WORDROW Korean Idioms
한국어
Home

Korean idiom Depend on something for survival

List: Browse by initial consonant List

명줄을 걸다

  • Form listed in the dictionary: 명줄을 걸다
  • 명줄을 걸다

English rendering Depend on something for survival Literal translation: “Hang one’s lifeline on something”

Meaning 1

살아가거나 목숨을 잇기 위하여 어떤 것에 의지하거나 매달리다.

Rely on or cling to something to live or sustain one’s life

Dictionary example 1

예전에는 많은 어부들이 한강에 명줄을 걸고 살아갔다.

In earlier days, many fishermen depended on the Han River for their lives.

Write this idiom by hand

Read the meanings, trace, then cover above the masking line and write. Uncover, choose a meaning, and make your own sentence.

Writing text명줄을 걸다

Korean PDF · A4 · Worksheet: 1 page · 112.7 KB

Open PDF · print Save PDF
All handwriting books

Find this idiom in a book

Explore on the maps

Explore the body parts or scenes linked to this idiom.

Video

A silent film that writes the headword and its meaning.

Open the video file Save video

Related idioms

These idioms are linked to the same word, “명줄”, in the Standard Korean Language Dictionary.

Illustration of the first meaning of “명줄을 쥐다”: Have the power to decide the fate of someone's life as one pleases. Hold someone's life in one's hands Have the power to decide the fate of someone's life as one pleases.

Other idioms linked to the same spot on the map.

View all 51 idioms
Illustration of the first meaning of “목숨을 거두다”: To stop breathing and die. pass away To stop breathing and die. Illustration of the first meaning of “목숨을 끊다”: Kill oneself or another person Shared · 2 Take a life Kill oneself or another person Illustration of the first meaning of “목숨을 도모하다”: Try to find a way to live when close to death Seek a way to survive Try to find a way to live when close to death Illustration of the first meaning of “목숨을 바치다”: Work for something with one's life at stake. Dedicate one's life Work for something with one's life at stake. Illustration of the first meaning of “목숨을 버리다”: Take one's own life. 2 meanings Take one's own life; work regardless of death Take one's own life. Illustration of the first meaning of “목숨을 잃다”: A euphemistic expression for to die. lose one’s life A euphemistic expression for to die. Illustration of the first meaning of “목숨이 왔다 갔다 하다”: Be at an extremely dangerous juncture Hover between life and death Be at an extremely dangerous juncture Illustration of the first meaning of “숨 돌릴 사이도 없다”: Have no leisure even to calm one’s labored breathing Have no time to catch one’s breath Have no leisure even to calm one’s labored breathing Illustration of the first meaning of “숨 돌릴 사이도 없이”: Without enough respite even to calm one’s panting. without time to catch one’s breath Without enough respite even to calm one’s panting. Illustration of the first meaning of “숨 쉴 사이 없이”: Extremely busily, without even time for a short rest Shared · 6 Without a moment’s respite Extremely busily, without even time for a short rest

Browse in Hangul order.

Share card: Depend on something for survival

“명줄을 걸다” — Depend on something for survival: Rely on or cling to something to live or sustain one’s life
Download image