Korean Idioms and Proverbs: Part 1

Which Korean idiom best matches the meaning “to calculate pros and cons carefully before acting”?

• 앞뒤를 재고

• 발을 빼지 않다

• 발걸음을 맞추고

• 앞뒤를 가리지 않다

A team decides not to quit a risky project despite obstacles. Which idiom fits this stance?

• 발을 빼지 않다

• 담을 쌓고

• 고개를 숙이고

• 못을 박고

Choose the best use of 발걸음을 맞추고 in context.

• A person breaks all ties and stops involving

• Workers ignore procedures and act carelessly

• Someone humbles themselves and submits to others

• Diplomats align policies to move in one direction

Which sentence shows misunderstanding of 앞뒤를 재고?

• The manager evaluates pros and cons step by step

• They compare gains and losses to decide carefully

• She rushes ahead without considering consequences

• He weighs benefits and harms before investing

Which Korean idiom best describes acting without considering consequences, like jumping into a plan without checking details?

• 귓등으로 듣지

• 앞뒤를 가리지 않다

• 못을 박고

• 머리를 맞대고

You want to make a promise unambiguously and firmly. Which idiom fits this situation?

• 눈치만 빨라지고

• 못을 박고

• 머리를 맞대고

• 천 리 길도 한 걸음부터

Two classmates meet to discuss solutions together for a group project. Which idiom captures this action?

• 한 술 더 뜨지

• 머리를 맞대고

• 앞뒤를 가리지 않다

• 귓등으로 듣지

Which scenario shows misunderstanding of the idiom 못을 박고?

• Using it when making terms explicitly clear

• Using it to describe hammering a nail in wood

• Using it when clarifying a rule decisively

• Using it to emphasize a firm, settled decision

Which Korean proverb best conveys humility through the image of lowering oneself?

• 고개를 숙이고

• 겉 다르고 속 다르다

• 제 눈의 안경

• 엎질러진 물

What does the proverb 제 눈의 안경 most closely mean in English?

• Two heads are better than one

• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

• Pride goes before a fall

• A stitch in time saves nine