Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use this to describe someone who knows everyone and has connections in many different circles and industries.
- Means: Having a vast and diverse network of personal and professional connections.
- Used in: Job interviews, business meetings, and social gatherings to describe influence.
- Don't confuse: With just having 'many friends'; it implies strategic or useful connections.
Explication à ton niveau :
Signification
To have many acquaintances or connections in various fields.
Contexte culturel
The concept of 'Inmaek' is often criticized when it leads to 'nepotism', but it is also respected as a vital social skill. Many Koreans attend 'networking' academies or join alumni associations specifically to 'widen their network'. In Korean companies, 'Inmaek' can determine how quickly a project gets approved. A manager with a wide network can call a friend in another department to speed things up. Modern Koreans use the term 'In-ssa' (insider) for people with wide networks. Having a wide 'Inmaek' on Instagram or LinkedIn is seen as a form of modern power. The emphasis on 'Inmaek' stems from a collectivist history where survival depended on the village and family. Being 'alone' was seen as a weakness.
Use it in Interviews
Saying you want to 'widen your network' shows you are proactive and social.
Don't say 'Inmaek-i keoda'
Even though 'big' makes sense in English, it sounds very wrong in Korean.
Use it in Interviews
Saying you want to 'widen your network' shows you are proactive and social.
Don't say 'Inmaek-i keoda'
Even though 'big' makes sense in English, it sounds very wrong in Korean.
Combine with 'Madangbal'
If someone is exceptionally well-connected, call them a 'Madangbal' for a more native feel.
Understand 'Hak-yeon'
If you meet a Korean, mentioning your school can be the first step to 'widening your network'.
Teste-toi
Fill in the blank with the correct particle and adjective.
그는 사회 생활을 오래 해서 인맥___ ______.
The subject '인맥' takes the particle '이', and the correct adjective is '넓어요'.
Which sentence is the most natural way to say someone is well-connected in a business setting?
김 부장님은 업계에서...
'인맥이 넓으세요' is the most professional and natural honorific form.
Match the phrase to the most likely person.
누구에게 '인맥이 넓다'라는 표현을 쓸까요?
A businessman who is invited to parties and knows many people fits the definition perfectly.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 이번에 취직했다며? 축하해! B: 고마워. 선배가 도와준 덕분이야. 그 선배는 정말 ( ).
If a senior helped someone get a job, it's likely because they have a wide network.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Inmaek vs. Friends
Banque d exercices
5 exercices그는 사회 생활을 오래 해서 인맥___ ______.
The subject '인맥' takes the particle '이', and the correct adjective is '넓어요'.
김 부장님은 업계에서...
'인맥이 넓으세요' is the most professional and natural honorific form.
누구에게 '인맥이 넓다'라는 표현을 쓸까요?
A businessman who is invited to parties and knows many people fits the definition perfectly.
A: 이번에 취직했다며? 축하해! B: 고마워. 선배가 도와준 덕분이야. 그 선배는 정말 ( ).
If a senior helped someone get a job, it's likely because they have a wide network.
🎉 Score : /5
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsNo, it can be used for social circles too, but it often implies that the connections are useful or influential.
'Chingu' means friends you like. 'Inmaek' are people you know who might help you or provide information.
No, 'wide' (넓다) is the only standard adjective for the scale of a network.
Not at all! It is usually a big compliment regarding their social skills and success.
You can say '인맥을 쌓다' (to build a network) or '네트워킹을 하다'.
Not inherently, but like 'connections' in English, it can be used in that context if the situation is suspicious.
It's a person with very wide feet (metaphorically), meaning they go everywhere and know everyone.
Yes, it's a very appropriate term for professional networking sites.
Yes, 人 (Person) + 脈 (Pulse/Vein).
'인맥이 좁다' (The network is narrow) or '아는 사람이 별로 없다'.
Use '인맥이 넓으십니다' or '인맥이 넓으세요'.
The term 'Inmaek' is used, but the cultural context of business networking is different.
Expressions liées
발이 넓다
synonymTo have a wide range of acquaintances.
