Signification
To have an urge to speak or reveal information, often a secret.
Contexte culturel
In Korea, sharing secrets is often seen as a sign of 'Uri' ({우리|우리} - we/us) culture. By telling someone your mouth is itchy, you are inviting them into your 'inner circle'. Even in hierarchical Korean offices, this phrase is used to soften the act of gossiping, making it seem like a physical necessity rather than a lack of professionalism. On platforms like Twitter (X) or Pann, users use '입근질' (short for 입이 근질거리다) as a tag when they have 'tea' to spill about celebrities but are waiting for confirmation. There is a folk belief that if your ears itch, someone is talking about you, and if your mouth itches, you are about to eat something delicious or say something important.
Use with '-아/어 죽겠다'
To sound like a true native, always add '죽겠다' (dying to). '입이 근질거려 죽겠어요' is much more natural than just '입이 근질거려요'.
Don't use for bad news
If the secret is a sad one, this phrase makes you sound like you are enjoying the gossip. Be careful!
Signification
To have an urge to speak or reveal information, often a secret.
Use with '-아/어 죽겠다'
To sound like a true native, always add '죽겠다' (dying to). '입이 근질거려 죽겠어요' is much more natural than just '입이 근질거려요'.
Don't use for bad news
If the secret is a sad one, this phrase makes you sound like you are enjoying the gossip. Be careful!
The 'Disclaimer' Trick
Use this phrase before telling a secret to show that you *tried* to keep it, but it was physically impossible. It helps reduce the guilt!
Teste-toi
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the idiom.
비밀을 알고 있어서 ____ (dying to tell).
The idiom for wanting to speak is '입이 근질거리다'. '귀가 근질거리다' (itchy ears) means you feel like someone is talking about you.
Which situation best fits the phrase '입이 근질거리다'?
Choose the correct scenario:
The phrase is used when you have information (like a surprise) that you want to reveal.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 왜 그렇게 안절부절못해요? B: 사실 어제 철수 씨 비밀을 들었거든요. 그래서 지금 ______.
'입이 근질거려 죽겠다' is the emphatic form of the idiom. '입이 무겁다' means you are good at keeping secrets, and '입이 짧다' means you are a picky eater.
Choose the most natural sentence.
Which one sounds like a native speaker?
The subject marker '이' is required for the mouth (입).
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercices비밀을 알고 있어서 ____ (dying to tell).
The idiom for wanting to speak is '입이 근질거리다'. '귀가 근질거리다' (itchy ears) means you feel like someone is talking about you.
Choose the correct scenario:
The phrase is used when you have information (like a surprise) that you want to reveal.
A: 왜 그렇게 안절부절못해요? B: 사실 어제 철수 씨 비밀을 들었거든요. 그래서 지금 ______.
'입이 근질거려 죽겠다' is the emphatic form of the idiom. '입이 무겁다' means you are good at keeping secrets, and '입이 짧다' means you are a picky eater.
Which one sounds like a native speaker?
The subject marker '이' is required for the mouth (입).
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNot at all! It's a very common, slightly playful idiom. However, don't use it with your boss unless you have a very friendly relationship.
No, for food cravings, we say '입이 심심하다' (mouth is bored) or '입맛이 당기다'.
They are almost the same. '근질거리다' feels a bit more repetitive and intense, while '간지럽다' is the general word for itchy.
You can make it polite by adding '-요' (입이 근질거려요) or very formal with '-습니다' (입이 근질거립니다).
Yes, but be careful. '그는 입이 근질거려 보였다' (He looked like he was dying to talk) is fine, but it can imply they are a gossip.
Usually yes, but it can also be a joke, an opinion, or just some very exciting news.
Simply say: '말하고 싶어서 입이 근질거려요.'
Only in casual business settings or with close colleagues. In a formal presentation, avoid it.
The opposite is '입이 무겁다' (to be tight-lipped/heavy-mouthed).
Yes, '가렵다' is a synonym for 'itchy' and is used in the same way.
Expressions liées
입이 가볍다
similarTo be a blabbermouth / can't keep a secret.
입이 무겁다
contrastTo be good at keeping secrets (heavy-mouthed).
입을 맞추다
specialized formTo coordinate stories / to kiss.
입에 침이 마르다
builds onTo speak of something repeatedly (mouth goes dry).
