B1 Idiom محايد

입에 침 바르다

ib-e chim bareuda

flatter/sweet talk

Phrase in 30 Seconds

This idiom describes someone who tells a lie or says something insincere without any hesitation or shame.

  • Means: To lie or flatter shamelessly without showing any guilt or nervousness.
  • Used in: Describing someone who is a habitual liar or a smooth talker.
  • Don't confuse: It is not about actual dry lips; it is purely metaphorical for lack of shame.
Dry lips (nervousness) + No moisture (shamelessness) = Bold-faced lie

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means someone is lying. They do not feel bad. They say bad things easily. We use it when someone is not honest.
When a person tells a lie, they are usually nervous. But if someone lies without any shame, we say they don't even 'moisten their lips'. It means they are very good at lying and do not feel guilty at all.
This idiom describes a person who lies or gives insincere praise with complete ease. The phrase '입에 침도 안 바르고' suggests that the person is so shameless that they don't even experience the typical dry mouth associated with the stress of lying. It is a common way to express frustration or disbelief at someone's audacity.
In Korean, '입에 침을 바르다' serves as a metaphor for the physiological preparation for speech. By negating this action, the idiom '입에 침도 안 바르고' characterizes a speaker who lacks the moral inhibition or anxiety that usually accompanies dishonest behavior. It is a powerful rhetorical tool used to highlight the brazenness of a lie or the insincerity of a flatterer in social or interpersonal contexts.
The idiom '입에 침도 안 바르고' functions as a cognitive-linguistic marker of shamelessness. It draws upon the folk-psychological understanding that anxiety induces xerostomia (dry mouth). By asserting that the subject does not even perform the act of moistening their lips, the speaker implies a total absence of the autonomic nervous system's 'fight-or-flight' response, thereby framing the subject as a pathological or highly practiced deceiver. It is frequently employed in argumentative discourse to discredit the veracity of an interlocutor's claims.
This expression exemplifies the intersection of somatic experience and moral judgment in Korean idiomatic usage. '입에 침도 안 바르고' functions as a performative critique of the subject's lack of 'chemyon' (face/social standing) and moral integrity. By invoking the absence of a reflexive grooming behavior, the speaker constructs a narrative of the subject as being beyond the reach of social shame. This idiom is deeply embedded in the cultural discourse surrounding interpersonal trust, serving as a linguistic shorthand for the total subversion of truth-telling norms.

المعنى

To use insincere praise or persuasive words to gain favor.

🌍

خلفية ثقافية

In Korean society, maintaining 'chemyon' (face) is crucial. Being called out for lying without shame is a very strong social condemnation.

💡

Use the '도'

Always include '도' to make the idiom sound natural and emphatic.

المعنى

To use insincere praise or persuasive words to gain favor.

💡

Use the '도'

Always include '도' to make the idiom sound natural and emphatic.

اختبر نفسك

Fill in the blank with the correct phrase.

그는 ________ 거짓말을 하더라.

✓ صحيح! ✗ ليس تمامًا. الإجابة الصحيحة: 입에 침도 안 바르고

The idiom requires the negative form to express shamelessness.

🎉 النتيجة: /1

وسائل تعلم بصرية

الأسئلة الشائعة

1 أسئلة

No, it is used to describe others' behavior.

عبارات ذات صلة

🔄

뻔뻔하다

synonym

To be shameless

🔗

거짓말쟁이

similar

A liar

أين تستخدمها

🤥

Catching a friend in a lie

A: 내가 어제 안 그랬다고 했잖아.

B: 야, 너 입에 침도 안 바르고 거짓말하네!

informal
🗳️

Commenting on a politician

A: 저 후보는 또 공약을 바꾸네.

B: 입에 침도 안 바르고 말을 바꾸는 게 특기야.

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a dry desert; a liar stands there, but their lips are perfectly wet because they have no shame to make them nervous.

Visual Association

A person with a poker face, looking at a mirror and applying lip balm while telling a huge lie.

Story

Min-su promised he finished the report, but he hadn't even started. When the boss asked, he said, 'It's done!' without even blinking. His colleague whispered, 'He really didn't even moisten his lips for that lie.'

Word Web

거짓말 (lie)뻔뻔하다 (shameless)태연하다 (composed)속이다 (deceive)진실 (truth)불안 (anxiety)

تحدٍّ

Try to say 'I am the king of the world' with a completely straight face to a friend.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Mentir sin pestañear

Korean focuses on the mouth/saliva, Spanish focuses on the eyes.

French moderate

Mentir comme un arracheur de dents

French refers to a profession; Korean refers to a physical state.

German low

Lügen, dass sich die Balken biegen

Korean focuses on the speaker's lack of shame.

Japanese high

平気で嘘をつく

Korean uses a specific metaphor about saliva.

Arabic moderate

يكذب بدم بارد

Korean uses the 'dry mouth' metaphor.

Chinese high

面不改色

Chinese focuses on facial expression.

Korean self

입에 침도 안 바르고

N/A

Portuguese moderate

Mentir com a maior cara de pau

Korean uses the 'dry mouth' metaphor.

Easily Confused

입에 침 바르다 مقابل 침을 뱉다

Learners might confuse 'moistening' with 'spitting'.

바르다 means to apply/smear; 뱉다 means to spit.

الأسئلة الشائعة (1)

No, it is used to describe others' behavior.

هل كان هذا مفيداً؟

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