마당발
specialized formA person who is very well-connected.
인맥을 쌓다
builds onTo build/accumulate a network.
끈이 있다
similarTo have a 'string' (connection) to someone powerful.
Où l'utiliser
Job Interview
Interviewer: 우리 회사 영업직은 사람들을 많이 만나야 하는데, 자신 있나요?
Applicant: 네, 저는 전 직장에서도 인맥이 넓기로 유명했습니다. 새로운 고객을 찾는 데 자신 있습니다.
At a Party
Friend A: 와, 저 사람 여기 있는 사람들 다 아는 것 같아.
Friend B: 응, 쟤 진짜 인맥이 넓어. 모르는 사람이 없더라고.
Business Strategy Meeting
Manager: 이번 프로젝트를 도와줄 전문가가 필요한데, 아는 사람 없나요?
Employee: 김 이사님이 인맥이 넓으시니까 한번 여쭤보는 게 어떨까요?
Asking for a Favor
Person A: 나 이번에 콘서트 티켓 구하고 싶은데 너무 어렵네.
Person B: 너 인맥 넓잖아! 공연 기획사 다니는 친구한테 물어봐.
Gossiping about a Celebrity
Fan 1: 이 아이돌은 어떻게 해외 스타들이랑 다 친해?
Fan 2: 원래 인맥이 넓기로 유명하대. 성격이 진짜 좋나 봐.
Networking Event
Attendee A: 오늘 여기 오신 분들 정말 대단하네요.
Attendee B: 네, 이런 곳에 자주 와야 인맥이 넓어지는 것 같아요.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Think of 'Inmaek' as 'Internet' for 'People'. If your Internet (Inmaek) is wide (neolpda), you can connect to anyone anywhere!
Association visuelle
Imagine a giant spider web where every strand is a person. A person with a wide 'Inmaek' is sitting in the middle of a web that covers the entire city.
Rhyme
인맥이 넓으면, 앞길이 밝으면 (If your network is wide, your path ahead is bright)
Story
Min-su wanted to start a cafe but had no money. However, his 'Inmaek' was wide. He knew a banker for a loan, a designer for the logo, and a famous blogger for marketing. Because his network was wide, his cafe became a hit in one month.
In Other Languages
In Japanese, they say 'Kao ga hiroi' (Face is wide). In English, we say someone is 'well-connected'. Both emphasize the scale of social reach.
Word Web
Défi
Try to find one person in your contact list who fits this description and write three sentences about why their 'Inmaek' is wide.
Review this phrase on day 1, 3, and 7. Focus on the Hanja roots 'In' (Person) and 'Maek' (Pulse).
Prononciation
The 'k' sound in 'maek' carries over to the 'i' particle.
The double batchim 'lp' is pronounced as 'l', and the 'd' becomes 't' due to fortification.
Spectre de formalité
해당 분야에 인맥이 상당히 넓으십니다. (Describing someone's connections)
그분은 인맥이 넓은 편이에요. (Describing someone's connections)
걔 진짜 인맥 넓어. (Describing someone's connections)
걔 완전 마당발이야. (Describing someone's connections)
Derived from Hanja {인맥|人脈}. 'In' (Person) + 'Maek' (Pulse/Vein). It originally referred to the lineage or bloodline of a family but expanded to include all social connections in the modern era.
Le savais-tu ?
The Hanja 'Maek' (脈) is the same one used in 'Maek-bak' (heartbeat). So, your 'Inmaek' is literally the heartbeat of your social life!
Notes culturelles
The concept of 'Inmaek' is often criticized when it leads to 'nepotism', but it is also respected as a vital social skill. Many Koreans attend 'networking' academies or join alumni associations specifically to 'widen their network'.
“대학교 동창회에 나가는 이유는 인맥을 넓히기 위해서예요. (The reason I go to university alumni meetings is to widen my network.)”
In Korean companies, 'Inmaek' can determine how quickly a project gets approved. A manager with a wide network can call a friend in another department to speed things up.
