WORDROW Korean Idioms Idioms under “ㄱ” — 699 idioms
Browse idioms by the initial consonant of the first Korean syllable, in Hangul order. On this site, ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, and ㅉ are grouped under ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ, and ㅈ, respectively.
Increase the pressure Keep a situation tense without relaxing it at all. 
tighten the reins To press hard so as to maintain tension in a situation. 
Take firm control Take control of a task and pursue it actively and vigorously 
Leave one's drink untouched Express leaving the liquor in one's glass undrunk for a long time. 
Shared · 2 A child's soft little hands Figuratively, a young child's tender, plump hands. 
Shared · 2 a child’s soft, chubby hands A figurative expression for a young child’s delicate, plump hands. 
Be clearly headed for hardship Be plainly certain to experience hardship ahead 
Be extremely cramped Figuratively, be very narrow. 
empty flattery Words spoken to flatter someone superficially. 
Be sworn enemies An expression describing a relationship of mutual enmity 
Take an advance on farm labor Receive and use wages in advance for promised paddy work from transplanting through final weeding 
Speak bitterly Words expressing dissatisfied bitterness 
croak A coarse expression for to die. 
Kill someone A vulgar expression for “to kill” 
Bow low in the courtyard Make a bow below the courtyard platform 
give in To submit. 
Bow in submission Bow one's head as the weaker party. 
Shared · 2 Exploit mercilessly Exploit or exact payments harshly. 
An illness becomes deeply entrenched Of an illness, penetrate so deeply into the body that it is hard to cure. 
Stop eating Be unable or unwilling to eat food 
embroider winding water To embroider water flowing in winding curves. 
a person or thing of excellence A figurative expression for an outstanding person or object. 
Smash to pieces Beat and destroy. 
have a basic framework in place For a basic outline and framework to be formed when creating something. 
croak A coarse expression for to die. 
Kill someone A vulgar expression for “to kill” 
Rack one’s brains Vulgarly, think extremely hard or worry intensely 
Shared · 2 Rack one's brains Strain greatly over something and become absorbed in thought. 
Shared · 2 rack one’s brains To think so intensely that one’s head aches because one does not know what to do. 
Be gravely ill For an illness to become extremely deep-seated 
Be deeply lodged in one's heart Remain unforgettable and deeply lodged in one's heart. 
be deeply ingrained For a thought or feeling to become deeply lodged in one’s heart so that it cannot escape. 
Shared · 2 Cut to the marrow An emphatic expression for resentment, pain, or the like being so deep and strong that it seems to penetrate one’s bones 
Shared · 4 Remember indelibly An emphatic expression for firmly remembering something in one's heart so as not to forget. 
Resolve a rift Eliminate conflict. 
2 meanings Confine or put in a shaping form Prevent someone from leaving a limited area 
With all one's might Disparagingly, with all one's strength. 
rack one’s brains Disparagingly, to agonize over something and think about it intently. 
Rack one’s brains Disparagingly, pay attention to a problem and think it over or work hard at it 
Agonize over what to do Disparagingly, become absorbed in thinking to the point of a headache because one does not know what to do. 
Make someone furious Make anger well up 
Plow a third time Plow a field for the third time 
Shape on a last Use a last to correct an object's shape. 
Saw a log lengthwise Saw a log lengthwise to make a last. 
have a deepening rift For a relationship to worsen or grow distant. 
Shared · 4 be empty-headed A disparaging expression meaning to lack judgment or insight. 
Wear oneself out worrying Disparagingly, think very hard or fret greatly. 
Shared · 6 Be furious Be extremely angry 
Shared · 2 Become angry Feel anger welling up. 
Be chilled to the bone Feel a tingling chill deep in one’s bones from cold 
be irritated To feel displeased and angry. 
Shared · 2 Agonize over a problem Think intensely, to the point of a headache, because one does not know what to do 
get badly burned To suffer a major loss or a serious setback all at once. 
Give someone a nasty surprise Cause someone a major loss or disastrous setback all at once 
Unpleasant words Words that offend the listener and are unpleasant to hear. 
Shared · 2 Threaten someone Vulgarly, intimidate someone into feeling fear 
Shared · 2 Threaten someone Slang: intimidate someone into feeling fear. 
The atmosphere is tense The atmosphere is extremely tense. 
play jacks To play the game of gonggi, Korean jacks. 
Shared · 2 Handle at will Handle or manipulate an affair or person easily as one pleases