South Korean Proverbs

Enjoy dozens of witty and insightful South Korean proverbs and idioms that have been passed down from one generation to the next for hundreds of years!

  • Useful trees are cut down first.
  • A hunter’s knife cannot carve its own handle.
  • Worrying is your destiny.
  • Catch not at the shadow, and lose the substance.
  • A physician’s neighbor is never a doctor.
  • The bull that is used to the sun shivers by the light of the moon.
  • You will hate a beautiful song if you sing it often.
  • If you kick a stone in anger, you’ll hurt your own foot.
  • Wise men philosophize as the fools live on.
  • Put off for one day and ten days will pass by.
  • Cross even a stone bridge after you’ve tested it.
  • A kitchen knife cannot carve its own handle.
  • To begin is to be half done.
  • Even if you encounter a stone bridge, tap it first before crossing.
  • One moment is worth more than a thousand gold pieces.
  • A fish wouldn’t get into trouble if it kept its mouth shut.
  • A day-old pigeon cannot fly over a mountain pass.
  • The frog forgets that he was once a tadpole.
  • Try to run before you can crawl.
  • If a pedestrian sees a horse he will want to ride it.
  • Cast no dirt into the well that gives you water.
  • Even children of the same mother look different.
  • Even the moon wanes when it is full.
  • Entrust the cat with a fish.
  • You scratch where it itches.
  • Man’s mind changes throughout the course of a day.
  • Tall branches are apt to be broken.
  • Remember, even monkeys fall out of trees.
  • When you have three daughters, you sleep with the door open.
  • Virginity can be lost in one night.
  • A turtle can only get on it by sticking its neck out.
  • Even a sheet of paper is lighter when two people lift it.
  • If you want a well, only dig in one place.
  • If you starve for three days, there is no thought that does not invade your imagination.
  • Even honey can taste bitter if it’s used as medicine.
  • It is a bad plowman that quarrels with his ox.
  • A sheet of paper is lighter if two of you don’t try to carry it.
  • Put something off for one day, and ten days will pass.
  • A great river does not refuse any small streams.
  • Birds hear the words spoken in the day, and the mice those at night.
  • The deeper the waters are, the more still they run.
  • Three years will eradicate even murderous thoughts.
  • Carve the peg by looking at the hole.
  • The thief hates the moon. The thief hates the moon.
  • If there is a rich man in the area three villages are ruined.
  • Another person’s rice cake looks big.
  • Even though words have no wings, they can still fly a thousand miles.
  • Cast not pearls to swine.
  • Man’s extremity, God’s opportunity.
  • Butterflies come to pretty flowers.

For thousands more proverbs and words of wisdom, collected from over 40 countries, check out Proverbs from Around the World!

One thought on “South Korean Proverbs

Leave a Reply to Greg B. Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *