Signification
To tighten one's abdominal muscles, often from nervousness or effort.
Contexte culturel
The 'Body Profile' (바디프로필) trend has made this phrase extremely common on Instagram. People post about the struggle of 'giving strength' to their abs during shoots. In Korean traditional medicine (Hanbang), 'giving strength to the Dan-jeon' is believed to improve digestion and circulate 'Gi'. Practitioners are taught to 'give strength to the belly' to maintain balance and generate power from the center of the body. Maintaining a 'tight' core is often associated with being 'diligent' (부지런하다), while a relaxed belly can be seen as 'lazy' (게으르다) in professional settings.
Use '빡' for emphasis
If you want to sound like a native, add '빡' (ppak) to show you are tensing really hard: '배에 힘 빡 줘!'
Don't use with '를'
Saying '배를 힘을 주다' is a common beginner mistake. Stick to '배에'.
Signification
To tighten one's abdominal muscles, often from nervousness or effort.
Use '빡' for emphasis
If you want to sound like a native, add '빡' (ppak) to show you are tensing really hard: '배에 힘 빡 줘!'
Don't use with '를'
Saying '배를 힘을 주다' is a common beginner mistake. Stick to '배에'.
Self-deprecation
Koreans often use this phrase to jokingly admit they are trying to look better than they are.
Teste-toi
Which particle correctly completes the phrase?
사진을 찍을 때 배___ 힘을 주세요.
The idiom always uses the particle '에' to indicate the location where strength is applied.
Complete the dialogue between a trainer and a student.
Trainer: 무거운 걸 들 때는 ( ). Student: 네, 알겠습니다!
When lifting heavy things, you must tighten your core (주세요), not relax it (빼세요).
Match the situation to the reason for using '배에 힘을 주다'.
Situation: A person is wearing a very tight dress at a wedding.
In social settings with tight clothes, the phrase refers to 'sucking it in' for aesthetics.
Fill in the missing word to complete the idiom.
너무 긴장해서 나도 모르게 배에 ( )을 줬어요.
'힘' (strength/power) is the key noun in this idiom.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercices사진을 찍을 때 배___ 힘을 주세요.
The idiom always uses the particle '에' to indicate the location where strength is applied.
Trainer: 무거운 걸 들 때는 ( ). Student: 네, 알겠습니다!
When lifting heavy things, you must tighten your core (주세요), not relax it (빼세요).
Situation: A person is wearing a very tight dress at a wedding.
In social settings with tight clothes, the phrase refers to 'sucking it in' for aesthetics.
너무 긴장해서 나도 모르게 배에 ( )을 줬어요.
'힘' (strength/power) is the key noun in this idiom.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
5 questionsNo, even very fit people use it to define their muscles more clearly in photos.
Yes, it is the perfect phrase for physically bracing for impact.
The opposite is '배에 힘을 빼다' (to relax the stomach).
Between close friends, it's a common joke. To a stranger, it would be very rude as it implies they look fat.
While the phrase is native Korean, the concept is related to {복압|腹壓} (abdominal pressure).
Expressions liées
배를 집어넣다
similarTo suck in one's stomach
배에 힘을 빼다
contrastTo relax one's stomach muscles
기운을 내다
similarTo cheer up / To find strength
어깨에 힘을 주다
builds onTo act arrogant / To put on airs
목에 힘을 주다
similarTo be stiff-necked / Arrogant
