Korean Weekly Expressions (Week 18) 

 

 

눈이 높다 to have a high standard

 

그녀는 눈이 높아서 남자친구가 없나 봐요. 

I guess she doesn’t have a boyfriend because she has a high standard.

 

그녀는 눈이 높은데 그녀의 이상형을 만나게 돼서 콧노래를 부르고 있어요. She has high standards, and now that she’s met her ideal man, she’s in high spirits.

 

그는 눈이 높아서 까다로운 경향이 있어요. He tends to be picky since he has a high standard.

 

 

눈치(를) 보다 to worry about what others think, to be conscious of what others think

 

다른 사람 눈치 보지 말고 하고 싶은대로 하세요. Stop caring about other people’s opinions and do what you want

 

눈치 보지 말고 마음껏 드세요. Don’t worry about anyone else and eat as much as you like.

 

눈치 보지 말고 당당하게 할 말을 하세요. Don’t worry about what others think and speak up confidently.

 

 

눈치(가) 없다 to be clueless/oblivious, didn’t pick up on hints

 

그 사람이 싫어하는 티를 그렇게 냈는데도 모르다니 얼마나 눈치가 없나 싶네요.

They clearly showed they didn’t like it, yet he didn’t pick up on it at all. He’s so clueless.

 

저는 눈치가 없어서 분명히 말을 하지 않으면 잘 몰라요.

I’m oblivious, so I don’t understand unless things are said clearly.

 

 

느낌만으로도 just by instinct, just from a feeling alone

 

느낌만으로도 그가 나쁜 남자인지 알 수 있어요.

You can tell he’s a bad guy based on instinct alone.

 

첫인상만으로도, 아니 느낌만으로도 그는 특별했어요.

Just from the first impression - no, even just from a feeling - he was special.

 

 

느낌으로 tell by instinct/sense, based on a feeling

 

분위기를 느낌으로 파악했어요. I read the atmosphere by instinct.

 

그 사람 성격은 느낌으로 알 수 있어요.

You can get a sense of someone’s personality by instinct.

 

 

A느니 차라리 B : would rather B than A, preferably B than A 

* If the given options A and B are not pleasant

 

아침에 일어나는 게 힘들어서 아침에 만나느니 차라리 밤에 만나는 게 나아요. Since it’s hard for me to get up in the morning, I’d rather meet at night than in the morning.

 

저는 내향인이라서 사람들과 이야기하느니 차라리 집에 있겠어요.

I’m an introvert, so I’d rather stay home than talk to people.

 

 

A느라(고) B : It is B blaming on A, It is B because A

* A 느라(고) B  temporary event A results in a negative consequence B 

눈이 많이 와서 눈을 치우느라고 늦었어요.

It snowed a lot, so I was late because I had to clear the snow.

 

늦잠 자느라 학교에 늦었어요. I was late for school because I overslept.

 

밥 먹느라고 제때 대답 못 했어요. I couldn’t reply in time because I was eating

 

아이 키우느라 시간이 없네요. I don’t have time because I’m busy raising a child

 

문자가 계속 오느라 집중할 수 없어요.

I can’t concentrate because I keep getting text messages.

 

 

…는 것  …ing

 

그들은 그들의 아이들이 게임하는 것을 좋아하지 않아요. 

They don’t like their kid playing games.

 

다른 도시에 가는 것을 싫어해요. I hate going to another city.

 

집을 월세로 사는 것보다 집을 사는 것이 나아요. Buying a home is better than renting.

 

한국어를 공부하는 것은 어렵지 않아요. Studying Korean is not difficult.

 

 

…는 것만으로 충분하지 않아요 Just …ing isn’t enough, It’s not enough just to…

Similar expression) …는 것만으로 끝나지 않아요It doesn’t end with just …ing

 

한국어를 배우는 것만으로 충분하지 않아서 한국에 직접 가보기로 했어요. Learning Korean alone wasn’t enough, so I decided to go to Korea in person.

 

책을 읽는 것만으로 끝나지 않고 책 속에 나오는 장소에 가보기로 했어요.

It didn’t end with simply reading the book, so I decided to visit the locations featured in it.

 

 

…는 것을 좋아해요 like …ing, like to …

Opposite expression) …는 것을 싫어해요 dislike to …, hate …ing

 

저는 스키 타는 것을 좋아해요. I like to go skiing. 

 

그들은 요리하는 것을 좋아해요. They like cooking.

 

그녀는 책을 읽는 것을 좋아해요. She likes to read.