A2 Idiom Neutral

손을 떼다

son-eul tteda

Take one's hands off/Stop doing

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use '{손|手}을 떼다' when you stop being involved in a project, job, or habit entirely.

  • Means: To stop doing a specific task or project permanently.
  • Used in: Resigning from jobs, quitting hobbies, or leaving group projects.
  • Don't confuse: It's not for temporary breaks; it means a complete stop.
Work/Task 💼 + Hands Moving Away 👐 = {손|手}을 떼다

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means 'to stop doing something.' '손' means hand and '떼다' means to take away. So, it is like taking your hands off your work. Use it when you finish a job or a hobby forever. It is a very common Korean idiom.
‘{손|手}을 떼다’ is an idiom used when you stop being involved in a project or task. Literally, it means 'to take one's hands off.' You can use it for jobs, hobbies, or even bad habits. It is different from 'resting' because it means you are stopping completely.
This idiom describes the act of withdrawing from a responsibility or activity. While the literal translation is 'to remove one's hands,' it is figuratively used to signal the end of participation. It's frequently used in business contexts when someone resigns or in personal contexts when someone quits a long-term hobby.
‘{손|手}을 떼다’ functions as a decisive idiomatic expression for terminating one's involvement in a particular sphere. It implies a total cessation of influence or labor. Unlike '발을 빼다,' which might suggest escaping a negative situation, '{손|手}을 떼다' is more neutral and focuses on the act of stopping the work itself.
This idiomatic expression encapsulates the transition from active engagement to complete disengagement. Linguistically, the verb '떼다' (to detach) emphasizes the severance of the connection between the agent and the object of labor. In socio-political discourse, it often denotes the relinquishing of authority or the cessation of intervention in specific affairs, reflecting a shift in power dynamics.
The idiom '{손|手}을 떼다' serves as a metaphorical construct where the 'hand' represents agency and the act of 'detaching' symbolizes the termination of that agency over a specific domain. It operates within a cognitive linguistic framework where physical contact is equated with control. Mastery involves distinguishing its neutral-to-positive nuance of retirement or completion from the more evasive connotations of '발을 빼다' or the redemptive '손을 씻다'.

Bedeutung

To cease involvement in a task or project.

🌍

Kultureller Hintergrund

In the corporate world, '손을 떼다' is often used when a family-run conglomerate (Chaebol) leader retires, signifying a major shift in the company's future. Modern Korean parents are often encouraged to '손을 떼다' from their adult children's lives to foster independence, reflecting a change in traditional family dynamics. Villains in K-Dramas are often told to '손 떼!' when they are interfering with the protagonist's business or love life. In Korea, 'taking one's hands off' can sometimes be viewed as a responsible way to admit failure and let someone more capable take over.

💡

Dropping the marker

In casual speech, just say '손 떼' (Son tte). It's much more natural.

⚠️

Aggressive tone

Saying '손 떼!' to someone can be very rude, like saying 'Get your hands off!' or 'Stay out of my business!'

Bedeutung

To cease involvement in a task or project.

💡

Dropping the marker

In casual speech, just say '손 떼' (Son tte). It's much more natural.

⚠️

Aggressive tone

Saying '손 떼!' to someone can be very rude, like saying 'Get your hands off!' or 'Stay out of my business!'

🎯

Business Korean

Use this in interviews to explain why you left a previous role: '새로운 도전을 위해 이전 사업에서 {손|手}을 뗐습니다.'

💬

The 'Hand' Metaphor

Korean has many 'hand' idioms. Learning this one opens the door to others like '손이 크다' (generous) or '손을 빌리다' (ask for help).

Teste dich selbst

Fill in the blank with the correct form of '{손|手}을 떼다'.

그는 20년 동안 운영하던 식당에서 이제 ( ).

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: 손을 뗐어요

The context is quitting a business, so '손을 뗐어요' is the correct idiom.

Which situation is most appropriate for '{손|手}을 떼다'?

When would you say this?

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: Quitting your piano lessons after 5 years.

The idiom refers to stopping a long-term activity or responsibility.

Complete the dialogue.

가: 민수 씨, 아직도 그 프로젝트 도와주고 있어요? 나: 아니요, 너무 바빠서 지난주에 ( ).

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: 손을 뗐어요

'손을 뗐어요' is the most neutral and common way to say you stopped helping with a project.

🎉 Ergebnis: /3

Visuelle Lernhilfen

Hand vs. Foot Idioms

{손|手}을 떼다
Neutral Resigning
Work Management
발을 빼다
Negative Escaping
Trouble Scandal

Häufig gestellte Fragen

10 Fragen

No, it implies a permanent or long-term stop. For a break, use '쉬다'.

It's neutral. You can use it with '요' for politeness or in formal reports.

'그만두다' is a general verb for 'to stop'. '{손|手}을 떼다' is more idiomatic and emphasizes the withdrawal of involvement.

Yes, but it sounds like you are stopping 'interfering' or 'managing' the relationship rather than just breaking up.

No, '손을 씻다' is specifically for quitting a life of crime or bad habits.

