A2 Idiom Neutral

얼굴이 두껍다.

Eolguri dukkeopda.

To have a thick face.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use this to describe someone who acts shamelessly or has no sense of embarrassment even after doing something wrong.

  • Means: Being brazen or shameless in social situations.
  • Used in: Criticizing someone who ignores social norms or feelings.
  • Don't confuse: Not the same as 'brave' or 'confident'—it's usually negative.
Wrong Action + No Blushing = 얼굴이 두껍다 뻔뻔

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means 'shameless.' In Korean, '얼굴' is face and '두껍다' is thick. So, 'thick face.' It describes a person who does something bad but does not feel sorry or shy. It is a negative way to talk about someone's personality.
This is an idiom used when someone is brazen or has no sense of shame. If someone breaks a rule and acts like they did nothing wrong, you say their 'face is thick.' It is common in daily life but can be rude if said directly to someone.
This idiomatic expression describes individuals who lack a sense of embarrassment or social conscience. It literally translates to 'the face is thick,' implying that the person's shame doesn't show through their skin. It's frequently used to criticize selfish behavior in social or financial contexts.
This phrase characterizes a person who is impervious to social pressure or moral guilt. It is deeply connected to the Korean concept of 'Chemyeon' (face). A person with a 'thick face' ignores the reciprocal nature of Korean social interactions, often acting in a purely self-serving manner without the expected display of remorse.
An idiomatic metaphor for impudence, '얼굴이 두껍다' functions as a social critique of those who disregard the communal ethos of 'uiri' and 'ye-ui.' Linguistically, it serves as a vernacular counterpart to the more formal Sino-Korean term '철면피.' It suggests a psychological barrier that prevents the manifestation of shame, such as blushing, thereby indicating a lack of moral sensitivity.
This idiom encapsulates the socio-cultural dynamics of shame-based morality in Korea. By metaphorically attributing physical thickness to the dermis, it posits that the subject's internal 'conscience' is obscured from public view. It represents a significant deviation from the Confucian ideal of the 'transparent' self, where internal guilt is expected to manifest externally. Mastery involves navigating its nuances between simple impudence and the more severe 'Cheol-myeon-pi'.

Bedeutung

To be shameless or brazen; to have no sense of embarrassment.

🌍

Kultureller Hintergrund

In Korea, 'face' (Chemyeon) is a collective asset. Being called 'thick-skinned' implies you were raised poorly or lack basic human empathy (Inseong). While '얼굴이 두껍다' is negative, some career advice suggests having a 'thick face' to survive office politics, though they usually use the term 'mentally strong' instead. Villains in K-dramas are often described as 'Cheol-myeon-pi' (iron-faced) when they commit crimes and show no remorse in court. Confucianism emphasizes 'Ye' (etiquette). A thick face is the opposite of 'Ye,' as it shows a lack of self-reflection and shame.

⚠️

Direct Insult

Calling someone '얼굴이 두껍다' to their face is a fight-starter. Use it carefully.

🎯

The '도' Trick

Add '도' (얼굴도 두껍다) to sound more like a native speaker when expressing disbelief at someone's audacity.

Bedeutung

To be shameless or brazen; to have no sense of embarrassment.

⚠️

Direct Insult

Calling someone '얼굴이 두껍다' to their face is a fight-starter. Use it carefully.

🎯

The '도' Trick

Add '도' (얼굴도 두껍다) to sound more like a native speaker when expressing disbelief at someone's audacity.

💬

Blushing is Good

In Korea, showing that you are embarrassed (face turning red) is often seen as a sign of a good, honest heart.

Teste dich selbst

Choose the most natural phrase to complete the sentence.

거짓말을 하고도 사과하지 않는 저 사람은 정말 ( ).

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: 얼굴이 두껍다

The context of lying and not apologizing requires the idiom for 'shameless.'

Match the situation to the phrase.

Situation: Someone cuts in line at the bus stop and ignores everyone.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: 얼굴이 두껍다

Cutting in line is a classic 'shameless' behavior.

Fill in the blank with the correct form of '두껍다'.

그는 얼굴이 ( ) 남의 시선을 전혀 신경 쓰지 않아요.

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: 두꺼워서

The sentence shows a cause (shamelessness) and effect (not caring about others), so '-아서/어서' is needed.

Complete the dialogue.

A: 저 사람 또 돈 빌려달래. B: 와, 진짜 ( ).

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: 얼굴이 두껍네

Asking for money repeatedly is a shameless act.

🎉 Ergebnis: /4

Visuelle Lernhilfen

Thick vs. Wide Face

얼굴이 두껍다
Negative Shameless
Socially rude Audacious
얼굴이 넓다
Positive Well-connected
Many friends Social butterfly

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

Almost never. It implies a lack of moral fiber. Use '강심장' (strong heart) for someone who is brave.

'얼굴이 두껍다' is an idiom (figurative), while '뻔뻔하다' is a standard adjective. They mean the same thing.

No, that would be '낯을 안 가리다' (not hiding one's face).

Use '회복탄력성이 좋다' (good resilience) or '남의 시선을 신경 쓰지 않는다' (doesn't care about others' gaze).

It's a bit dramatic for daily speech. It's usually used for public figures or extreme cases.

'얼굴이 얇다' is not really used. The opposite is '낯을 가리다' (shy) or '부끄러움을 많이 타다' (easily embarrassed).

No, it has nothing to do with how someone looks.

Yes, if you are joking about asking for a big favor: '제가 좀 얼굴이 두껍지만, 이것 좀 도와주실 수 있나요?'

No, it's a standard idiom found in dictionaries.

