A1 Idiom Neutral

엎질러진 물.

Eopjilleojin mul.

Spilled water.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

This phrase describes a situation that has already occurred and cannot be reversed, emphasizing the futility of regret.

  • Means: What is done cannot be undone.
  • Used in: Situations where someone is dwelling on a past mistake.
  • Don't confuse: It is not used for physical spills, only metaphorical ones.
Spilled water 💧 + No way to scoop it back 🚫 = Acceptance 🧘

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means something happened and you cannot change it. Use it when you are sad about a mistake.
When you make a mistake, you might feel sad. This phrase tells you that the past is gone. You cannot fix it, so you should stop worrying and look at the future instead.
This idiom is used to describe irreversible actions. It serves as a reminder that dwelling on past errors is unproductive. By comparing a mistake to water spilled on the floor, it highlights the physical impossibility of reversing the event, encouraging the speaker to accept reality.
The idiom '엎질러진 물' functions as a metaphorical construct for finality. It is frequently employed in interpersonal communication to provide comfort or to redirect a conversation away from unproductive rumination. It encapsulates the philosophical concept of acceptance regarding past events that are beyond one's control.
This expression serves as a linguistic manifestation of the 'sunk cost' fallacy in behavioral psychology. By utilizing the imagery of spilled water, it provides a concrete anchor for the abstract concept of irreversibility. It is a pragmatic tool used to terminate cycles of regret, emphasizing the necessity of cognitive reframing in the face of unalterable outcomes.
Within the framework of Korean idiomatic expressions, '엎질러진 물' acts as a prototypical example of a conceptual metaphor where the domain of 'liquid' maps onto the domain of 'time/action'. It functions as a cultural heuristic for emotional regulation, facilitating the transition from a state of retrospective fixation to prospective action. Its usage is deeply embedded in the collective consciousness as a mechanism for mitigating the psychological burden of past failures.

Significado

Something that has already happened and cannot be changed or undone.

🌍

Contexto cultural

Used as a common life lesson for children to build resilience. Uses the exact same idiom, reflecting shared Confucian values. Originates from a story about a man who wanted to take his wife back after divorce, but she poured water to show it's impossible. Uses 'spilled milk' instead of water, but the sentiment is identical.

💡

Use '이미'

Adding '이미' (already) makes the phrase sound more natural.

⚠️

Don't be cold

Be careful when using this with people who are truly suffering.

Significado

Something that has already happened and cannot be changed or undone.

💡

Use '이미'

Adding '이미' (already) makes the phrase sound more natural.

⚠️

Don't be cold

Be careful when using this with people who are truly suffering.

🎯

Pair with action

Always follow this phrase with a suggestion for the future.

Ponte a prueba

Complete the phrase.

이미 _____ 물이니 잊어버리자.

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

The idiom is '엎질러진 물'.

Which situation is appropriate for this phrase?

When should you use '이미 엎질러진 물이야'?

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: When you are sad about a past mistake.

It is used to accept past mistakes.

Match the Korean phrase with its meaning.

Match: 엎질러진 물

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

It refers to things that cannot be changed.

Complete the dialogue.

A: 시험을 망쳤어. B: _____

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

It provides comfort by acknowledging the past.

🎉 Puntuación: /4

Ayudas visuales

Preguntas frecuentes

4 preguntas

It depends on the context. If used to dismiss someone's feelings, it can be rude.

No, it's too informal for professional writing.

Because water is hard to collect once spilled on the ground.

Yes, but this is the most common one.

Frases relacionadas

🔗

후회막급

similar

Regret is too late.

🔄

어쩔 수 없다

synonym

Cannot be helped.

🔄

되돌릴 수 없다

synonym

Cannot be reversed.

🔗

새옹지마

contrast

Life's ups and downs.

Dónde usarla

🏺

Broken Vase

A: 어떡해! 꽃병을 깼어!

B: 이미 엎질러진 물이야. 조심해서 치우자.

informal
📝

Failed Exam

A: 시험을 너무 못 봤어. 공부 더 할걸.

B: 이미 엎질러진 물인데, 다음 시험 준비나 하자.

neutral
🚆

Missed Train

A: 아, 기차를 놓쳤어!

B: 이미 엎질러진 물이야. 다음 기차표를 알아보자.

informal
💻

Work Error

A: 보고서에 오타가 너무 많아요.

B: 이미 엎질러진 물이니, 지금 바로 수정해서 다시 보내죠.

formal
💼

Lost Opportunity

A: 그때 그 제안을 받아들였어야 했는데...

B: 이미 엎질러진 물이야. 다른 기회를 찾아보자.

neutral
🤫

Spilled Secret

A: 비밀을 말해버렸어, 어떡하지?

B: 이미 엎질러진 물이야. 솔직하게 사과하는 게 좋겠어.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a giant bowl of water falling. You try to catch it, but it hits the floor. It's gone forever!

Visual Association

A person standing over a wet floor with an empty bowl, looking confused. The water is spreading under a door.

Rhyme

엎질러진 물, 다시 담을 수 없는 꿀 (Spilled water, honey you can't scoop back - poetic license)

Story

Min-su broke his favorite vase. He cried for hours. His grandmother told him, 'Min-su, it is spilled water.' He stopped crying and started sweeping the pieces.

Word Web

후회 (regret)과거 (past)되돌릴 수 없다 (cannot reverse)실수 (mistake)인정 (acceptance)미래 (future)

Desafío

For one day, every time you make a small mistake, say '이미 엎질러진 물이야' and move on immediately.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Lo hecho, hecho está.

Korean uses a physical metaphor (water), Spanish uses a direct statement.

French high

Ce qui est fait est fait.

Focus on completion vs. focus on impossibility.

German high

Was geschehen ist, ist geschehen.

German is more philosophical/detached.

Japanese very_high

覆水盆に返らず (Fukusui bon ni kaerazu).

None; they share the same Chinese character roots.

Arabic moderate

ما فات مات (Ma fat mat).

Arabic is more dramatic/final.

Chinese very_high

覆水难收 (Fùshuǐ nán shōu).

None.

Korean high

엎질러진 물.

N/A

Portuguese high

O que está feito, está feito.

Direct statement vs. metaphor.

Easily Confused

엎질러진 물. vs 엎질러진 물 vs. 깨진 그릇

Both mean something is ruined, but spilled water emphasizes the impossibility of recovery, while broken bowl emphasizes the damage.

Use 'spilled water' for abstract mistakes and 'broken bowl' for physical damage.

Preguntas frecuentes (4)

It depends on the context. If used to dismiss someone's feelings, it can be rude.

No, it's too informal for professional writing.

Because water is hard to collect once spilled on the ground.

Yes, but this is the most common one.

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