Korean word

속담

Pronunciation

Romanizationsokttam

Meaning

  • nounproverb

Example

어릴 때부터 속담을 많이 들었다.eo ril ttae bu teo sok tta meul ma ni teu reot tta

I heard many proverbs from a young age.

Illustration for 속담 (proverb)

More examples

어떤 사람은 속담을 믿고 그 말을 따르기도 한다.eo tteon sa ra meun sok tta meul mit kko keu ma reul tta reu gi do han da

Some people believe in proverbs and sometimes follow what those proverbs say.

Core concept

A short, memorable saying that carries wisdom learned from people's shared experience across generations.

Common phrases

  • 속담을 믿다sok tta meul mit tta

    believe in a proverb

  • 속담을 인용하다sok tta meul i nyong ha da

    cite a proverb

Similar words

격언kyeogeon: A concise piece of advice about how to live or act.
관용구kwanyonggu: A familiar group of words used in a set form to express a particular meaning.

Definition in Korean

사회적 경험을 바탕으로 여러 세대에 걸쳐 짧은 문장으로 전해지는 교훈적 표현sa hoe jeok kyeong heo meul pa tang eu ro yeo reo se dae e keol cheo jjal beun mun jang eu ro cheon hae ji neun kyo hun jeok pyo hyeon

Word origin

The Sino-Korean word joins 속 (sok, "folk") and 담 (ttam, "talk"), forming the idea of a traditional saying.

Usage tips

  • Unlike a casual personal comment, this word usually presents an established lesson that many people recognize and pass on.

Related words

  • 속담집sokttamjipbook of proverbsnoun

Word lists with this word