입이 짧다
ibi jjalpda
mouth is short
Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use '입이 짧다' to describe someone who eats very little or is very picky about what they eat.
- Means: Having a small appetite or being a selective/picky eater.
- Used in: Casual dining situations or when describing someone's personality.
- Don't confuse: It's not about the physical size of the mouth.
Explanation at your level:
मतलब
Describes someone who is a picky eater or has a small appetite.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
In Korea, 'eating well' (복스럽게 먹다) is traditionally seen as a sign of good fortune and health. However, '입이 짧다' is a socially acceptable 'excuse' for those who cannot meet these expectations. The term '소식좌' (Soshik-jwa, Master of Small Eating) has become a popular slang term for celebrities known for having a 'short mouth.' It has turned a once-negative trait into a unique personality quirk. When someone says '입이 짧다' about themselves, it is polite for the host to stop pressuring them to eat more. It signals a hard limit on their capacity. In traditional Korean medicine (Sasang typology), having a 'short mouth' is often associated with certain body types (like So-eum-in) who naturally have weaker digestive systems.
Polite Refusal
Use this phrase when you are full at a Korean person's house. It shifts the 'fault' from the cook to your own appetite.
Don't say '입이 작다'
If you say your mouth is small, people will look at your physical mouth and be confused!
मतलब
Describes someone who is a picky eater or has a small appetite.
Polite Refusal
Use this phrase when you are full at a Korean person's house. It shifts the 'fault' from the cook to your own appetite.
Don't say '입이 작다'
If you say your mouth is small, people will look at your physical mouth and be confused!
The 'Soshik-jwa' Trend
You can use the slang '소식좌' with friends to sound more modern and trendy.
खुद को परखो
Fill in the blank with the correct form of '입이 짧다'.
저는 (______) 많이 못 먹어요. (Because I have a small appetite, I can't eat much.)
The suffix '-아서' is used here to indicate a reason.
Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'My child is a picky eater'?
Choose the correct sentence:
'입이 짧다' is the idiomatic expression for a picky eater.
Match the situation to the correct response.
Situation: You are at a buffet but your plate is almost empty. Your friend asks why.
You use '입이 짧다' to explain why you are eating a small amount.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 음식이 맛없어요? 왜 안 드세요? B: 아니요, 맛있어요. 제가 원래 (______).
This is a polite way to explain that the lack of eating is due to your appetite, not the food quality.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
Appetite Idioms
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
10 सवालNo, it's generally neutral or even polite when used about yourself. It can be slightly critical if used about someone else in a complaining tone.
Yes, if they are picky about healthy food and only eat a few things, you can say they have a 'short mouth'.
There isn't a direct 'mouth' idiom for the opposite. You would use '대식{大食}가' (big eater) or '식탐이 많다' (has much food greed).
Use '입이 짧으세요' or '입이 짧으십니다' when talking about an older person.
Mostly, yes. But it also covers people who just eat very small amounts, even if they aren't particularly picky about the taste.
It's probably not relevant unless you're a food critic or in a food-related role. In general, keep it to social settings.
It's better to say '식사를 소량{少量}만 하십니다' to be extra respectful, but '입이 짧으세요' is okay in a casual office setting.
It refers to the 'short' duration of the meal or the 'short' list of foods the person likes.
Yes, '소식좌' (Soshik-jwa) is the most popular modern slang equivalent.
Usually, it's only for food. For drinks, you'd just say '술이 약하다' (weak with alcohol).
संबंधित मुहावरे
입이 까다롭다
synonymTo be picky/fastidious about food.
입맛이 없다
similarTo have no appetite.
소식{小食}하다
specialized formTo eat small amounts.
편식{偏食}하다
similarTo eat an unbalanced diet (only what one likes).
입이 가볍다
contrastTo have a 'light mouth' (cannot keep secrets).
कहाँ इस्तेमाल करें
At a friend's house for dinner
Friend: 왜 벌써 다 먹었어? 더 먹어!
You: 미안, 내가 원래 입이 좀 짧아.
Ordering at a restaurant
Waiter: 2인 세트 메뉴 추천해 드릴까요?
Customer: 아니요, 저희가 입이 짧아서 단품 하나만 시킬게요.
Talking about your kids
Neighbor: 아이가 참 날씬하네요!
Parent: 네, 입이 짧아서 밥 먹이기가 힘들어요.
On a first date
Date: 음식이 입에 안 맞으세요?
You: 아니요, 정말 맛있는데 제가 입이 짧은 편이에요.
At a company dinner (Hoesik)
Boss: 김 대리, 왜 안 먹나? 더 많이 먹게!
Employee: 부장님, 죄송합니다. 제가 입이 짧아서 많이 못 먹습니다.
Watching a Mukbang
Viewer A: 이 유튜버는 진짜 입이 짧네.
Viewer B: 맞아, 소식좌의 정석이야.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of a 'Short Mouth' as a mouth that closes very quickly because it's already full!
Visual Association
Imagine a tiny ruler measuring a mouth. A 'short' measurement means the person only eats a 'short' amount of food.
Rhyme
입이 짧아, 밥은 쪼금! (Mouth is short, rice is just a bit!)
Story
Min-su went to a huge buffet. He only ate one strawberry and said he was full. His friends laughed and said, 'Your mouth is so short, it's like a tiny bird's!'
Word Web
चैलेंज
Next time you leave food at a restaurant, try saying '제가 입이 좀 짧아서요' to the waiter.
In Other Languages
Ser de poco comer / Ser tiquismiquis
Spanish separates quantity and pickiness into different expressions.
Avoir un appétit d'oiseau / Faire la fine bouche
French uses 'bird' for quantity and 'fine mouth' for pickiness.
Ein Spatzenappetit haben / Krüsch sein
German focuses on the animal metaphor for quantity.
食が細い (shoku ga hosoi)
Japanese uses the adjective 'thin' rather than 'short'.
أكله قليل (akluhu qalil)
Arabic is more literal and focuses on the amount of food.
挑食 (tiāoshí) / 胃口小 (wèikǒu xiǎo)
Chinese uses the 'stomach' (胃口) to describe appetite capacity.
입이 까다롭다
It is more negative and focuses on the difficulty of pleasing the person.
Comer como um passarinho / Ser fresco para comer
Portuguese uses 'fresh' (fresco) to describe the picky behavior.
Easily Confused
Learners think 'small mouth' means 'small appetite'.
Remember that 'short' (짧다) refers to the *time* or *variety* of eating, while 'small' (작다) is only for physical size.
Both use 'mouth' and an adjective of dimension/weight.
Short = Food. Light = Secrets.
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (10)
No, it's generally neutral or even polite when used about yourself. It can be slightly critical if used about someone else in a complaining tone.
Yes, if they are picky about healthy food and only eat a few things, you can say they have a 'short mouth'.
There isn't a direct 'mouth' idiom for the opposite. You would use '대식{大食}가' (big eater) or '식탐이 많다' (has much food greed).
Use '입이 짧으세요' or '입이 짧으십니다' when talking about an older person.
Mostly, yes. But it also covers people who just eat very small amounts, even if they aren't particularly picky about the taste.
It's probably not relevant unless you're a food critic or in a food-related role. In general, keep it to social settings.
It's better to say '식사를 소량{少量}만 하십니다' to be extra respectful, but '입이 짧으세요' is okay in a casual office setting.
It refers to the 'short' duration of the meal or the 'short' list of foods the person likes.
Yes, '소식좌' (Soshik-jwa) is the most popular modern slang equivalent.
Usually, it's only for food. For drinks, you'd just say '술이 약하다' (weak with alcohol).
