코가 납작해지다
koga napjakhaejida
nose becomes flat
Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use this when someone who was acting very proud or arrogant gets humbled by a big failure or defeat.
- Means: To be thoroughly humbled or lose one's big ego.
- Used in: Sports, competitions, or when a braggart is proven wrong.
- Don't confuse: It's not about physical injury or plastic surgery.
Explanation at your level:
मतलब
To be humbled or embarrassed due to a failure, defeat, or being put in one's place.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
The 'High Nose' (콧대가 높다) is a physical trait often envied but metaphorically disliked if it leads to arrogance. Plastic surgery to raise the nose bridge is common, yet the idiom remains focused on the negative social aspect of being 'stuck up.' In hierarchical Korean companies, a junior employee 'flattening the nose' of a senior by outperforming them is a common theme in dramas, representing a shift in traditional power dynamics. Shows like 'Running Man' or 'Knowing Bros' use this phrase constantly. It's a staple of Korean 'banter' culture where guests and hosts try to humble each other through games. Historically, the face was seen as the map of one's character. A 'broken' or 'flattened' feature in physiognomy ({觀相|관상}) was associated with a loss of fortune or authority.
The 'Causative' Power
Use '코를 납작하게 만들다' when you want to sound competitive and confident about winning.
Don't be Mean
Using this about a friend's genuine failure can sound like you are mocking them. Use it playfully or for people who actually deserve it.
मतलब
To be humbled or embarrassed due to a failure, defeat, or being put in one's place.
The 'Causative' Power
Use '코를 납작하게 만들다' when you want to sound competitive and confident about winning.
Don't be Mean
Using this about a friend's genuine failure can sound like you are mocking them. Use it playfully or for people who actually deserve it.
Combine with '잘난 척'
It pairs perfectly with '잘난 척하다' (to brag). Example: '잘난 척하더니 코가 납작해졌네!'
Body Metaphors
Remember that in Korean, the nose is pride, the eyes are interest, and the ears are thin (easily fooled).
खुद को परखो
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the idiom.
그는 축구 시합에서 지고 나서 (____) 납작해졌다.
The idiom specifically uses '코' (nose) to represent pride.
Which situation best fits the phrase '코가 납작해지다'?
Choose the best scenario:
The idiom is used when someone's overconfidence is met with failure.
Complete the dialogue.
가: 민수 씨가 자기가 요리를 제일 잘한다고 하더니, 음식을 다 태웠대요. 나: 정말요? 그래서 민수 씨 (________________).
Since Min-su failed after bragging, he would be humbled (flattened nose).
Choose the correct causative form to mean 'I will humble him.'
내가 그의 (____) 줄 거야.
'코를 납작하게 만들다' is the causative form used when you are the agent of humbling someone else.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
12 सवालIt can be. It implies the person was arrogant. Use it with friends or about people you don't like, but not to your boss.
Yes! It shows humility. '제가 너무 자신만만했나 봐요. 코가 납작해졌어요.'
Similar, but 'losing face' (체면을 구기다) is more about reputation, while this is more about ego and pride.
Occasionally in opinion pieces or sports news, but rarely in formal business reports.
There isn't a direct 'un-flattening' phrase, but '콧대가 높아지다' (to become arrogant) is the opposite state.
No, that would be confusing. Use '코를 다치다' or '코가 부러지다'.
Literally, no (e.g., flat bread). But in this idiom, it always refers to a loss of pride.
Extremely common, especially in revenge or competition-themed dramas.
No, that just means 'The nose is flat.' You must use '납작해지다' (to become flat).
Younger people might say '참교육 당했다' (received true education/got schooled).
Yes, you can say a whole team's 'nose became flat.'
No, Pinocchio's nose grows when he lies. In Korean, a growing nose isn't a standard idiom for lying, though people know the story.
संबंधित मुहावरे
콧대가 높다
contrastTo be arrogant/stuck-up
콧대가 꺾이다
synonymTo have one's pride broken
기를 죽이다
similarTo dampen someone's spirit
무안을 주다
similarTo embarrass someone
체면을 구기다
similarTo lose face
कहाँ इस्तेमाल करें
Sports Defeat
A: 우리 팀이 무조건 이길 거야! (Our team will definitely win!)
