Badass Korean — As Much as a Rat’s Tail

땡땡이 치다

[ddaeng-ddaeng-i chi-da]

to play hooky; skip school

The Flashcard

The original illustrated card, front and back.

Being Bad in Korea card back땡땡이 치다 — to play hooky; skip school

Meaning & context

글자 그대로는 종을 친다는 뜻이지만, 땡땡이 치다는 반드시 해야하는 작업을 하지 않은 채 게으름을 피우고 노는것을 의미한다. 이것은 학교 수업을 빼먹고 도망치는 경우에 자주 사용된다. 하지만 일과 작업을 끝내지 않고 피하는 모든경우에 사용되어질 수 있다.

Literally, to strike a bell. To ddaengddaengi chida is to avoid some work that must be done. It is most often used for skipping school, but can be used for procrastinating on a project or skipping work as well. Equivalent to the English expressions: “play hooky,” “ditch school” or “cut class.”

From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 98–98. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.

STORY TIME

See it in conversation

Korean

고담시티 땡땡이

English

Gotham City Bells

Robin

배트맨, 가자! 리들러가 시청을 점령했대.

로빈

Let’s go, Batman! The Riddler has taken over City Hall.

Batman

별로, 흥미없어.

배트맨

Nah, I’m not interested.

Robin

뭐야 땡땡이 치는거야?

로빈

Why are you ddaengddaengi chida?

Batman

나 오늘 휴일이야. 그리고 비키 만나러 가야해.

배트맨

It’s my day off. And I’m going to see Vicki Vale.

Robin

비키도 거기있어. 납치당했다고!

로빈

She’s there too, she’s been kidnapped.

Batman

음, 땡땡이 그만쳐 임마! 빨리 출발하자.

배트맨

Well, stop ddaengddaengi chida and let’s go.

As Much as a Rat’s Tail

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