Badass Korean — As Much as a Rat’s Tail

맞장뜨다

[mat-jang-ddeu-da]

go toe-to-toe or face off (with); mano-a-mano

The Flashcard

The original illustrated card, front and back.

Being Bad in Korea card back맞장뜨다 — go toe-to-toe or face off (with); mano-a-mano

Meaning & context

일대 일의 의미를 가지고 있는 맞이라는 단어와, 우두머리와 대장을 뜻하는 장이라는 단 어, 결정하다라는 의미를 함축하고 있는 뜨다라는 단어가 결합되어 싸우자는 것을 의미하 는 비속어이다. 보통 중,고등학생들이 많이 사용한다.

Literally, mat (맞) meaning face-to-face and ddeuda (뜨다) to bestow [in a sense to decide on] the title of jang (장) which is a head, leader or chief. To matjangddeuda is to face off against one’s opponent, engaging in hand-to-hand combat to see who is the better man or to settle a score. Usually used by middle or high school students, and similar to “go toe-to-toe with someone” or the commonly used Spanish expression for fighting man-to-man, “mano-a-mano.”

From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 107–107. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.

STORY TIME

See it in conversation

Korean

복수전

English

Settling the score

ChangHyun

병식아. 우리 둘 뿐이다. 너 계급장 떼고 맞장뜨고 싶지?

창현

OK, ByungShik. We’re all alone now. You want to forget rank and matjangddeuda.

HwaSeok

네?

화석

Sir?

ChangHyun

내가 기억하기로는 나를 대장 농땡이라고 했던것 같은데? 한번 싸워보자.

창현

As I recall, you called me Corporal Nongddaengi, didn’t you? Let’s see what you’re made of.

HwaSeok

아닙니다. 전 절대 대장님과 싸울 수 없습니다.

화석

No Sir. I can’t fight you.

ChangHyun

너 커피 한 잔이면 다 끝난줄 알았지? 나보고 귀차니스트 농땡이라며. 그래, 지금은 안 귀찮으니까 싸우자. 주먹 쥐고 손 올려.

창현

You thought the coffee was the end of it? Guichanist nongddaengi, you said. Well, I’m not lazy now, so get your idle hands up. . .

As Much as a Rat’s Tail

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