Significado
Rumors and gossip spread incredibly fast and far.
Contexto cultural
In the Joseon Dynasty, the 'Cheon-ri' distance was a symbolic measure of the entire country. This proverb emphasized that no matter how remote a village was, news from the capital would eventually reach it. Korea's 'Pali-pali' (hurry-hurry) culture combined with high-speed internet has turned this proverb into a warning about 'Netizen' power and the speed of viral comments. Confucianism emphasizes 'Shin' (trust) and 'Eon' (speech). Being careful with one's words was a mark of a 'Seonbi' (scholar). This proverb was a tool for teaching self-restraint. Many K-dramas use this proverb when a secret birth or a corporate scandal is leaked. It's a key plot device to move the story forward rapidly.
Use it with '더니'
It sounds most natural when you say '발 없는 말이 천 리 간다더니...' (They said words travel far, and [as expected]...).
Don't use for literal horses
Even though 'mal' means horse, this proverb is 100% about speech. Using it for a fast horse will sound like a dad joke.
Significado
Rumors and gossip spread incredibly fast and far.
Use it with '더니'
It sounds most natural when you say '발 없는 말이 천 리 간다더니...' (They said words travel far, and [as expected]...).
Don't use for literal horses
Even though 'mal' means horse, this proverb is 100% about speech. Using it for a fast horse will sound like a dad joke.
Pair it with a sigh
When a secret is out, Koreans often say this with a small sigh of resignation, acknowledging that gossip is an unstoppable force of nature.
Ponte a prueba
Fill in the missing words to complete the proverb.
발 ___ 말이 ___ 리 간다.
The standard proverb is '발 없는 말이 천 리 간다'.
Which situation best fits the proverb '발 없는 말이 천 리 간다'?
Situation: You told one person about your secret crush, and the next day the whole school knows.
The proverb is used to describe the rapid spread of rumors or secrets.
Complete the dialogue using the proverb.
가: 우리 비밀이 벌써 다 퍼졌어! 어떻게 이럴 수가 있지? 나: ____________________. 조심했어야지.
Option A is the correct proverb for rumors spreading. B is about being kind, C is about the power of persuasion, and D is 'speak of the devil'.
Choose the correct grammar form for the proverb in a neutral conversation.
발 없는 말이 천 리 ______.
While '간다' is the dictionary form, '가네요' is a natural way to express surprise in a neutral conversation.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejercicios발 ___ 말이 ___ 리 간다.
The standard proverb is '발 없는 말이 천 리 간다'.
Situation: You told one person about your secret crush, and the next day the whole school knows.
The proverb is used to describe the rapid spread of rumors or secrets.
가: 우리 비밀이 벌써 다 퍼졌어! 어떻게 이럴 수가 있지? 나: ____________________. 조심했어야지.
Option A is the correct proverb for rumors spreading. B is about being kind, C is about the power of persuasion, and D is 'speak of the devil'.
발 없는 말이 천 리 ______.
While '간다' is the dictionary form, '가네요' is a natural way to express surprise in a neutral conversation.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasYes, 'ri' is a traditional unit of distance. 1,000 ri is about 400km, which is roughly the length of South Korea.
Yes, but it's much more common for rumors, secrets, or scandals. Using it for good news can sound a bit surprised or even slightly sarcastic.
In proverbs and poetry, the subject marker '이' is often dropped to create a tighter, more rhythmic adnominal phrase.
Absolutely. It's one of the most common proverbs in Korea and is frequently used in daily conversation and on social media.
'소문' is the noun for 'rumor'. This proverb describes the *action* and *speed* of that rumor.
It means 'word' ({말|言}), but the proverb is a pun that plays on the speed of a 'horse' ({말|馬}).
People sometimes say this as a joke to mean 'it travels even further,' but the standard proverb always uses '천 리'.
The proverb itself is in the plain form (neutral), but you can make it formal by adding '~라고 합니다' or informal by saying '~라잖아'.
You can say '소문이 정말 빨라요' (The rumor is really fast).
It's a traditional unit of distance. 1 ri is about 0.4 kilometers.
Frases relacionadas
낮말은 새가 듣고 밤말은 쥐가 듣는다
similarBirds hear daytime talk, and mice hear nighttime talk.
말 한마디에 천 냥 빚도 갚는다
builds onA single word can repay a debt of a thousand nyang.
입은 비뚤어져도 말은 바로 해라
relatedEven if your mouth is crooked, speak straight (tell the truth).
가루는 칠수록 고와지고 말은 할수록 늘어난다
similarFlour gets finer as you sift it, and stories grow as you tell them.
