귀가 따갑다
gwiga ttagapda
Annoyed by loud noise
Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use this when your ears literally hurt from noise or figuratively hurt from someone's endless nagging.
- Means: To be sick of hearing something or a loud noise.
- Used in: Complaining about nagging parents, bosses, or loud construction.
- Don't confuse: With '귀가 가렵다' (ears are itchy), which means someone is gossiping.
Explanation at your level:
Signification
To feel annoyed or pained by a loud or unpleasant sound.
Contexte culturel
Nagging (잔소리) is often considered a 'love language' in Korean families. There is even a famous song called 'Nagging' by IU and Seulong that treats it as a sign of a close relationship. In Korean companies, 'Kkondae' {老代|꼰대} (rigid older people) are often associated with making people's 'ears sting' with long, repetitive lectures about the 'good old days'. Korean students often use this phrase regarding their parents' obsession with 'Hagwons' (private academies). The constant pressure to study makes their ears sting. On Korean platforms like Naver or Kakao, users use the emoji 📢👂😫 to represent this phrase when a celebrity scandal is being posted too much.
The 'Nagging' Context
90% of the time, you will hear this in relation to '잔소리' (nagging). Learn those two words together!
Don't be too rude
Telling someone '귀 따가워' to their face is very blunt. Use it with friends or as a joke with family.
Signification
To feel annoyed or pained by a loud or unpleasant sound.
The 'Nagging' Context
90% of the time, you will hear this in relation to '잔소리' (nagging). Learn those two words together!
Don't be too rude
Telling someone '귀 따가워' to their face is very blunt. Use it with friends or as a joke with family.
Adverbial usage
Use '귀가 따갑도록' (until ears sting) to sound more like a native speaker when describing a long lecture.
The 'Itchy' Alternative
If your ear feels weird and no one is talking to you, remember '귀가 가렵다'—someone might be gossiping!
Teste-toi
Choose the most natural phrase for the situation.
Your mom has been telling you to clean your room for 2 hours. You say to your friend:
'귀가 따가워요' is used for nagging. '가려워요' is for gossip.
Fill in the blank with the correct conjugation of '따갑다'.
공사장 소음 때문에 귀가 ( ).
따갑다 is a 'ㅂ' irregular adjective, so it becomes 따가워요.
Match the idiom to the correct meaning.
Match '귀가 따갑다' with its figurative meaning.
The figurative meaning is being annoyed by repetitive speech or loud noise.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 음악 소리 좀 줄여줄래? B: 왜? 너무 작지 않아? A: 아니, 너무 커서 ( ).
Loud music causes the 'stinging' sensation described by '귀가 따갑다'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Ear Idioms Comparison
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsYes, you can use it literally for any sound that is painfully loud.
No, it's quite informal and implies they are annoying. Better to say it to a colleague about the boss.
'따갑다' is a stinging/prickly pain. '아프다' is a general ache or hurt.
You can say '귀가 따갑네요' to make it sound like a general observation rather than a direct complaint.
The word '따갑다' can apply to skin (sunburn) or eyes (shampoo), but the idiom '귀가 따갑다' is specific to sound/nagging.
Korean focuses on the sharp, irritating sensation of the sound waves rather than the internal ringing (tinnitus).
Yes, high-pitched voices are often described as making the ears 'sting'.
No, it's a standard idiom found in dictionaries, but it's used mostly in casual speech.
There isn't a direct opposite idiom, but '귀가 즐겁다' (ears are joyful) is used for beautiful music.
It is 따가워 (ttagawo), not 따갑어 (ttagabeo).
Constantly! Especially in family dramas when parents scold their children.
Yes, if the person on the other end won't stop talking.
Expressions liées
귀에 딱지가 앉다
similarTo hear something so much a scab forms.
귀에 못이 박히다
similarTo have a callus in the ear from hearing something.
귀가 가렵다
contrastEars are itchy.
귀를 기울이다
contrastTo lean one's ear (listen carefully).
귀가 얇다
unrelatedTo have thin ears.
귀가 먹다
unrelatedTo go deaf.
Où l'utiliser
Nagging Mom
Mom: 공부해! 방 청소해! 일찍 자!
Son: 아, 진짜 귀가 따가워 죽겠어요!
Loud Office
Colleague A: 옆 사무실 공사 소리 들려요?
Colleague B: 네, 너무 시끄러워서 귀가 따갑네요.
Concert Aftermath
Friend 1: 공연 어땠어?
Friend 2: 좋았는데 스피커 옆이라 귀가 좀 따가워.
Repetitive News
Person A: 또 그 뉴스네.
Person B: 그러게요. 이제 귀가 따가울 정도예요.
Scolding Boss
Employee: (Thinking) 부장님 훈계에 귀가 따갑다... 언제 끝나지?
Toddler Crying
Parent: 애기 울음소리에 귀가 따가워서 잠을 못 잤어.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of a 'Tack' (따) hitting your ear. It stings!
Visual Association
Imagine a person with tiny cactus needles coming out of a megaphone and hitting someone's ear.
Rhyme
귀가 따가워, 그만 좀 해봐! (Gwi-ga ttagawa, geuman jom haebwa!)
Story
Min-su is at a rock concert. The speakers are huge. After one hour, he touches his ears and says '귀가 따가워요'. The next day, his mom nags him for going to the concert. He says '귀가 따가워요' again!
Word Web
Défi
Try to use '귀가 따가워요' next time you hear a loud motorcycle pass by.
In Other Languages
Me zumban los oídos
Spanish focuses on the 'buzz' sound, Korean on the 'sting' sensation.
Casser les oreilles
French uses 'break' (destruction) while Korean uses 'sting' (irritation).
Jemandem ein Ohr abkauen
German is active (chewing), Korean is reactive (stinging).
耳にたこができる (Mimi ni tako ga dekiru)
Japanese uses 'calluses', Korean uses 'stinging' or 'scabs'.
وجع راسي (Waja' rasi)
Arabic targets the head; Korean targets the ears.
耳朵起茧子 (Ěrduǒ qǐ jiǎnzi)
Chinese focuses on the long-term result (calluses), Korean on the immediate sensation (stinging).
귀에 딱지가 앉다
Intensity level.
Alugar o ouvido
Portuguese is about time/usage; Korean is about pain/irritation.
Easily Confused
Both involve a physical sensation in the ear caused by others' speech.
If they are talking TO you (nagging), it's '따갑다' (stinging). If they are talking ABOUT you (gossip), it's '가렵다' (itchy).
Learners use '아프다' (hurt) as a general term for any pain.
Use '아프다' for doctors; use '따갑다' for moms and loud music.
FAQ (12)
Yes, you can use it literally for any sound that is painfully loud.
No, it's quite informal and implies they are annoying. Better to say it to a colleague about the boss.
'따갑다' is a stinging/prickly pain. '아프다' is a general ache or hurt.
You can say '귀가 따갑네요' to make it sound like a general observation rather than a direct complaint.
The word '따갑다' can apply to skin (sunburn) or eyes (shampoo), but the idiom '귀가 따갑다' is specific to sound/nagging.
Korean focuses on the sharp, irritating sensation of the sound waves rather than the internal ringing (tinnitus).
Yes, high-pitched voices are often described as making the ears 'sting'.
No, it's a standard idiom found in dictionaries, but it's used mostly in casual speech.
There isn't a direct opposite idiom, but '귀가 즐겁다' (ears are joyful) is used for beautiful music.
It is 따가워 (ttagawo), not 따갑어 (ttagabeo).
Constantly! Especially in family dramas when parents scold their children.
Yes, if the person on the other end won't stop talking.
