A1 Proverb Neutral

낮말은 새가 듣고 밤말은 쥐가 듣는다.

Nanmareun saega deutgo banmareun jwiga deutneunda.

Be careful what you say.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

This proverb warns that secrets are never truly private, so be careful what you say, even when you think no one is listening.

  • Means: Be cautious with your words because someone might always be listening.
  • Used in: Warning friends about gossip, advising discretion in public, or discussing secrets.
  • Don't confuse: It is not about actual birds or mice, but a metaphor for eavesdroppers.
🤫 (Secret) + 🐦 (Bird) + 🐭 (Mouse) = ⚠️ (Caution)

Explanation at your level:

This proverb means be careful when you speak. People might hear you even if you think you are alone.
It is a warning about privacy. It tells us that our words can travel, so we should always be mindful of who might be listening.
This proverb highlights the vulnerability of speech. It suggests that secrets are difficult to keep in public, urging the speaker to exercise discretion at all times.
The proverb serves as a cautionary device regarding the ubiquity of eavesdroppers. It emphasizes that the environment is never truly neutral, and one's words are always subject to potential interception.
This idiom functions as a socio-cultural imperative for discretion. It reflects a traditional communal awareness where the boundaries between public and private spheres are porous, necessitating constant vigilance in verbal communication.
Rooted in the architectural and social constraints of historical Korea, this proverb functions as a linguistic manifestation of the 'panoptic' social environment. It serves as a pedagogical tool for internalizing the social norm of '눈치', where the speaker must constantly calibrate their discourse based on the perceived presence of an 'unseen' audience.

Significado

Words spoken can easily be overheard; therefore, be cautious about what you say.

🌍

Contexto cultural

Reflects the traditional 'hanok' living style where sound traveled easily. Used to warn against social media oversharing.

💡

Pronunciation

Remember that '낮말' is pronounced '난말' because of the nasalization rule.

Significado

Words spoken can easily be overheard; therefore, be cautious about what you say.

💡

Pronunciation

Remember that '낮말' is pronounced '난말' because of the nasalization rule.

Ponte a prueba

Choose the correct verb for the proverb.

낮말은 새가 ____고 밤말은 쥐가 ____는다.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 듣고/듣는

The proverb is about hearing, so '듣다' is the correct verb.

🎉 Puntuación: /1

Ayudas visuales

Preguntas frecuentes

1 preguntas

It is mainly for secrets, but also for any sensitive information.

Frases relacionadas

🔄

벽에도 귀가 있다

synonym

The walls have ears.

🔗

입조심해

builds on

Watch your mouth.

Dónde usarla

☕

Gossip in a cafe

A: 걔가 사실은...

B: 야, 낮말은 새가 듣고 밤말은 쥐가 듣는다고. 조용히 해!

informal
🏢

Office meeting

Manager: 이 프로젝트는 보안이 중요합니다. 낮말은 새가 듣고 밤말은 쥐가 듣는다는 점을 명심하세요.

formal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Birds fly in the day, mice crawl at night; both listen to your secrets.

Visual Association

Imagine a bird perched on a window sill and a mouse under your chair, both taking notes on what you say.

Rhyme

Day birds hear, night mice near.

Story

Min-su was whispering a secret in the park. He thought he was alone. But suddenly, he remembered the proverb. He looked at a bird on a tree and a mouse in the grass. He decided to keep his secret to himself.

Word Web

조심 (caution)비밀 (secret)듣다 (to hear)눈치 (social awareness)뒷담화 (gossip)사생활 (privacy)

Desafío

Try to use this phrase in a conversation today when someone is being too loud about a secret.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Las paredes oyen.

Korean uses animal metaphors, while Spanish uses architectural ones.

French high

Les murs ont des oreilles.

Focuses on the 'ears' of the walls rather than the 'listeners' in nature.

German high

Die Wände haben Ohren.

German is more direct about the 'ears' existing.

Japanese high

壁に耳あり、障子に目あり。

Includes 'eyes' (seeing) as well as 'ears' (hearing).

Arabic high

للحيطان آذان.

Very concise compared to the Korean proverb's poetic structure.

Easily Confused

낮말은 새가 듣고 밤말은 쥐가 듣는다. vs 가는 말이 고와야 오는 말이 곱다

Both are proverbs about speech.

This one is about reciprocity; the other is about privacy.

Preguntas frecuentes (1)

It is mainly for secrets, but also for any sensitive information.

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