네똥굵다
[nui-ddong geulk-da]
your poop is thick; your shit don’t stink
The Flashcard
The original illustrated card, front and back.
Meaning & context
문자그대로의의미는너의배설물이두껍고크다라는의미,이표현은자기자랑이심한사람 이나 자기 착각에 빠져 사는 사람들에게 주로 사용된다. 영어로 비슷한 표현으로는 “네 똥은 냄새안나냐?”라는표현이있다.
Literally meaning “your poop is thick,” nui-ddong geulk-da is used in a patronizing way to a bragger, snob or someone who is otherwise full of himself or herself. In English, a similar expression would be “You think your shit doesn’t stink?”
From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 66–67. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.
STORY TIME
See it in conversation
Korean
굵기가 중요해?
English
Does Thickness Count?
...그리고 특별장학금도 받고 하버드 대학교 입학 허가 사무실에서 오래.
. . .and then I was awarded a fellowship, after being scouted out by the admissions office at Harvard.
그래, 그래, 네똥 굵다. 그렇게 똥이 굵어서 변기는 안막히냐?
All right, all right, nuiddong geulkda. As such, your toilets must be clogged with your thick poop.
우리집에서 똥이 굵고 안 굵고는 중요하지 않아. 우리집 변기는 절대 막히지 않거든.
At my house it doesn’t matter if my poop is thick or not. The toilets at my house can’t be clogged.
뭐? 그게 무슨 말이야? 이번에는 집 좋다고 자랑하는거야?
What? What are you saying? Now you are bragging that your house is better?
사실은 나 시골에서 살거든. 우리집 변기 푸세식이야.
Actually, I live in the countryside. . . I use an outhouse.
From the book: notes & culture
The Poop Box
Koreans are fascinated by poop. . . they talk about it, draw it,
똥
and children love to try to poke you in the anus, gleefully
shouting “ddong chim” (poop acupuncture). .
Poop 응가 [eung-ga] a baby’s onomatopoeic expression for poop. Poop belly 똥배 [ddong-bae] a pot belly (connotation is cute) Poop acupuncture 똥침 [ddong-chim] children in Korea have a particular affinity for putting their hands together, folding their fingers in the form of a gun, and sneaking up behind a person to (playfully?) jab them in the anus. Poop dog 똥개 [ddong-gae] a street dog (dogs will often eat their own poop) Poop dog training 똥개훈련 [ddong-gae-hun-ryeol]sending someone on errands, as if a dog fetching something (often used in military service). Poop pigs 똥돼지 [ddong-duae-ji] pigs fed with human excrement (particularly those from Jeju island), thought to be particularly delicious in Korea – eew! Poop puppy 똥강아지 [ddong-gang-a-ji] my little mutt (usually from a grandparent - people would call thier children by unflattering names to keep jealous ghosts or spirits away, Boo! The price of poop 똥값 [ddong-gap] something particularly cheap Poop water 똥물 [ddong-mul] dirty water (mostly for a river, lake or the sea). The Han river was particularly poop-ridden but has been cleaned up in recent years. Stubborn poop 똥고집 [ddong-go-jib] stubbornness without reason. Your poop is thick 네똥 굵다 [nui-ddong geulk-da] described above. Poop dream 똥꿈 [ddong geum] dream of poop and you will have good luck (also true for dreaming of a pig. Hmmm. . . ). So poor, his poop hole is torn 똥구녕이 찢어지게 가난하다 [ddong-gunyeong-i jjij-eo-ji-gae ga-nan-ha-da] self explanatory (as poor as shit).
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