Korean Proverb: 세 살 버릇 여든까지 간다 (Old habits die hard)

세 살 버릇 여든까지 간다

[se sal beoreut yeodeunggaji ganda]

Old habits die hard

세 살 [se sal]: 3 years old

버릇 [beoreut]: habit

여든 [yeodeun]: 80

까지 [ggaji]: by, until

가다 [gada]: to go

The literal meaning of the proverb is that a habit you have at 3 years old will go with you until you’re 80. The proverb implies that it’s hard to fix a habit formed when someone is young.

e.g.

세 살 버릇 여든까지 간다는 말 모르니? 그 버릇 때문에 힘들어질 거야!

[se sal beoreut yeodeunggaji gandaneun mal moreuni geu beoreut ddemune himdeureojil geoyo]

Don’t you know the saying that 3-year-old habits last until you’e 80? You’re going to suffer from the habit!

세 살 [se sal]: 3 years old

버릇 [beoreut]: habit

여든 [yeodeun]: 80

까지 [ggaji]: until, by

가다 [gada]: to go

말 [mal]: saying, words

모르다 [moreuda]: not to know

그 [geu]: the

힘들다 [himdeulda]: to suffer

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