코 묻은 돈을 털다.

The idiom '코 묻은 돈을 털다' (ko mudeun doneul teolda) literally translates to 'to shake out nose-soiled money.' The 'nose-soiled money' (코 묻은 돈, ko mudeun don) refers to small amounts of money, typically coins, that a child might have saved. The image of 'nose-soiled' comes from the common sight of young children with runny noses, implying that the money has been handled by such a child. '털다' (teolda) means 'to shake off' or 'to empty out.' This idiom evokes a nostalgic and often slightly humorous image of a child carefully saving their pennies, perhaps in a piggy bank or a small pouch, and then, at some point, emptying it all out. The money is usually very little, hence 'meager.' The act of 'shaking it out' emphasizes that even these small, precious savings are being used up. The expression carries a connotation of using one's very last, often hard-earned or carefully saved, small amount of money, usually for a specific purpose or in a time of need. It often implies a sense of resourcefulness or making do with what little one has. While it literally refers to a child's savings, it can be used more broadly to describe using up any small, personal savings that one has accumulated over time, often implying that these savings are somewhat sentimental or modest.