Korean Superstitions 1

Miri Choi
Story of Eggbun Education
2 min readDec 27, 2018

문 닫고 선풍기를 틀고 자면 죽는다

[mun datgo seonpung-gireul teulgo jamyeon jungneunda]

If you sleep with a closed door and a fan turned on, you will die.

문 [mun]: door

닫다 [datda]: to close

선풍기 [seonpung-gi]: fan

를 [reul]: (vowel +) object marker

틀다 [teulda]: to turn on

자다 [jada]: to sleep

죽다 [jukda]: to die

빨간색으로 이름 쓰면 죽는다

[bbalgansegeuro ierum sseumyeon jungneunda]

If you write someone’s name with a red pen, that person will die.

빨간색 [bbalgansek]: red color

이름 [ireum]: name

쓰다 [sseuda]: to write

죽다 [jukda]: to die

문지방을 밟으면 복이 달아난다

[munjibang-eul balbeumyeon bogi darananda]

If you step on a threshold, all your good luck will escape from you.

문지방 [munjibang]: threshold

을 [eul]: (consonant +) object marker

밟다 [babda]: to step on

복 [bok]: luck

이 [i]: (consonant +) subject marker

달아나다 [daranada]: to escape

까마귀가 울면 불길한 일이 생긴다

[ggamagwiga ulmyeon bulgilhan iri sengginda]

If you hear a crow cawing, something bad might happen to you.

까마귀 [ggamagwi]: crow

가 [ga]: (consonant +) subject marker

울다 [ulda]: (for crow) to caw

불길하다 [bulgilhada]: ominous

일 [il]: happening, occasion

이 [i]: (consonant +) subject marker

생기다 [senggida]: to happen, occur

밥그릇에 숟가락을 꽂으면 재수가 없다

[babgeureuse sutgarageul ggojeumyeon jesuga eobda]

If you stick the spoon into the rice bawl, you will have no luck.

밥그릇 [babgeureut]: rice bowl

숟가락 [sutgarak]: spoon

을 [eul]: (consonant +) object marker

꽂다 [kkotda]: to stick

재수가 없다 [jesuga eobda]: unlucky

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