I went for lunch on Wednesday with two lovely ladies that I have met here in Hwajeong, – Ashley and Migo.
Ashley gave me these cute little dolls. She bought them in Insa-dong.
They are a Korean couple dressed in their traditional Hanbok outfits for their wedding day.
I think she is trying to tell me something.
Posted in korean | Tagged clothes |
Today we were lucky enough to have a day off from school! After getting up a little late, we hopped on the bus and over to the bottom of Bukhansan Mountain where we began our trek upward. What a lovely day. The sun was out, the leaves were stunning and the vigorous hike up (and [...]
By James | September 4, 2009
첫술에 배부르랴
cheot sul e bae bu-reu-rya
첫 (Cheot): first
술 (sul): spoonful; alcohol
배(bae): stomach
부르다 (bu-reu-da): to be full; to be pregnant; to be swollen
So you get: Will the first spoonful fill the stomach? The ~(으)랴 ending means will it do/ will it be, in a rhetorical sense. So the gist of the proverb is that you can’t [...]
Also posted in Proverbs | Tagged korean, Proverbs |
By James | September 3, 2009
도토리 키 재기
Do-to-ri ki jae-gi
도토리: Acorn
키: Height
재다: To measure/gauge/survey/weigh, and many others
Adding it all up: ‘Like measuring the height of acorns.”
This is used either when you’re trying to compare ‘apples to oranges,’ or when you are trying to compare two things that are so similar that the differences aren’t even really worth mentioning- like [...]
Also posted in Proverbs, food | Tagged beer, food, korean, Proverbs |
By James | September 2, 2009
급히 먹는 밥이 목에 멘다.
or
빨리 먹으면 체한다.
geup-hi meog-neun bap i mok-e men-da.
급히: hastily
먹는: eaten (as adjective)
밥: rice
목: throat
메다: to choked; stopped up.
In other words, the hastily eaten rice chokes the throat. Or the English proverb that’s usually chosen as an equivalent is: ‘Haste makes waste.’
By James | August 29, 2009
거지도 부지런하면 더운 밥을 얻어 먹는다.
geojido bujireon hamyeon deoun babeul eodeo meogneunda
거지 = beggar
부지런하다 = to be diligent or hard-working
덥다 / 더운 = to be hot (descriptive verb) / hot (adj. form)
밥 = rice (but also is used as meal)
얻다 = to get; to obtain; to win; to receive
먹다 = to eat
But apparently the combination [...]
By James | August 28, 2009
We found out that there are a few movie theatres in Seoul which show certain Korean movies with English subtitles. The choices are extremely limited, in fact, often there is only one choice.
So we went to see 국가대표 (gukgadaepyo) at CGV Yongsan in Seoul. The English title is Take off I think, but the Korean [...]
Also posted in Uncategorized | Tagged korean, Movies |
By James | August 28, 2009
I actually came across this when I was looking for powerpoint games to play with the students at school. Unfortunately it looks like it was just a one-off. It’s honestly the most entertaining and educational language learning experience I’ve had in a long time. I feel like I learned more in the 5 min going [...]
By James | August 28, 2009
개밥에도토리
kaebap e dotori.
The truth is that I don’t really understand this expression. I’m going to try and get an explanation for it when we start Korean class again on Monday. According to the Naver dictionary, and a few other online sources, it means, ‘an outcast,’ or ‘an ostracized person.’ The literal translation is what I’m [...]
By James | August 27, 2009
밥 먹여 주나?
bap meogyeo juna?
Will the rice fill me up? Or maybe, it won’t fill me up. Apparently, Koreans say this when they are opposing or questioning something that will not benefit them.
