Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use '입에 대다' to describe tasting or consuming something, usually to emphasize that someone is (or isn't) eating or drinking.
- Means: To taste, eat, or drink even a small amount.
- Used in: Discussing picky eaters, allergies, or quitting habits like drinking.
- Don't confuse: With '입에 맞다' which means food tastes good/suits your palate.
Explication à ton niveau :
Signification
To taste or consume food or drink.
Contexte culturel
In Korean drinking culture, if an elder offers you a drink, it is polite to accept it with two hands and at least 'touch it to your lips' (입에 대다) even if you don't drink it, to show respect for the gesture. The phrase is often used by parents when complaining about their children's 'pyeonsik' (picky eating), which is a common topic of social conversation among Korean mothers. During traditional 'Jesa' (ancestral rites), family members might 'touch their lips' to the offered wine as a way of receiving the ancestors' blessings. With the rise of health-consciousness, many young Koreans use this phrase to proudly declare they don't 'touch' soda, fast food, or alcohol.
Use with '도'
To sound more like a native, use '입에도 안 대다' when you want to emphasize you really don't eat something.
Not for normal eating
Don't say 'I put rice to my mouth' for a normal lunch. Use '먹다' instead.
Use with '도'
To sound more like a native, use '입에도 안 대다' when you want to emphasize you really don't eat something.
Not for normal eating
Don't say 'I put rice to my mouth' for a normal lunch. Use '먹다' instead.
Respectful Refusal
In Korea, using this phrase to explain why you don't drink (e.g., for health or religion) is a very clear and respected way to refuse alcohol.
Teste-toi
Fill in the blank with the correct form of '입에 대다'.
저는 매운 음식을 전혀 ( ).
The word '전혀' (at all) requires a negative form. '입에 안 대요' means 'don't even touch/eat'.
Complete the dialogue naturally.
A: 이 술 한 잔 마셔봐. 진짜 맛있어. B: 미안해, 나 ( ).
B is refusing the drink, so '입에 안 대' (I don't drink/touch it) is the correct idiomatic refusal.
Which situation best fits the phrase '입에도 안 대다'?
Which person would say this?
'입에도 안 대다' is used for total refusal of food.
Choose the most natural sentence.
Which sentence is correct?
This correctly uses the idiom to show that because they were full, they didn't even taste the dessert.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
When to use '입에 대다'
Refusal
- • Allergies
- • Picky eating
- • Dieting
Habits
- • Alcohol
- • Smoking
- • Coffee
Physical State
- • Too full
- • Too sick
- • Too nervous
Banque d exercices
5 exercices저는 매운 음식을 전혀 ( ).
The word '전혀' (at all) requires a negative form. '입에 안 대요' means 'don't even touch/eat'.
A: 이 술 한 잔 마셔봐. 진짜 맛있어. B: 미안해, 나 ( ).
B is refusing the drink, so '입에 안 대' (I don't drink/touch it) is the correct idiomatic refusal.
Which person would say this?
'입에도 안 대다' is used for total refusal of food.
Which sentence is correct?
This correctly uses the idiom to show that because they were full, they didn't even taste the dessert.
🎉 Score : /5
Questions fréquentes
6 questionsYes, it is very common for drinks, including water. '물도 입에 못 대겠어요' (I can't even drink water).
It can be a bit blunt. If a host offers food, it's better to say '제가 [음식]을 잘 못 먹어서요' rather than '입에도 안 대요' unless you have a strong reason.
'맛보다' simply means to taste. '입에 대다' is more about the act of starting to consume or the refusal to do so.
Usually no. For medicine, we use '복용하다' or '먹다'.
It is neutral. You can use it in formal settings with the correct endings (대지 않습니다).
Yes, you can say a dog 'won't touch' its food using this phrase.
Expressions liées
입에 맞다
similarTo suit one's taste
손을 대다
similarTo touch with hands / To start something
입을 맞추다
contrastTo kiss / To coordinate stories
입에 풀칠하다
specialized formTo barely make a living (literally: to put paste on the mouth)
입도 안 대다
variationTo not even touch (food)
Où l'utiliser
At a Restaurant
Friend A: 이 김치찌개 진짜 매운데 먹어볼래?
Friend B: 아니, 나는 매운 거 못 먹어서 입에도 안 대.
Company Dinner (Hoesik)
Boss: 김 대리, 술 한 잔 받아.
Employee: 죄송합니다, 부장님. 제가 건강 때문에 술을 입에 대지 않습니다.
Doctor's Office
Doctor: 당분간은 기름진 음식을 입에 대시면 안 됩니다.
Patient: 네, 알겠습니다. 조심할게요.
Talking about Kids
Mother A: 우리 애는 편식이 심해서 걱정이에요.
Mother B: 우리 애도 시금치는 입에도 안 대요.
New Year's Resolution
Person A: 올해 목표가 뭐야?
Person B: 오늘부터 담배는 절대 입에 안 대기로 했어.
First Date
Man: 와인 좀 드실래요?
Woman: 아, 제가 술을 전혀 입에 못 대서요. 주스 마실게요.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Think of 'Lip' (입) and 'Dare' (대). Do you 'Dare' to put it to your 'Lip'?
Association visuelle
Imagine a person holding a glass of bright green juice. They are pushing it away with their hand while their lips are tightly sealed. This represents '입에도 안 대다'.
