A1 Idiom Neutral

가슴에 손을 얹다.

gaseume soneul eonda.

Put hand on heart, be honest.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

A phrase used to emphasize that you are speaking with complete honesty and sincerity.

  • Means: To speak truthfully, as if taking a solemn oath.
  • Used in: Serious apologies, confessions, or when defending your integrity.
  • Don't confuse: It is not a literal medical check for heart pain.
Hand on chest + Sincere eyes = Trustworthy statement

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means to speak the truth. You use it when you want people to believe you. It is like saying, 'I promise I am telling the truth.'
When you say '가슴에 손을 얹다', you are telling the listener that your words come from your heart. It is a common way to show you are serious and honest. People use it when they are apologizing or explaining something important.
This idiom is used to emphasize sincerity. By invoking the physical act of placing a hand on the chest, the speaker signals that they have consulted their conscience. It is particularly effective in situations where trust has been broken or when making a significant confession.
The phrase '가슴에 손을 얹다' serves as a rhetorical device to underscore the veracity of a statement. It functions as a meta-communicative marker, signaling that the following discourse is free from deception. It is deeply rooted in the cultural belief that the heart is the repository of truth and moral judgment.
In Korean discourse, '가슴에 손을 얹다' functions as an illocutionary force-indicating device. It commits the speaker to the truth-value of their utterance by metaphorically grounding it in the somatic experience of self-reflection. This idiom bridges the gap between subjective experience and objective truth, making it a powerful tool for interpersonal negotiation and moral accountability.
From a cognitive linguistic perspective, '가슴에 손을 얹다' utilizes the conceptual metaphor 'THE HEART IS THE SEAT OF CONSCIENCE.' By performing the physical gesture of placing a hand on the chest, the speaker externalizes their internal moral state. This idiom is a quintessential example of how embodied cognition shapes linguistic expression, allowing speakers to leverage physical metaphors to negotiate social trust and verify the sincerity of their communicative intent in high-stakes social interactions.

Significado

To speak honestly and sincerely, as if swearing an oath.

🌍

Contexto cultural

The gesture is often accompanied by a serious facial expression.

💡

Use it for emphasis

Don't overuse it, or it loses its power.

Significado

To speak honestly and sincerely, as if swearing an oath.

💡

Use it for emphasis

Don't overuse it, or it loses its power.

Ponte a prueba

Fill in the blank with the correct verb.

가슴에 손을 ____ 말해 봐.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 얹고

The standard idiom uses '얹다'.

🎉 Puntuación: /1

Preguntas frecuentes

1 preguntas

Yes, it is polite and shows sincerity.

Frases relacionadas

🔗

양심에 찔리다

contrast

To feel guilty

Dónde usarla

😔

Admitting a mistake

Friend: Did you break my phone?

You: 가슴에 손을 얹고 말하는데, 내가 그랬어. 미안해.

neutral
🛡️

Defending your integrity

Boss: Did you leak the report?

You: 가슴에 손을 얹고 맹세합니다. 저는 절대 아닙니다.

formal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a heart-shaped stamp on your chest that says 'TRUTH'. When you put your hand there, you are stamping your words as 'Certified Truth'.

Visual Association

A person standing in front of a mirror, hand pressed firmly against their chest, looking into their own eyes while speaking.

Rhyme

가슴에 손을 얹고, 진실을 말하고.

Story

Min-su broke his mom's vase. He was scared. He put his hand on his chest, took a deep breath, and said, 'Mom, I broke it.' His mom appreciated his honesty.

Word Web

진실양심맹세정직고백반성

Desafío

For the next 24 hours, whenever you feel you are being truly honest about a difficult topic, physically place your hand on your chest.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Poner la mano en el corazón

None; the cultural metaphor is identical.

French high

La main sur le cœur

Often used as a noun phrase to describe a person's character.

German high

Die Hand aufs Herz legen

Slightly more formal than the Korean usage.

Japanese high

胸に手を当てる

The verb '当てる' is used instead of '얹다'.

Arabic high

وضع اليد على القلب

Often carries a stronger religious connotation.

Chinese moderate

扪心自问

More introspective than communicative.

Portuguese high

Com a mão no coração

None.

Korean self

가슴에 손을 얹다

N/A

Easily Confused

가슴에 손을 얹다. vs 가슴이 아프다

Learners think it means 'to be honest'.

It means 'to be heartbroken'.

Preguntas frecuentes (1)

Yes, it is polite and shows sincerity.

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