A1 Proverb तटस्थ

웃는 얼굴에 침 뱉으랴.

usneun eolgul-e chim baetyeogya.

Don't spit on a smiling face.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

It is difficult to be mean or aggressive toward someone who is treating you with kindness and a smile.

  • Means: Kindness disarms hostility.
  • Used in: De-escalating arguments or explaining why someone is being nice.
  • Don't confuse: It is not a command to be a pushover, but an observation of human nature.
Smiling face + Hostility = Impossible

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means it is hard to be mean to a nice person. If someone smiles at you, you want to be nice too.
This proverb describes how kindness stops anger. It is a rhetorical question that means 'Who would be rude to someone who is smiling?' It is used to encourage friendly behavior in daily life.
The phrase '웃는 얼굴에 침 뱉으랴' is a cultural proverb used to explain the social power of a friendly demeanor. It suggests that aggression is naturally inhibited by kindness. It is a common way to de-escalate potential conflicts by reminding others of social norms.
This proverb serves as a linguistic tool to emphasize the psychological impact of positive social cues. By framing the act of rudeness as an absurdity, it discourages hostile behavior. It is frequently employed in interpersonal contexts to foster cooperation and maintain social harmony.
The proverb functions as a rhetorical device that leverages the cultural taboo against spitting to underscore the efficacy of non-confrontational behavior. It reflects the Confucian emphasis on emotional regulation and the preservation of 'face' in social interactions, serving as both a descriptive observation and a normative guide for conduct.
This expression exemplifies the intersection of cultural psychology and linguistic pragmatics. By employing a rhetorical interrogative structure, it posits a universal social constraint: the inhibition of aggression in the presence of prosocial cues. It functions as a cognitive heuristic that promotes conflict resolution through the strategic deployment of a pleasant demeanor, deeply rooted in the collectivist values of Korean society.

मतलब

It's hard to be rude or unkind to someone who is being friendly.

🌍

सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि

The proverb is a staple of Korean social wisdom, often taught to children to encourage politeness. Similar concepts of 'saving face' exist in China and Japan, where maintaining a calm, pleasant exterior is highly valued.

💡

Use it as a shield

When someone is being rude, stay calm and smile. It really works!

मतलब

It's hard to be rude or unkind to someone who is being friendly.

💡

Use it as a shield

When someone is being rude, stay calm and smile. It really works!

खुद को परखो

Which ending is correct for the proverb?

웃는 얼굴에 침 ____?

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: 뱉으랴

The proverb is traditionally a rhetorical question ending in -랴.

🎉 स्कोर: /1

विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स

अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल

1 सवाल

It can be, if you sound condescending. Use it with a gentle tone.

संबंधित मुहावरे

🔗

가는 말이 고와야 오는 말이 곱다

similar

If you speak kindly, you will be spoken to kindly.

🔗

말 한마디로 천 냥 빚을 갚는다

similar

A single word can repay a thousand-gold debt.

कहाँ इस्तेमाल करें

💼

Workplace Conflict

Colleague: Why are you being so nice to him after what he did?

You: 웃는 얼굴에 침 뱉으랴잖아요. 좋게 해결하고 싶어요.

neutral
💡

Giving Advice

Friend: I'm so mad at my neighbor!

You: 그냥 웃으면서 인사해봐. 웃는 얼굴에 침 뱉으랴.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a person trying to spit, but their mouth turns into a smile instead!

Visual Association

A person with a bright, sunny face standing in front of a grumpy person who is holding a bucket of water, but they can't throw it because the smile is too bright.

Rhyme

웃는 얼굴에 침 뱉으랴, 화를 내지 말고 웃어봐라.

Story

Min-su was angry at his boss. He walked into the office ready to shout. But his boss looked up, smiled warmly, and offered him coffee. Min-su stopped. He thought, '웃는 얼굴에 침 뱉으랴,' and sat down to talk calmly instead.

Word Web

웃음 (smile)얼굴 (face)침 (spittle)뱉다 (to spit)친절 (kindness)화 (anger)

चैलेंज

Try to smile the next time someone is slightly annoyed with you and see if their tone changes.

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Lo cortés no quita lo valiente.

The Korean proverb focuses on the effect on the other person, while the Spanish one focuses on the actor's own character.

French moderate

On n'attrape pas des mouches avec du vinaigre.

The French proverb is about effectiveness, while the Korean one is about social inhibition.

German low

Der Ton macht die Musik.

German focuses on delivery, Korean focuses on the reaction to a smile.

Japanese partial

笑う門には福来たる

Japanese is about luck, Korean is about conflict resolution.

Arabic moderate

الكلمة الطيبة صدقة

Arabic is a moral/religious imperative, Korean is a social observation.

Easily Confused

웃는 얼굴에 침 뱉으랴. बनाम 웃는 얼굴에 침 못 뱉는다

It's the same meaning, just a different grammatical structure.

Use '뱉으랴' for rhetorical effect, '못 뱉는다' for a statement of fact.

अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (1)

It can be, if you sound condescending. Use it with a gentle tone.

क्या यह मददगार था?

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