a number to hear the proverb.

Word · 10

1. 1

   시작이 반이다

   Play

   sijagi banida

   well begun is half done

2. 2

   고생 끝에 낙이 온다

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   gosaeng kkeute nagi onda

   after hardship comes joy

3. 3

   아는 길도 물어 가라

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   aneun gildo mureo gara

   double-check even what you know

4. 4

   하늘의 별 따기

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   haneurui byeol ttagi

   next to impossible

5. 5

   돌다리도 두들겨 보고 건너라

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   doldarido dudeulgyeo bogo geonneora

   look before you leap

6. 6

   우물에 가서 숭늉 찾는다

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   umure gaseo sungnyung channeunda

   too impatient; expecting instant results

7. 7

   가는 말이 고와야 오는 말이 곱다

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   ganeun mari gowaya oneun mari gopda

   treat others kindly and they will treat you kindly

8. 8

   아는 것이 힘이다

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   aneun geosi himida

   knowledge is power

9. 9

   친구 따라 강남 간다

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   chingu ttara gangnam ganda

   going along with a friend

10. 10

    열 손가락 깨물어 안 아픈 손가락 없다

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    yeol songarak kkaemureo an apeun songarak eopda

    parents love every child

Proverbs about Starting and Trying

Proverbs about starting and trying are the most quoted ones among students. They say that the first step counts (시작이 반이다), that you should be careful (돌다리도 두들겨 보고 건너라) and that effort pays off (열 번 찍어 안 넘어가는 나무 없다). People often say them before exams, on the first day of a project or when a friend is about to give up.

Proverbs keep a plain dictionary ending when you quote them. In a sentence you add 라고 해요 or 고 하니까, as the examples show.

Example Sentences

A proverb stays in its plain dictionary form when you quote it. To use one in a sentence, add a quoting ending. Three patterns cover almost every row. First, 라고 해요 or 다고 해요: 시작이 반이라고 해요 (They say well begun is half done). Second, 라고 하니까 or 다고 하니까, to give a reason: 급할수록 돌아가라고 하니까 천천히 해요. Third, 잖아요, for a saying that both of you know: 아는 길도 물어 가라고 하잖아요. Noun-ending proverbs such as 시작이 반이다 and 하늘의 별 따기 can take 이에요 or 예요 directly: 시작이 반이에요, 하늘의 별 따기예요. Play each sentence, repeat it, then swap in a new situation.

How Do You Say Proverbs about Patience and Time in Korean?

Patience is a big theme in Korean sayings, and many come from farm life: wells, rice, hoes and spades. These six tell you to wait for the reward, to take the careful road when you are in a hurry and to deal with small problems before they grow.

Look at 십 년이면 강산도 변한다. 십 년이면 is 십 년 (ten years) plus 이면 (if it is), and it reads naturally as "in ten years" or "after ten years".

Proverbs about Words and Manners

Korean has many sayings about speech. Words travel, words return and words can hurt. These six are widely quoted by parents and teachers, and adults still use them to give gentle advice. Say them softly, because telling someone a proverb about manners can sound like a lecture.

How Do You Say Proverbs about Learning in Korean?

School and study have their own proverbs, and many are quoted in class. They are good for a Korean learner, because the situations are ones you know: learning something new, trying hard and wondering if there is a shortcut.

Proverbs about Friends and Family

Family and friends are the topic of the last six. Korean sayings about parents, children and neighbours are warm and often funny. They also reflect how much weight Korean tradition gives to close neighbours, family bonds and long friendships.

How Do You Pronounce These Words?

Proverbs are long, so the sound changes pile up: final consonants link to the next vowel, ㅂ and ㄱ become nasals before ㄴ, and the ending -ㄹ수록 makes ㅅ tense. Standard pronunciation follows the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원) rules, and the romanization follows the Revised Romanization of Korean, which does not write tensing caused by a neighbouring sound.

Say each proverb in two halves. Many have a pause in the middle, as in 가는 말이 고와야 / 오는 말이 곱다, and the pause is the best place to breathe.

Audio and Slow Playback

Each word and sentence has its own clip. The clips below replay the five longest proverbs at a slower pace. Play one, repeat it, then play it again and compare.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with Famous Korean Proverbs?

Five mistakes come up often.

1. Translating word for word. 하늘의 별 따기 is not about stars. It means next to impossible. Learn the meaning with the picture.
2. Changing the words. Proverbs are fixed. Say 시작이 반이다, not 시작이 절반이다, and 호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다, not 호랑이도 말하면 온다.
3. Using a proverb as a plain sentence. After 속담, add 라고 해요 or 고 하니까 when you quote: 고생 끝에 낙이 온다고 해요. Dropping the quote ending makes you sound as if you were reading a poster aloud.
4. Lecturing. Telling a friend 가는 말이 고와야 오는 말이 곱다 right after an argument can sound like a lecture. Use it about a situation, not as a reply.
5. Cutting a proverb short. Many have two halves, as in 가는 말이 고와야 / 오는 말이 곱다. Saying only the first half leaves the listener waiting, so say both.

The first mistake is the most common, because the pictures are so different from English ones.

Practice: Flashcards and Worksheet

Run the deck in recognition mode until each proverb matches its meaning, then switch to listening mode and take the quiz. The deck holds all 30 words with audio, and your progress stays in your browser. The vocabulary flashcard decks page lists the other decks, including the Korean proverbs flashcards.

A printable worksheet for these words (word list, matching, writing practice, fill-in-the-blank exercises and answer key) is available in A4 and US Letter from the download card on this page. For practice, copy five proverbs from the tables, cover the meaning column and write the meaning from memory.

Where to Go Next

Compare the Korean sayings with English ones in Korean Proverbs and English Equivalents. To go up, return to Korean Proverbs. For short sayings of four characters, see the four-character idioms.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Say Well Begun Is Half Done in Korean?

The Korean proverb is 시작이 반이다 (sijagi banida), literally 'the start is half'. It means the first step is half of the work. Say 시작이 반이에요 to encourage a friend who has just started.

How Do You Pronounce 고생 끝에 낙이 온다 (gosaeng kkeute nagi onda)?

Say it as [고생 끄테 나기 온다]. The final ㅌ of 끝 links to the vowel of 에, and the final ㄱ of 낙 links to 이. Each phrase runs into the next without a break, so say 끄테 and 나기 smoothly.

How Many Famous Korean Proverbs Should I Learn First?

Start with five: 시작이 반이다, 고생 끝에 낙이 온다, 아는 길도 물어 가라, 하늘의 별 따기 and 아는 것이 힘이다. Add three a week and quote each one in a sentence with 라고 해요.

Where Can I Practise Famous Korean Proverbs with Flashcards?

The deck on this page holds all 30 words with audio. Use recognition mode first, then listening mode. The Korean proverbs flashcards deck and other decks are on the vocabulary flashcard decks page.

Is the Romanization on This Page Official?

It follows the Revised Romanization of Korean, which South Korea adopted on 7 July 2000 and whose rules the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원) publishes. It is a learning aid and does not mark every sound change, so rely on the Hangul and the audio.

Is There a Printable Worksheet for Famous Korean Proverbs?

A printable worksheet for these words (word list, matching, writing practice, fill-in-the-blank exercises and answer key) is available in A4 and US Letter from the download card on this page. For additional practice, you can copy the group tables onto paper and cover the meaning column to test yourself.

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