Because thick skin hides the blood (shame) from showing on the surface.

Verwandte Redewendungen

🔄

뻔뻔하다

synonym

To be shameless

🔗

철면피

specialized form

Iron-faced skin

🔗

낯이 뜨겁다

contrast

To feel embarrassed/face is hot

🔗

얼굴을 들 수 없다

contrast

Cannot lift one's face

🔗

염치 없다

similar

To have no sense of honor/shame

Wo du es verwendest

💸

Borrowing money

A: 철수야, 지난번에 빌린 돈은 언제 갚을 거야?

B: 아, 맞다. 근데 나 오늘 밥 좀 사주면 안 돼?

A: (혼잣말로) 와, 진짜 얼굴 두껍네...

Translation: A: Chul-soo, when are you paying back the money? B: Oh right. But can you buy me lunch today? A: (To self) Wow, he's really shameless...

informal
🏢

Workplace credit

Manager: 김 대리, 이번 프로젝트 아주 잘했어!

Kim: 감사합니다. 제가 밤새워 준비했습니다. (사실은 이 대리가 다 함)

Lee: 저 사람 정말 얼굴이 두껍군요.

Translation: Manager: Mr. Kim, great job! Kim: Thanks, I worked all night. (Actually Lee did it). Lee: He is truly shameless.

neutral
🚶‍♂️

Cutting in line

Person A: 저기요, 줄 서신 거예요? 왜 새치기하세요?

Person B: (못 들은 척 핸드폰만 본다)

Person A: 얼굴이 참 두꺼우시네요.

Translation: A: Excuse me, are you in line? Why are you cutting? B: (Pretends not to hear). A: You are quite shameless.

informal
💔

Dating/Exes

Ex: 자니? 나 노트북 좀 빌려줄 수 있어?

Me: 헤어진 지 일주일 됐는데... 너 진짜 얼굴 두껍다.

Translation: Ex: You up? Can I borrow your laptop? Me: It's been a week since we broke up... You're really shameless.

informal
🍲

Restaurant complaint

Customer: 머리카락이 나왔는데 그냥 먹으라고요?

Owner: 그럴 수도 있죠. 그냥 빼고 드세요.

Customer: 사장님 참 얼굴 두껍게 장사하시네요.

Translation: C: There's a hair, and you want me to just eat? O: It happens. Just take it out. C: You're running this business quite shamelessly.

neutral
🏠

Family favors

Brother: 형, 나 형 차 좀 일주일만 빌려줘.

Me: 지난번에 사고 내고 수리비도 안 냈잖아. 얼굴이 두껍기도 해라.

Translation: Bro: Bro, lend me your car for a week. Me: You didn't even pay for the repairs after the last accident. You've got some nerve.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'Thick' wall on a face that blocks the 'Red' of shame from showing through.

Visual Association

Imagine someone wearing a thick, grey stone mask. No matter how much they lie, you can't see them blush because the 'skin' is too thick.

Rhyme

얼굴이 두껍다, 부끄럼 없다! (Eolguri dukkeopda, bukkeoreom eopda! - Face is thick, no shame!)

Story

Min-su borrowed his friend's car, scratched it, and then asked his friend to pay for the gas. His friend looked at him and thought, 'His facial skin must be 10 centimeters thick!' because Min-su didn't look sorry at all.

Word Web

뻔뻔하다철면피낯이 두껍다부끄러움양심체면염치

Herausforderung

Try to find one character in a K-drama today who acts '얼굴이 두껍다' and describe their action in one sentence.

In Other Languages

English moderate

To be shameless / To have the audacity

Korean is negative; English can be positive.

Japanese high

面の皮が厚い (Tsura no kawa ga atsui)

Almost no difference; perfectly interchangeable.

Chinese high

厚脸皮 (Hòuliǎnpí)

Identical usage.

Spanish high

Tener la cara dura

Spanish uses 'hard' (dura) instead of 'thick' (dukkeopda).

French moderate

Avoir du toupet

French uses a hair metaphor instead of skin thickness.

German low

Ein dickes Fell haben

German 'thick' is positive; Korean 'thick' is negative.

Arabic moderate

وجهه عريض (Wajhuhu 'areed)

Arabic uses 'wide' (areed) instead of 'thick'.

Portuguese high

Cara de pau

Portuguese uses 'wood' as the material for the face.

Easily Confused

얼굴이 두껍다. vs. 얼굴이 넓다

Both involve the face and an adjective of size/dimension.

Wide (넓다) = many friends (Good). Thick (두껍다) = no shame (Bad).

얼굴이 두껍다. vs. 낯이 익다

Both start with a word for face.

익다 (familiar) means you've seen the person before. It has nothing to do with personality.

FAQ (10)

Almost never. It implies a lack of moral fiber. Use '강심장' (strong heart) for someone who is brave.

'얼굴이 두껍다' is an idiom (figurative), while '뻔뻔하다' is a standard adjective. They mean the same thing.

No, that would be '낯을 안 가리다' (not hiding one's face).

Use '회복탄력성이 좋다' (good resilience) or '남의 시선을 신경 쓰지 않는다' (doesn't care about others' gaze).

It's a bit dramatic for daily speech. It's usually used for public figures or extreme cases.

'얼굴이 얇다' is not really used. The opposite is '낯을 가리다' (shy) or '부끄러움을 많이 타다' (easily embarrassed).

No, it has nothing to do with how someone looks.

Yes, if you are joking about asking for a big favor: '제가 좀 얼굴이 두껍지만, 이것 좀 도와주실 수 있나요?'

No, it's a standard idiom found in dictionaries.

Because thick skin hides the blood (shame) from showing on the surface.

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