TOPIK TOPIK Korean Expressions and Idioms

Question 1

What does the Korean expression '발이 넓다' literally mean, and what does it actually convey?

Accepted Answer

'Wide feet' — to have a wide social network

Answer

'발이 넓다' literally means 'to have wide feet' but idiomatically means someone has a broad social network or knows many people.

Question 2

What does '눈이 높다' mean in Korean?

Accepted Answer

To have high standards or be picky

Answer

'눈이 높다' means 'to have high eyes' and idiomatically means having high standards, often regarding romantic partners.

Question 3

Which Korean expression means 'to turn a blind eye' or 'to pretend not to see'?

Accepted Answer

눈을 감다

Answer

'눈을 감다' literally means 'to close one's eyes' and is used to mean ignoring or overlooking something intentionally.

Question 4

What does the idiom '손이 크다' convey in Korean?

Accepted Answer

To be generous or cook/buy in large quantities

Answer

'손이 크다' (big hands) idiomatically means being generous, especially cooking large amounts of food.

Question 5

What does '귀가 얇다' (thin ears) mean as a Korean idiom?

Accepted Answer

To be easily influenced by others' opinions

Answer

'귀가 얇다' describes someone who is easily swayed or influenced by what they hear from others.

TOPIK (Test of Proficiency in Korean) Practice Test