Rhyme
입에 대면 맛을 알아, 입에 안 대면 배가 고파. (If you taste it, you know the flavor; if you don't, you stay hungry.)
Story
Min-su is a very picky eater. At a party, there was a plate of broccoli. Min-su didn't even want to look at it. He said, 'I won't even let it touch my mouth!' (입에도 안 댈 거예요!). He kept his promise and only ate the fried chicken.
In Other Languages
In English, we say 'to not touch a drop' or 'to not lay a finger on'. In Japanese, 'kuchi ni suru' (口にする) is almost identical.
Word Web
Défi
Try to list 3 things you never '입에 대다' (e.g., specific vegetables, types of alcohol) and say them out loud in Korean.
Review this phrase after 1 day, then 3 days. Focus on the '도 안 대다' pattern as it's the most common.
Prononciation
The 'p' sound in 'ip' moves to the next syllable because of the vowel 'e'.
The 'd' is a soft 't/d' sound.
Spectre de formalité
저는 {酒|술}을 {口|입}에 대지 않습니다. (Declaring one's drinking habits)
저는 {酒|술}을 {口|입}에 안 대요. (Declaring one's drinking habits)
나 {酒|술} {口|입}에 안 대. (Declaring one's drinking habits)
나 {酒|술} 입에도 안 대, 진짜. (Declaring one's drinking habits)
The phrase combines '입' (mouth) and '대다' (to touch/put against). It describes the very first physical contact between a human and sustenance.
Le savais-tu ?
While '입' is the mouth, '대다' is a very busy verb in Korean, used for everything from 'touching' to 'aiming' to 'comparing'.
Notes culturelles
In Korean drinking culture, if an elder offers you a drink, it is polite to accept it with two hands and at least 'touch it to your lips' (입에 대다) even if you don't drink it, to show respect for the gesture.
“술을 못 마셔도 잔을 입에 대는 시늉은 해야 해요.”
The phrase is often used by parents when complaining about their children's 'pyeonsik' (picky eating), which is a common topic of social conversation among Korean mothers.
“우리 애는 채소라면 질색을 하고 입에도 안 대요.”
During traditional 'Jesa' (ancestral rites), family members might 'touch their lips' to the offered wine as a way of receiving the ancestors' blessings.
“제사가 끝나고 음복을 하며 술을 입에 댔다.”
With the rise of health-consciousness, many young Koreans use this phrase to proudly declare they don't 'touch' soda, fast food, or alcohol.
“건강을 위해서 탄산음료는 입에도 안 대요.”
Amorces de conversation
절대 입에 안 대는 음식이 있어요?
술을 입에 대기 시작한 게 언제예요?
건강을 위해 입에 대지 않기로 결심한 것이 있나요?
Erreurs courantes
음식을 입에 붙이다
음식을 입에 대다
L1 Interference
술을 입에 먹다
술을 입에 대다
L1 Interference
입에 맞다 (when meaning 'to taste')
입에 대다
L1 Interference
입에 대다 (for non-consumables like a book)
손에 대다 / 읽다
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Probar / Ni probar bocado
Spanish focuses on the 'mouthful' (bocado), while Korean focuses on the 'mouth' (입) itself.
Ne pas toucher à
French doesn't explicitly mention the 'mouth' in the common version.
Etwas nicht anrühren
It lacks the specific 'mouth' imagery found in the Korean idiom.
口にする (Kuchi ni suru)
Japanese 'kuchi ni suru' can also mean 'to mention' something, which Korean '입에 대다' does not.
لم يذقه (Lam yadhuqhu)
It is a standard verb rather than a 'mouth + touch' idiomatic construction.
沾口 (Zhān kǒu)
The character 沾 implies 'moistening' or 'touching lightly'.
입에 처넣다 (Slang)
It is extremely vulgar and focuses on the act of shoving rather than touching.
Nem tocar
Focuses on the hand/general touch rather than the mouth.
Spotted in the Real World
“저는 술을 입에도 안 대거든요.”
Song-hwa explaining her lifestyle choices to her colleagues.
“이런 비싼 술은 입에 대 본 적도 없지?”
Discussing the luxury items in the Park family's house.
“술은 한 방울도 입에 대지 않는데”
Lyrics describing being drunk on love without drinking alcohol.
Facile à confondre
Both involve 'mouth' and 'food'.
Remember: '대다' is the action (touching), '맞다' is the result (fitting/tasting good).
The particle '에' is missing.
While sometimes used interchangeably, '입을 대다' can sometimes mean to criticize or meddle in something.
Questions fréquentes (6)
Yes, it is very common for drinks, including water. '물도 입에 못 대겠어요' (I can't even drink water).
usage contextsIt can be a bit blunt. If a host offers food, it's better to say '제가 [음식]을 잘 못 먹어서요' rather than '입에도 안 대요' unless you have a strong reason.
cultural usage'맛보다' simply means to taste. '입에 대다' is more about the act of starting to consume or the refusal to do so.
comparisonsUsually no. For medicine, we use '복용하다' or '먹다'.
usage contextsIt is neutral. You can use it in formal settings with the correct endings (대지 않습니다).
grammar mechanicsYes, you can say a dog 'won't touch' its food using this phrase.
usage contexts
