나비
[na-bi]
a flirt or cocktease; to toy with someone
Meaning & context
본래 나비를 의미, 나비는 꽃가루를 수집하기 위해서 꽃에서 꽃으로 옮겨다닌다. 이런 점 에서, 이 여자(여기서 나비는 여자만 의미)는 잠재적인 다른 남성들로부터 관심이나 칭찬 을 받기 위해 그들에게 어떠한 만족도 주지 않으며 장난삼아 연애를 하는 사람이다.
Originally a butterfly, a nabi goes from flower to flower collecting pollen. In this sense, she (for a butterfly can only refer to a girl) is a flirt collecting compliments or attention from potential suitors while not giving them any satisfaction. The male equivalent would be to ggot-bat-ae non-da (꽃밭에 논다) or to play in a flower field.
From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 56–56. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.
STORY TIME
See it in conversation
Korean
지붕관찰 (홍대 편)
English
Rooftop Review (Hongdae Edition)
이거 본 적 있어? 저 아래, 이쪽 저쪽 얼쩡거리며 다니고 있는 금요일 저녁 나비들 보이지?
Have you seen this? Down there, you can see the Friday night nabis flirting as they make their way down the block.
그래, 외롭고 절망적인 사랑받지 못하는 사람들에게는 또 다른 슬픈 밤이지.
Yeah, another sad night for the desperate and loveless.
그럼 저 쪽에 내려가서 쟤들 놀려주자! 우리가 꽃가루 없는 꽃들이 되는거야.
Let’s get down there and tease them then! We’ll be flowers with no pollen.
훌륭해! 나비 응징.
Excellent!. . . Nabi retribution.
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