You can say '{손|手}을 떼고 싶어요'.

Not necessarily. It can be a positive sign of retirement or moving on.

Yes, '공부에서 {손|手}을 떼다' means to stop studying entirely.

No, it's often dropped in conversation: '손 떼다'.

There isn't a direct idiomatic opposite, but '손을 대다' (to start/touch) is close.

Verwandte Redewendungen

🔗

발을 빼다

similar

To withdraw from a situation (often a bad one).

🔗

손을 씻다

similar

To wash one's hands of crime or a bad past.

🔄

그만두다

synonym

To stop/quit.

🔗

손을 놓다

similar

To let go of work/stop working.

🔗

은퇴하다

specialized form

To retire.

Wo du es verwendest

🏪

Quitting a Part-time Job

Alba (Part-timer): 점장님, 저 이제 편의점 일에서 {손|手}을 떼려고요.

Manager: 아니, 갑자기 왜? 무슨 일 있어?

neutral
💻

Leaving a Group Project

Min-ho: 나 이번 팀 프로젝트에서 {손|手} 뗄래. 너무 힘들어.

Ji-won: 야, 너 없으면 우리 어떡해!

informal
👴

Retiring from Business

Reporter: 회장님께서 경영에서 {손|手}을 떼신 이유가 무엇입니까?

Secretary: 건강상의 이유로 은퇴를 결정하셨습니다.

formal
🚭

Stopping a Bad Habit

Friend A: 너 아직도 그 게임 하니?

Friend B: 아니, 시간 낭비인 것 같아서 완전히 {손|手} 뗐어.

informal
👪

Parental Advice

Mother: 이제 아들 일에는 {손|手}을 떼고 싶어. 스스로 하게 둬야지.

Father: 맞아요. 우리가 너무 간섭했나 봐요.

neutral
🎨

Ending a Hobby

Sora: 그림 그리는 거 그만뒀어?

Yumi: 응, 재능이 없는 것 같아서 {손|手} 뗐어.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a hot potato. When it's too much to handle, you 'take your hands off' (손을 떼다) to stop the pain/work.

Visual Association

Imagine a potter at a spinning wheel. To stop making the vase, they must lift their hands away. The vase stops changing once the hands are gone.

Rhyme

일이 힘들 때, {손|手}을 떼! (When work is hard, take your hands off!)

Story

Ji-su was a famous baker. One day, she decided she was too tired of flour. She literally took her hands off the dough, walked out of the kitchen, and never returned. She '손을 뗐다' from baking.

Word Web

{손|手} (Hand)떼다 (Detach)그만두다 (Stop)중단 (Cessation)은퇴 (Retirement)포기 (Giving up)책임 (Responsibility)

Herausforderung

Try to find one thing you are currently doing (a hobby, a small task) and say out loud in Korean: '저는 [Task]에서 {손|手}을 떼고 싶어요.'

In Other Languages

English high

To wash one's hands of / To take one's hands off

Korean focuses more on the cessation of labor than the removal of guilt.

Spanish moderate

Lavarse las manos

Spanish is more about avoiding blame.

French moderate

S'en laver les mains

French often implies a 'not my problem anymore' attitude.

German high

Die Finger von etwas lassen

German often uses it as a warning (Don't touch!).

Japanese high

手を引く (Te o hiku)

Japanese uses 'pull' (hiku) while Korean uses 'detach' (tteda).

Arabic high

غسل يده من (Ghasala yadahu min)

Often used when losing hope in a person.

Chinese high

洗手不干 (Xǐshǒu bùgàn)

Chinese often implies quitting a 'shady' business.

Portuguese moderate

Lavar as mãos

Focuses on the moral aspect of responsibility.

Easily Confused

손을 떼다 vs. 손을 놓다

Both mean stopping work.

'손을 떼다' is more about a formal or permanent withdrawal, while '손을 놓다' often implies you've lost the will to continue or are just pausing.

손을 떼다 vs. 발을 빼다

Both mean quitting.

Use '발을 빼다' when you want to sound like you're escaping a problem. Use '손을 떼다' for a neutral resignation.

FAQ (10)

No, it implies a permanent or long-term stop. For a break, use '쉬다'.

It's neutral. You can use it with '요' for politeness or in formal reports.

'그만두다' is a general verb for 'to stop'. '{손|手}을 떼다' is more idiomatic and emphasizes the withdrawal of involvement.

Yes, but it sounds like you are stopping 'interfering' or 'managing' the relationship rather than just breaking up.

No, '손을 씻다' is specifically for quitting a life of crime or bad habits.

You can say '{손|手}을 떼고 싶어요'.

Not necessarily. It can be a positive sign of retirement or moving on.

Yes, '공부에서 {손|手}을 떼다' means to stop studying entirely.

No, it's often dropped in conversation: '손 떼다'.

There isn't a direct idiomatic opposite, but '손을 대다' (to start/touch) is close.

War das hilfreich?

Kommentare (0)

Zum Kommentieren Anmelden
Noch keine Kommentare. Sei der Erste, der seine Gedanken teilt!