쥐꼬리만큼
[chui-ggo-ri man-keum]
just a bit; a meager amount; fuck all
The Flashcard
The original illustrated card, front and back.
Meaning & context
이 표현은 아주 적은 양 또는 거의 없음을 의미한다. 영어의 “a pittance,” “peanuts,”
“chicken feed”와 같이 대부분 적은 월급에 대한 불만을 풍자적으로 얘기할 때 사용하지
만 바라는 양보다 적은 양을 가리키는 어느 경우에라도 사용할 수 있다.
Literally meaning “as much as a rat’s tail,” this expression is equivalent to “a measly amount” or “hardly at all.” Most often used sarcastically in reference to receiving an unsatisfactory salary, it is similar to “a pittance,” “peanuts,” or “chicken feed,” but can be used for anything that is smaller than a desired amount.
From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 188–189. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.
STORY TIME
See it in conversation
Korean
서울에서의 또 다른 쥐꼬리 [서울에서 택시에 타며]
English
The Batmobile [getting into a random taxi in Seoul]
이태원이요.
Itaewon please.
Driver 와우! 한국말 잘하시네요.
Wow? You speak Korean so well?
네? 제가 “요”라고 말해서요?
What? Just because I gave it a “yo” ending?
Driver 발음이 정말 좋아요.
Your pronunciation is perfect.
아니요, 아니요. 쥐꼬리만큼밖에 못 해요.
No, no, no. I can only speak chuiggori mankeum.
Driver 와하하하. 그 표현은 어디서 배웠어요?
Wha-ha-ha-ha. How did you learn that expression?
음.. 글쎄요. 공부 열심히 했죠, 길거리에서요.
Ummm, well. Studied hard, studied in the street.
Driver 하하. 음.. 제 월급은 쥐꼬리만큼이예요.
Ha ha. Well, my salary is chuiggori mankeum.
네. 제 월급도요.
Yeah. Mine too.
From the book: notes & culture
Just a bit
The many ways of expressing how ‘little’ you have!
•개미똥만큼 [gae-mi-dong-man-keum] as much as an ant’s poop
•코딱지만큼 [ko-ddak-ji-man-keum] as much as a booger (dried nasal mucus)
•눈곱만큼 [noon-geop-man-keum] as much as ‘sleep’ in your eyes (crusty mucus in the corner of your eye usually upon waking)
•귀밥만큼 [gui-bab-man-keum] as much as earwax
•새발의 피만큼 [sae-bal-e pi man-keum] as much as a blood from a bird’s claw
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As Much as a Rat’s Tail
Illustrated Korean, bilingual conversations, and the stories behind the expressions. Read here, then keep the complete book close.
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