Korean Idioms on Body Parts – Ultimate List 

 March 19, 2022

By  Satish Satyarthi

Ultimate list of Korean Idioms on Body parts

눈이 높다 – To be too picky, be desirous of things beyond one’s means

눈에 들다 – To be in a person’s favor

눈에 띄다 – To catch someone’s eye

눈을 돌리다 – To look away

눈이 맞다 – To see eye to eye on something / to fall in love with each other

귀가 얇다 – to be gullible, easily influenced by others

귀를 기울이다 – to listen carefully

귀에 못이 박히다 – to hear something over and over, thus is tired of it

귀가 가렵다 – feels like someone is talking behind my back

코가 높다 – to act proud

어깨가 무겁다 – shoulder [assume, bear] heavy responsibility

입을 맞추다 – to put words together/to kiss

입이 무겁다 – keep secrets well/doesn’t talk a lot

입이 벌어지다- be in openmouthed amazement

입이 짧다 – have a small appetite

손이 맵다 – to have a hard hand when slapping

손이 크다 – generous, especially when spending money

눈/귀/손에 익다 – to feel familiar with something/someone

발이 넓다 – to know a lot of people

마음을 놓다- put one’s mind at ease; relax

마음을 먹다- make up one’s mind; be determined

마음을 열다- open up and speak freely to someone

머리가 나쁘다 – to be stupid

얼굴이 두껍다 – feels no shame

얼굴이 뜨겁다 – embarrassed

엉덩이가 가볍다 – do not stay long in one place; change jobs frequently

엉덩이가 근질근질하다 – be restless; fidgety

엉덩이가 무겁다 –  be lazy; be indolent

꼬리를 감추다 – cover one’s tracks; hide oneself

꼬리를 잡다 – discover the hidden mistakes of another

꼬리를 치다/흔들다 – Try to entice/ flirt with sb, flatter or butter up a person

Satish Satyarthi


I am Satish, a Korean language learner and educator. I did my Bachelors degree in Korean language from JNU, Delhi and Masters degree in Korean Language Education from Seoul National University, South Korea. and an M.Phil. in Korean from JNU. I have a passion for education and technology. I have been involved in Korean language education and research for more than 10 years and have trained hundreds of Korean language learners across the globe, online and in physical classrooms.

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