쪽팔리다
[jjok-pal-li-da]
how humiliating; uhhh AWKWARD; to lose face
The Flashcard
The original illustrated card, front and back.
Meaning & context
축어적으로, 얼굴이 팔리다. 이것은 얼굴을 낮게 이르는 말 쪽과 동사 팔리다가 결합되어 생겨난 표현이다. 얼굴 혹은 체면을 잃는것의 느낌은... 부끄러워지는 것.
Literally “your face is sold,” this combines the low expression for face (jjok) with the verb to be sold (pallida). In a sense to lose face or honor, to be shameful or even disgraceful. Similar to one of those mortifying moments when one says “uhhh, AWKWARD!”
From As Much as a Rat’s Tail · book pages 201–201. Original published text; historical references and usage are retained.
STORY TIME
See it in conversation
Korean
족발 잃기
English
Losing Pig’s Feet
무슨 말이야. 쪽이 뭔지 모르는거야? 하, 쪽팔리다.
What do you mean, you don’t know what jjok is? Huh, jjokpallida.
사전에서는 머리를 틀어 올릴 때의 쪽이라는데, 여자만 해당된대... 내 생각에는 얼굴의 낮춤말 같아.
The dictionary says it’s to put one’s hair up in a chignon, but that’s only for a girl… I think its a low expression for the face.
음, 어쩌면 일제 강점기에 한국 남자들이 강제로 댕기머리를 잘라야했던 것 일지도 모르지.
Well, maybe it’s like during the Japanese occupation when Korean men were forced to cut their ponytails.
오, 쪽팔려. 모든게 네가 생각하는 역사대로는 아니야.
Oh, jjokpallyeo. Not everything is from your history courses.
창현이한테 전화해서 물어보자.
Call ChangHyun and see what he says…
ㅎㅎ 창현이가 최고 쪽팔린다. 등산하러 가서 족발 먹는게 좋대. 하 하!
He, he. ChangHyun wins the jjokpal contest, he says he likes to eat pigs feet (jok bal) when he goes hiking… Ha ha!
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