B1 Proverb Neutral

죽 쑤어 개 좋은 일 시키다

juk ssu-eo gae joh-eun il si-ki-da

Make porridge for a dog

Phrase in 30 Seconds

This phrase describes putting in all the effort only for someone else to reap the rewards.

  • Means: Wasting your hard work so another benefits.
  • Used in: Unfair workplace situations or unappreciated personal favors.
  • Don't confuse: It is not about simply failing; it is about someone else winning.
Hard work (🥣) + Unfair outcome (🐕) = Frustration (😤)

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means you worked hard, but someone else got the prize. It is like cooking food, but a dog eats it. You feel sad and angry.
In Korea, we use this when you do a lot of work, but another person gets the benefit. It is a common way to complain about unfair situations at work or school.
This proverb describes a situation where your hard work is wasted because someone else takes the credit or the reward. It is often used in professional or social settings when you feel your efforts were exploited by others.
The phrase '죽 쑤어 개 좋은 일 시키다' serves as a metaphor for labor exploitation. It captures the frustration of an individual who invests significant time and energy into a task, only to have the fruits of that labor appropriated by an undeserving third party.
This idiom functions as a socio-linguistic marker of perceived injustice. It encapsulates the tension between individual contribution and collective outcome, specifically highlighting the lack of distributive justice in a given scenario. It is frequently employed to articulate a sense of betrayal or systemic unfairness in interpersonal dynamics.
From a cognitive linguistics perspective, this proverb utilizes the source domain of domestic labor (preparing porridge) to map onto the target domain of professional or social contribution. By invoking the image of a canine beneficiary, it emphasizes the absurdity and indignity of the situation, effectively framing the speaker as the victim of an inequitable exchange of value.

Significado

Doing hard work only for others to benefit from it.

🌍

Contexto cultural

Porridge (Juk) is a traditional comfort food, making the waste of it particularly poignant. In Korean corporate culture, '공' (credit) is highly valued, making this proverb a common way to vent. The emphasis on reciprocity means that when effort is not rewarded, it is seen as a moral failure of the beneficiary. Used frequently in online forums to discuss unfair treatment by bosses or partners.

💡

Context is key

Only use this when you are sure someone else benefited from your work.

⚠️

Don't be rude

Avoid saying this to your boss directly, as it is quite accusatory.

Significado

Doing hard work only for others to benefit from it.

💡

Context is key

Only use this when you are sure someone else benefited from your work.

⚠️

Don't be rude

Avoid saying this to your boss directly, as it is quite accusatory.

Ponte a prueba

Fill in the blank with the correct phrase.

내가 밤새워 준비한 기획안을 팀장이 가로챘어. 정말 ______.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 죽 쑤어 개 좋은 일 시킨 꼴이야

This fits the context of someone else taking credit for your hard work.

Which situation is appropriate for this proverb?

Choose the correct scenario.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: You worked hard but your coworker got the promotion.

The proverb applies when your effort benefits someone else unfairly.

Complete the dialogue.

A: 내가 다 도와줬는데 걔가 상을 받았어. B: ______.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 죽 쑤어 개 좋은 일 시켰네.

This is the appropriate response to express sympathy for someone's wasted effort.

🎉 Puntuación: /3

Ayudas visuales

Preguntas frecuentes

2 preguntas

No, it is too informal. Use '성과를 빼앗기다' instead.

No, the dog is a metaphor for an undeserving person.

Frases relacionadas

🔄

재주는 곰이 넘고 돈은 주인이 받는다

synonym

The bear does the tricks, the owner gets the money.

🔗

헛수고하다

similar

To do something in vain.

🔗

남 좋은 일 하다

builds on

To do good things for others.

Dónde usarla

📚

Group Project

A: 내가 다 했는데 점수는 같이 받네.

B: 진짜 죽 쑤어 개 좋은 일 시킨 꼴이네.

informal
💼

Workplace Credit

A: 부장님이 내 아이디어를 자기 것처럼 말했어.

B: 완전 죽 쑤어 개 좋은 일 시킨 거잖아.

neutral
🤝

Helping a Friend

A: 걔가 부탁해서 다 해줬는데 고맙다는 말도 없어.

B: 죽 쑤어 개 좋은 일 시켰네, 진짜.

A: 그러게 말이야.

informal
📈

Business Strategy

A: 우리가 시장을 개척했는데 경쟁사가 다 가져갔습니다.

B: 죽 쑤어 개 좋은 일 시킨 셈이군요.

formal
💔

Relationship Advice

A: 그 사람을 위해 다 바쳤는데 결국 떠났어.

B: 죽 쑤어 개 좋은 일 시킨 거랑 다를 게 없네.

informal
🍲

Cooking/Hosting

A: 손님 초대해서 요리 다 했는데 아무도 안 먹어.

B: 죽 쑤어 개 좋은 일 시킨 꼴이네, 진짜.

A: 그러게, 너무 허무해.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a dog licking a bowl of porridge you just spent hours cooking. You are hungry, but the dog is full.

Visual Association

Picture a chef in a kitchen looking at a dog eating a bowl of porridge while the chef holds an empty spoon.

Story

Min-su worked all night on a report. He left it on his desk. The next morning, his boss presented the report as his own. Min-su realized he had just 'cooked porridge for the dog'.

Word Web

노력 (effort)허무 (futility)보상 (reward)가로채다 (to steal/hijack)불공평 (unfairness)희생 (sacrifice)

Desafío

Write a 3-sentence story about a time you felt this way.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Cosechar lo que otro siembra

The Korean version emphasizes the 'wasted effort' more than the 'harvesting' aspect.

French moderate

Travailler pour le roi de Prusse

The Korean proverb specifically implies a beneficiary.

German moderate

Die Kastanien aus dem Feuer holen

The German version emphasizes the danger/difficulty, while the Korean emphasizes the waste.

Japanese moderate

骨折り損のくたびれ儲け

The Korean version explicitly mentions the 'other' who benefits.

Arabic high

يأكلون ثمار تعبي

The Korean version uses a more colorful, metaphorical image of porridge and a dog.

Chinese high

为他人作嫁衣裳

The Chinese version uses the imagery of a wedding dress, which is culturally specific.

Korean high

재주는 곰이 넘고 돈은 주인이 받는다

This one focuses on the performer vs. the owner, whereas the porridge one focuses on the cook vs. the dog.

Portuguese low

Trabalhar para aquecer

The Korean proverb is more specific about the beneficiary.

Easily Confused

죽 쑤어 개 좋은 일 시키다 vs 죽을 쑤다

Learners often confuse the idiom with the literal meaning of 'to fail' (slang).

In slang, '죽을 쑤다' means to fail miserably. The proverb is specifically about the 'dog' part.

Preguntas frecuentes (2)

No, it is too informal. Use '성과를 빼앗기다' instead.

No, the dog is a metaphor for an undeserving person.

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