A1 Idiom Neutre 1 min de lecture

발이 저리다

bal-i jeorida

One's foot falls asleep

Entraîne-toi

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use '발이 저리다' to describe that prickly, numb feeling in your feet after sitting in one position for too long.

  • Means: To have a tingling sensation in feet due to restricted blood flow.
  • Used in: Sitting on the floor, crossing legs, or waking up from a nap.
  • Don't confuse: It is a physical sensation, not a metaphor for being nervous.
Sitting cross-legged + 20 minutes = ⚡️ 발이 저리다

Explication à ton niveau :

This phrase means your feet feel funny because you sat too long. You use it when you need to stand up.
When you sit on the floor for a long time, your feet lose feeling. Koreans say '발이 저리다' to explain this physical feeling to others.
The idiom '발이 저리다' describes the tingling sensation caused by restricted blood flow. It is frequently used in social situations where floor seating is required, serving as a polite way to signal discomfort.
Rooted in the traditional Korean lifestyle of floor-seating, '발이 저리다' is a descriptive verb phrase. It is essential for learners to distinguish this from '쥐가 나다', which implies a muscle spasm, whereas '저리다' specifically denotes paresthesia.
The term '저리다' functions as a stative verb within the Korean language, capturing the physiological phenomenon of nerve compression. Its prevalence in the lexicon reflects the cultural ubiquity of floor-based interaction, necessitating its use in everyday social discourse.
From a cognitive linguistics perspective, '발이 저리다' exemplifies how cultural practices—specifically the Korean '온돌' floor-seating tradition—shape the lexicalization of bodily sensations. The term specifically maps to the sensation of paresthesia, distinct from muscular cramping, and serves as a functional social tool for negotiating physical comfort in communal spaces.

Signification

To have a tingling sensation in one's foot due to lack of blood flow.

🌍

Contexte culturel

Floor seating is common, making this phrase essential for social etiquette.

💡

Stretching

If your feet are tingling, stand up and walk a bit to restore blood flow.

💡

Stretching

If your feet are tingling, stand up and walk a bit to restore blood flow.

Teste-toi

Fill in the blank with the correct form of 저리다.

오래 앉아 있었더니 발이 ____.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 저려요

Polite form is appropriate for most situations.

🎉 Score : /1

Banque d exercices

2 exercices
Choisis la bonne réponse Fill Blank

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte :
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 저리다. Fill Blank A1

오래 앉아 있었더니 발이 ____.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 저려요

Polite form is appropriate for most situations.

🎉 Score : /2

Questions fréquentes

1 questions

It is more uncomfortable than painful.

Expressions liées

🔗

쥐가 나다

similar

To get a cramp

Où l'utiliser

🍖

At a Korean BBQ restaurant

Friend: 발이 저려요. 좀 일어날까요?

neutral

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Imagine your feet are 'Jelly' (저리) because they have no bones/feeling.

Association visuelle

Picture yourself sitting on a hard floor at a restaurant, trying to stand up but wobbling like a penguin because your feet are asleep.

Rhyme

Sitting on the floor, my feet are sore, 저리다 is the word for sure.

Story

Min-su went to a traditional dinner. He sat on the floor for two hours. When he tried to leave, he couldn't stand. He laughed and said, '발이 저려요!'

In Other Languages

English: 'My foot is asleep'. Spanish: 'Se me ha dormido el pie'.

Word Web

다리 (leg)앉다 (to sit)아프다 (to hurt)일어나다 (to stand up)감각 (sensation)쥐가 나다 (cramp)

Défi

Next time you sit for more than 10 minutes, say '발이 저려요' out loud.

Review in 1 day, 3 days, and 1 week.

Prononciation

Stress Flat stress.

The 'r' sound is a flap.

Spectre de formalité

Formel
발이 저립니다.

발이 저립니다. (General)

Neutre
발이 저려요.

발이 저려요. (General)

Informel
발 저려.

발 저려. (General)

Argot
발 마비됨.

발 마비됨. (General)

The word '저리다' is a native Korean verb that has existed since Middle Korean. It specifically refers to the sensation of nerves being compressed.

Middle Korean:

Le savais-tu ?

It is one of the few words that perfectly captures the 'pins and needles' feeling without needing a metaphor.

Notes culturelles

Floor seating is common, making this phrase essential for social etiquette.

“식당에서 발이 저리면 편하게 자세를 바꾸세요.”

Amorces de conversation

“

한국 식당에서 바닥에 앉아 본 적 있어요?

Erreurs courantes

✗

발이 아파요 (My feet hurt)

✓

발이 저려요 (My feet are tingling)

literal translation
Using 'hurt' implies pain from injury or shoes, not the tingling of blood flow.

L1 Interference

0 1

In Other Languages

Spanish Very Similar

Se me ha dormido el pie

Spanish uses the verb 'dormir' (to sleep) while Korean uses '저리다' (tingling).

French moderate

J'ai des fourmis dans les jambes

French uses an insect metaphor; Korean uses a sensory verb.

German Very Similar

Mein Fuß ist eingeschlafen

German is very direct about the foot being 'asleep'.

Japanese Very Similar

足が痺れる (Ashi ga shibireru)

None, they are nearly identical in usage.

Arabic moderate

تنميل (Tanmeel)

Korean uses a verb; Arabic uses a noun.

Chinese Very Similar

脚麻了 (Jiǎo má le)

Chinese focuses on the numbness (麻) rather than the tingling sensation.

Korean self

발이 저리다

None.

Portuguese moderate

Meu pé está dormente

Korean is more specific to the 'tingling' feeling.

Spotted in the Real World

📺

(2015)

“아이고, 발 저려.”

Sitting on the floor.

Facile à confondre

발이 저리다 vs 쥐가 나다

Both involve leg discomfort.

저리다 is tingling/numb; 쥐가 나다 is a sharp muscle contraction.

Questions fréquentes (1)

It is more uncomfortable than painful.

basic understanding

Learning Path

Prerequisites

C'tait utile ?

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