मतलब
To feel annoyed or pained by a loud or unpleasant sound.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
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.
मतलब
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!
खुद को परखो
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'.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
Ear Idioms Comparison
अभ्यास बैंक
4 अभ्यासYour 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.
공사장 소음 때문에 귀가 ( ).
따갑다 is a 'ㅂ' irregular adjective, so it becomes 따가워요.
Match '귀가 따갑다' with its figurative meaning.
The figurative meaning is being annoyed by repetitive speech or loud noise.
A: 음악 소리 좀 줄여줄래? B: 왜? 너무 작지 않아? A: 아니, 너무 커서 ( ).
Loud music causes the 'stinging' sensation described by '귀가 따갑다'.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
12 सवालYes, 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.
संबंधित मुहावरे
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.