B: 결국 5대 0으로 졌네. 코가 납작해졌지? (You lost 5-0 in the end. Humbled, aren't you?)
Academic Failure
Student: 공부 안 해도 100점 받을 수 있어요. (I can get 100 even without studying.)
Teacher: 이번 시험 점수 보고 코가 납작해졌겠구나. (I guess you were humbled after seeing this exam score.)
Gaming
Gamer 1: 나보다 잘하는 사람 없어. (No one is better than me.)
Gamer 2: 방금 나한테 졌잖아. 코가 납작해졌네! (You just lost to me. You're humbled!)
Office Politics
Colleague A: 김 대리가 자기 기획안이 최고라고 자랑하더니... (Manager Kim bragged his proposal was the best...)
Colleague B: 부장님한테 혼나고 코가 납작해져서 돌아왔어요. (He came back humbled after being scolded by the director.)
Dating/Social
Friend A: 그 남자가 자기가 제일 잘생겼대. (That guy says he's the most handsome.)
Friend B: 인기 투표에서 꼴찌 해서 코가 납작해졌어. (He came in last in the popularity poll and was humbled.)
Cooking/Hobby
Chef: 제 요리는 완벽합니다. (My cooking is perfect.)
Judge: 소금이 너무 많아요. 코가 좀 납작해지셔야겠어요. (Too much salt. You need to be humbled a bit.)
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of a 'High Nose' as a 'High Ego.' If you hit a wall of failure, your nose gets 'Flattened' (납작).
Visual Association
Imagine a cartoon character walking with their nose pointing to the sky (arrogant). Suddenly, they trip and land face-first on the ground. When they stand up, their nose is flat like a pancake.
Rhyme
코가 쑥~ (Nose goes up), 코가 팍! (Nose goes flat!)
Story
Min-su bragged for weeks that he was the fastest runner. He even wore a shirt that said 'Number 1.' But in the race, he came in last place. His friends said, 'Min-su, your nose is so flat now!' He couldn't say anything back.
Word Web
चैलेंज
Try to find one K-drama scene today where a character is acting arrogant, and imagine saying '코가 납작해지겠네' (His nose is going to get flat).
In Other Languages
鼻を折る (Hana o oru)
Japanese uses 'break' (折る), Korean uses 'flatten' (납작하게 하다).
To take someone down a peg
English focuses on status/rank; Korean focuses on the physical manifestation of ego.
挫其锐气 (Cuò qí ruì qì)
Uses 'spirit/energy' instead of a specific body part like the nose.
Bajarle los humos a alguien
Uses 'smoke' as the metaphor for ego.
Rabattre le caquet de quelqu'un
Focuses on the 'noise' of bragging rather than the 'look' of pride.
Jemandem den Kamm schwellen
German often uses animal metaphors (roosters) for pride.
كسر خشمه (Kasar khashmah)
Almost identical in metaphorical logic.
Baixar a bola
Uses a sports-related metaphor (the ball).
Easily Confused
Both start with '코가' (the nose).
코가 납작해지다 is about pride/humiliation. 코가 빠지다 (nose falls out) means to be dejected or lose energy due to worry.
Sounds like it could be an idiom.
This is purely literal: it means 'to snore.'
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (12)
It can be. It implies the person was arrogant. Use it with friends or about people you don't like, but not to your boss.
Yes! It shows humility. '제가 너무 자신만만했나 봐요. 코가 납작해졌어요.'
Similar, but 'losing face' (체면을 구기다) is more about reputation, while this is more about ego and pride.
Occasionally in opinion pieces or sports news, but rarely in formal business reports.
There isn't a direct 'un-flattening' phrase, but '콧대가 높아지다' (to become arrogant) is the opposite state.
No, that would be confusing. Use '코를 다치다' or '코가 부러지다'.
Literally, no (e.g., flat bread). But in this idiom, it always refers to a loss of pride.
Extremely common, especially in revenge or competition-themed dramas.
No, that just means 'The nose is flat.' You must use '납작해지다' (to become flat).
Younger people might say '참교육 당했다' (received true education/got schooled).
Yes, you can say a whole team's 'nose became flat.'
No, Pinocchio's nose grows when he lies. In Korean, a growing nose isn't a standard idiom for lying, though people know the story.