“김 과장은 인맥이 넓어서 타 부서 협조를 잘 받아낸다. (Manager Kim gets good cooperation from other departments because his network is wide.)”
Modern Koreans use the term 'In-ssa' (insider) for people with wide networks. Having a wide 'Inmaek' on Instagram or LinkedIn is seen as a form of modern power.
“그는 인스타그램 팔로워도 많고 연예인 인맥도 넓다. (He has many Instagram followers and a wide network of celebrities.)”
The emphasis on 'Inmaek' stems from a collectivist history where survival depended on the village and family. Being 'alone' was seen as a weakness.
“옛날부터 한국 사회에서는 인맥이 곧 힘이었다. (Since long ago, in Korean society, a human network was power.)”
Amorces de conversation
주변에 인맥이 가장 넓은 사람은 누구인가요?
한국 사회에서 인맥이 넓은 것이 왜 중요하다고 생각하세요?
인맥을 넓히기 위해 어떤 노력을 하시나요?
인맥이 넓은 것의 단점은 무엇일까요?
Erreurs courantes
인맥이 커요
인맥이 넓어요
L1 Interference
인맥이 많아요
인맥이 넓어요 (or 아는 사람이 많아요)
L1 Interference
발이 커요
발이 넓어요
L1 Interference
인맥을 넓어요
인맥이 넓어요
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
To be well-connected
English uses 'connected' (linkage), Korean uses 'wide' (breadth).
顔が広い (Kao ga hiroi)
Japanese focuses on the 'face' (recognition), Korean on the 'network' (structure).
人脉广 (Rénmài guǎng)
Virtually no difference in meaning or usage.
Tener muchos contactos
Spanish is more literal, focusing on the 'contacts' themselves.
Avoir un bras long
French emphasizes reach/power; Korean emphasizes the breadth of the network.
Gut vernetzt sein
German is more technical/modern; Korean has deeper traditional roots.
لديه معارف كثيرة (Ladayhi ma'arif kathira)
Arabic focuses on the act of knowing; Korean on the structure of the connection.
Ter um bom networking
Portuguese often borrows the English term for professional contexts.
Spotted in the Real World
“오 차장님은 인맥이 넓어서 해결 못 하는 일이 없네.”
Discussing how the manager uses his old contacts to solve a trade crisis.
“인맥이 넓은 것도 실력이야.”
A character justifying why her connections are a legitimate part of her business talent.
“내 인맥은 넓어, 마치 태평양.”
Boasting about his influence in the music industry.
“그 후보는 정계에 인맥이 넓어 지지율이 높다.”
Analyzing a politician's popularity.
“인맥이 넓은 사람들의 5가지 습관”
A title for a professional development post.
Facile à confondre
Learners think it's the same as having a wide network.
'Friends' are for fun; 'Inmaek' is for social/professional leverage.
Literal translation of 'big feet' vs 'wide feet' (idiom).
Always use 'wide' (넓다) for the idiom.
Questions fréquentes (12)
No, it can be used for social circles too, but it often implies that the connections are useful or influential.
usage contexts'Chingu' means friends you like. 'Inmaek' are people you know who might help you or provide information.
basic understandingNo, 'wide' (넓다) is the only standard adjective for the scale of a network.
grammar mechanicsNot at all! It is usually a big compliment regarding their social skills and success.
practical tipsYou can say '인맥을 쌓다' (to build a network) or '네트워킹을 하다'.
grammar mechanicsNot inherently, but like 'connections' in English, it can be used in that context if the situation is suspicious.
cultural usageIt's a person with very wide feet (metaphorically), meaning they go everywhere and know everyone.
comparisonsYes, it's a very appropriate term for professional networking sites.
practical tipsYes, 人 (Person) + 脈 (Pulse/Vein).
basic understanding'인맥이 좁다' (The network is narrow) or '아는 사람이 별로 없다'.
basic understandingUse '인맥이 넓으십니다' or '인맥이 넓으세요'.
grammar mechanicsThe term 'Inmaek' is used, but the cultural context of business networking is different.
cultural usage
