귀가 간지럽다
guiga ganjireopda
ears are itchy
Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use this when your ear feels itchy and you suspect someone is gossiping about you behind your back.
- Means: Feeling like you are the subject of someone else's conversation.
- Used in: Casual chats with friends when an ear itch occurs suddenly.
- Don't confuse: With a literal medical itch or an ear infection.
Explanation at your level:
意味
To feel like someone is talking about you behind your back.
文化的背景
Koreans often distinguish between the left and right ear, though it's less strict than in some cultures. Some believe the left ear itching means bad things, while the right means good things. The concept of 'Gi' (energy) traveling through space is a common thread in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean idioms regarding bodily sensations. On social media like Twitter (X) or KakaoTalk, people use this phrase when they see their name mentioned in a thread or a group chat they just joined. In the past, this idiom was sometimes linked to the idea of 'ghosts' or 'spirits' whispering in one's ear, though this supernatural element has mostly disappeared.
Use it as a joke
Don't be too serious. It's almost always used with a smile or a playful tone.
Check for bugs!
If your ear is really itchy, check for a mosquito before accusing your friends of gossiping!
意味
To feel like someone is talking about you behind your back.
Use it as a joke
Don't be too serious. It's almost always used with a smile or a playful tone.
Check for bugs!
If your ear is really itchy, check for a mosquito before accusing your friends of gossiping!
The 'ㅂ' Irregular
Mastering '간지러워' (not 간지럽어) will make you sound much more natural.
Nunchi Power
Using this phrase shows you have good 'Nunchi' (social sense).
自分をテスト
Choose the correct form of the idiom to complete the sentence.
어쩐지 아까부터 ( )더라니, 너희 내 얘기 하고 있었지?
The idiom for being talked about is '귀가 간지럽다'.
Fill in the blank with the correct particle and conjugated form of '간지럽다'.
누가 내 욕을 하나? 귀___ _________.
The subject marker '가' is needed for '귀', and '간지럽다' conjugates to '간지러워요' in polite speech.
Match the situation to the most natural use of the phrase.
Situation: You walk into a room and your friends suddenly stop talking and look at you.
This is a classic 'ice-breaker' usage of the idiom.
Complete the dialogue naturally.
가: 민수 씨, 아까 제 얘기 하셨죠? 나: 어? 어떻게 알았어요? 가: ( )
The speaker felt they were being talked about, so they use the past tense of the idiom.
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よくある質問
14 問Mostly, but not always. It can be used for praise too, though '욕' (badmouthing) is the more common association.
Only if you have a very close, friendly relationship. Otherwise, it's a bit too informal.
간지럽다 is often used for being tickled or a light itch. 가렵다 is a more general word for an itch. In this idiom, they are interchangeable.
Yes, it is still very common in K-dramas, variety shows, and daily life.
Some say left is bad and right is good, but most people don't distinguish and just say '귀' (ears) in general.
It becomes '간지러웠어요' (Ganjireowosseoyo).
No, it's a standard idiom (관용구).
If you say '귀가 타요', people will think you are in a fire. Use '귀가 간지러워요' instead.
Then a lot of people must be talking about you!
Yes, this is a long-standing idiom used across the peninsula.
No, it's composed of native Korean words.
No, use '입이 근질근질하다' if you are the one who wants to talk.
Not at all. It's usually seen as charming or funny.
Usually '딱 걸렸네!' (You caught us!) or '아니에요~' (No, we weren't!).
関連フレーズ
귀가 얇다
similarTo be easily persuaded (literally: thin ears).
입이 근질근질하다
builds onTo be dying to say something/tell a secret.
귀에 못이 박히다
specialized formTo have heard something so many times (literally: a callus formed in the ear).
뒷담화를 까다
similarTo talk behind someone's back.
どこで使う？
Walking into a breakroom
Me: 어? 다들 왜 조용해요? 제 귀가 간지러워서 왔는데!
Colleague: 하하, 딱 걸렸네! 우리 지수 씨 칭찬하고 있었어요.
On a phone call with a parent
Mom: 방금 아빠랑 네 얘기 하고 있었는데 전화 왔네!
Me: 어쩐지 아까부터 귀가 간지럽더라고요.
Rubbing ear while studying
Friend: 왜 그래? 귀 아파?
Me: 아니, 귀가 간지러워. 누가 내 욕 하나 봐.
Hearing a rumor about yourself
Me: 어제 제 소문 들었어요. 그래서 귀가 그렇게 간지러웠나 봐요.
Manager: 좋은 소문이었으니까 걱정 말아요.
Texting a friend
Me: 야, 너 지금 내 얘기 하고 있지? 귀 간지러움 ㅋㅋ
Friend: 헐 소름! 어떻게 알았어?
At a dinner party
Host: 민수 씨가 오늘 못 와서 아쉽네요.
Guest: 지금쯤 민수 씨 귀가 엄청 간지럽겠는데요?
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of the 'G' in 'Gwi' (Ear) and 'Gossip'. If your Gwi is itchy, there's Gossip!
Visual Association
Imagine a tiny invisible string connecting your ear to a group of people whispering in the distance. Every time they say your name, they tug the string, making your ear itch.
Rhyme
귀가 간지러, 누가 나를 불러? (Gwi-ga ganjireo, nuga nareul bulleo? - Ears are itchy, is someone calling me?)
Story
You are at home eating ramen. Suddenly, your left ear itches like crazy. You rub it and think, 'Ah, my mom must be telling my aunt about my new job!' You smile and keep eating.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Next time your ear itches, try to say '누가 내 얘기 하나?' out loud in Korean, even if you are alone!
In Other Languages
My ears are burning
English uses 'burning/heat' while Korean uses 'itching'.
噂をすれば影 (Uwasa wo sureba kage)
Japanese culture often associates sneezing with being talked about.
Me pitan los oídos
The sensation is auditory (ringing) rather than tactile (itching).
Avoir les oreilles qui sifflent
Focuses on the whistling sound.
Die Ohren klingen
Uses 'ringing' (klingen).
耳朵发烧 (Ěrduǒ fāshāo)
Uses the concept of a 'fever' or 'heat' in the ear.
أذني بتصفر (Odnay betsaffar)
Uses the 'whistling' sound.
Orelha queimando
Adds a distinction between left (bad) and right (good) ears.
Easily Confused
Learners often wonder if '간지럽다' and '가렵다' are different.
They are 99% interchangeable in this idiom. '간지럽다' is slightly more common in speech.
Both involve ear sensations.
‘따갑다’ (stinging) means you are hearing harsh criticism directly to your face, or too much nagging.
よくある質問 (14)
Mostly, but not always. It can be used for praise too, though '욕' (badmouthing) is the more common association.
Only if you have a very close, friendly relationship. Otherwise, it's a bit too informal.
간지럽다 is often used for being tickled or a light itch. 가렵다 is a more general word for an itch. In this idiom, they are interchangeable.
Yes, it is still very common in K-dramas, variety shows, and daily life.
Some say left is bad and right is good, but most people don't distinguish and just say '귀' (ears) in general.
It becomes '간지러웠어요' (Ganjireowosseoyo).
No, it's a standard idiom (관용구).
If you say '귀가 타요', people will think you are in a fire. Use '귀가 간지러워요' instead.
Then a lot of people must be talking about you!
Yes, this is a long-standing idiom used across the peninsula.
No, it's composed of native Korean words.
No, use '입이 근질근질하다' if you are the one who wants to talk.
Not at all. It's usually seen as charming or funny.
Usually '딱 걸렸네!' (You caught us!) or '아니에요~' (No, we weren't!).
