15 Popular Korean Proverbs with Their Meaning

Korean Proverbs (속담, sokdam)

Korean proverbs reflect the culture, history, and wisdom of the Korean people.

1. 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다

Even a monkey falls from the tree — Even experts make mistakes

2. 시작이 반이다

Starting is half the work — Well begun is half done

3. 고생 끝에 낙이 온다

After suffering comes pleasure — After the storm comes the calm

4. 낮말은 새가 듣고 밤말은 쥐가 듣는다

Birds hear daytime words, mice hear nighttime words — Walls have ears

5. 호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다

Even the tiger comes when you talk about it — Speak of the devil

6. 세 살 버릇 여든까지 간다

Habits from age 3 last until 80 — Old habits die hard

7. 가는 말이 고와야 오는 말이 곱다

If outgoing words are beautiful, returning words are beautiful — Treat others as you wish to be treated

8. 백문이 불여일견

A hundred hearings aren't worth one seeing — Seeing is believing

9. 소 잃고 외양간 고친다

Fixing the barn after losing the cow — Closing the barn door after the horse has bolted

10. 꿩 먹고 알 먹고

Eating the pheasant and the egg — Killing two birds with one stone