Bedeutung
The belief that emotional pain or problems will lessen and improve over time.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The use of 'medicine' (약) reflects the high value placed on health and the historical influence of traditional herbal medicine where patience is part of the cure. The idiom aligns with Confucian values of endurance (인내) and the belief that emotional balance is restored through harmony with nature's flow. Despite the 'Pali-pali' culture, this idiom is a popular theme in K-Dramas and K-Pop, serving as a reminder to slow down during emotional crises. While universal, the Korean version is notably less active than the English 'Time heals.' In Korean, time *is* the substance, whereas in English, time is the *actor*.
Use with '이지요'
Saying '시간이 약이지요' (Time is medicine, right?) sounds much softer and more empathetic than the plain '이다'.
Don't over-use
If someone is in extreme pain, saying this too early can seem like you don't care about their current feelings.
Bedeutung
The belief that emotional pain or problems will lessen and improve over time.
Use with '이지요'
Saying '시간이 약이지요' (Time is medicine, right?) sounds much softer and more empathetic than the plain '이다'.
Don't over-use
If someone is in extreme pain, saying this too early can seem like you don't care about their current feelings.
Combine with '힘내세요'
A perfect combo is: '지금은 힘들겠지만 시간이 약이에요. 힘내세요!'
The 'Yag' nuance
Remember that 'Yag' in Korean can also mean 'a lesson' or 'a bitter but necessary experience'.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the blank with the correct word to complete the idiom.
슬퍼하지 마세요. {시간|時間}이 ( )입니다.
The idiom is '시간이 약이다' (Time is medicine).
Which situation is most appropriate for using this phrase?
언제 '{시간|時間}이 {약|藥}이다'라고 말할까요?
This phrase is used for emotional consolation, like being upset over losing a wallet.
Complete the dialogue using the correct form of the idiom.
가: 남자친구랑 헤어져서 너무 힘들어요. 나: ( )
The future/supposition form '일 거예요' is most natural when offering comfort for a current problem.
Match the phrase variation to the speaker.
Match '세월이 약이다' to the most likely speaker.
'세월' is a more poetic and mature term for time, often used by older people.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Medicine vs. Time
Aufgabensammlung
4 Aufgaben슬퍼하지 마세요. {시간|時間}이 ( )입니다.
The idiom is '시간이 약이다' (Time is medicine).
언제 '{시간|時間}이 {약|藥}이다'라고 말할까요?
This phrase is used for emotional consolation, like being upset over losing a wallet.
가: 남자친구랑 헤어져서 너무 힘들어요. 나: ( )
The future/supposition form '일 거예요' is most natural when offering comfort for a current problem.
Match '세월이 약이다' to the most likely speaker.
'세월' is a more poetic and mature term for time, often used by older people.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNo, it's strictly for emotional or psychological pain. For a broken arm, say '빨리 쾌차하세요' (Get well soon).
Yes, if they are going through a personal hardship, but use the formal '시간이 약입니다'.
'Sigan' is general time. 'Sewol' implies a long period of time or the 'years' of one's life.
Extremely common. It's often said by the 'wise grandmother' character or a supportive best friend.
Not at all. It's a timeless classic used by all ages.
Only if you are being very poetic or cynical, meaning 'time is making things worse.' But it's not a standard idiom.
You can say '시간만이 약이다' by adding the particle '-만' (only).
Younger people might say '존버' (enduring), but it's much coarser and doesn't have the 'healing' nuance.
Yes, if the problem is something that will naturally resolve as the market changes or people forget.
You can say '시간이 약이 아니더라고요' (It turns out time wasn't the medicine).
Verwandte Redewendungen
{세월|歲月}이 {약|藥}이다
similarThe flow of years is medicine.
{시간|時間}이 해결해 주다
synonymTime will solve it.
{시간|時間}이 모든 것을 치유한다
specialized formTime heals everything.
산 사람은 살아야지
builds onThe living must go on living.
