손이 발이 되도록 빌다
soni bari doedorok bilda
Beg with hands and feet
Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use this phrase when someone is begging for forgiveness or a huge favor with extreme, desperate intensity.
- Means: To beg so hard that your hands (rubbing together) look like feet.
- Used in: Serious apologies, desperate requests, or dramatic K-drama scenes.
- Don't confuse: Don't use it for small mistakes like being 5 minutes late.
Explanation at your level:
意味
To beg desperately and profusely for forgiveness or a favor.
文化的背景
The gesture of rubbing hands is called '손을 비비다.' It is often accompanied by a slight bow and a repetitive '죄송합니다' (I'm sorry). This is a very common sight in Korean media to show sincere regret. Confucian values emphasize hierarchy. Begging 'until hands become feet' is a way of acknowledging the other person's higher status or the gravity of the social debt created by a mistake. In modern urban life, this phrase is often used jokingly among friends to describe how hard they had to apologize to their parents or partners. While many cultures use kneeling (knees), Korea's focus on hands highlights the importance of manual gestures in showing sincerity and effort.
Use with '모자라다'
A very common pattern is '손이 발이 되도록 빌어도 모자라다' (Even begging desperately is not enough). Use this to show extreme anger or a truly unforgivable mistake.
Don't overdo it
If you use this for small things, people might think you are being sarcastic or making fun of them.
意味
To beg desperately and profusely for forgiveness or a favor.
Use with '모자라다'
A very common pattern is '손이 발이 되도록 빌어도 모자라다' (Even begging desperately is not enough). Use this to show extreme anger or a truly unforgivable mistake.
Don't overdo it
If you use this for small things, people might think you are being sarcastic or making fun of them.
The 'Ssak-ssak' sound
When using this idiom, you can mimic the hand-rubbing motion to add emphasis to your story.
自分をテスト
Fill in the missing word to complete the idiom.
그는 잘못을 빌 때 손이 ___ 되도록 빌었다.
The idiom is '손이 발이 되도록 빌다.'
Which situation is most appropriate for using this idiom?
다음 중 이 표현을 쓰기에 가장 적절한 상황은?
This is a significant social mistake that requires a deep apology, unlike the other minor incidents.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of the idiom.
A: 어제 아내한테 많이 혼났어? B: 응, 진짜 ____________________ 빌어서 겨우 용서받았어.
The fixed form is '손이 발이 되도록.'
Choose the sentence that uses the idiom naturally.
가장 자연스러운 문장을 고르세요.
The idiom is best used for desperate, life-or-death, or high-stakes situations.
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よくある質問
10 問Yes, it is often used to describe someone praying very desperately for a miracle or for forgiveness of sins.
No, it can also be used for very desperate requests, like asking for a life-saving favor.
It's not grammatically 'wrong,' but it's not the standard idiom. Koreans will always prefer '되도록.'
It has a traditional feel, but it is still very commonly used in modern dramas, novels, and daily speech when describing intense situations.
Yes, you can say '제가 손이 발이 되도록 빌게요' to show how sorry you are.
The verb '빌다' (to beg/pray) is almost always used with this idiom.
Yes, the idiom is conceptually tied to that specific physical gesture.
The idiom itself is neutral, but the context is usually very emotional and serious.
Only if you are explaining a past mistake where you had to apologize. Don't use it to ask for the job!
It's the sound of hands rubbing together. '싹싹 빌다' is a shorter, more common version of this idiom.
関連フレーズ
싹싹 빌다
synonymTo beg earnestly and quickly.
무릎을 꿇다
similarTo kneel down.
발이 닳도록 뛰다
builds onTo run until one's feet wear out.
손을 비비다
specialized formTo rub one's hands together.
どこで使う？
Breaking a family heirloom
Child: 엄마, 정말 죄송해요. 제가 할머니 도자기를 깨뜨렸어요.
Mother: 뭐라고? 그게 어떤 건데! 손이 발이 되도록 빌어도 모자라!
Asking for a huge loan
Friend A: 돈 좀 빌려줄 수 있어? 진짜 급해서 그래.
Friend B: 지난번에도 안 갚았잖아. 손이 발이 되도록 빌어도 이번엔 안 돼.
Cheating in a relationship
Person A: 어떻게 나한테 그럴 수 있어? 헤어져!
Person B: 내가 잘못했어. 손이 발이 되도록 빌게. 제발 한 번만 용서해줘.
Late for a crucial job interview
Applicant: 죄송합니다. 사고가 나서 늦었습니다. 제발 면접만 보게 해주세요.
Secretary: 이미 늦어서 안 됩니다. 손이 발이 되도록 빌어보셔도 규정상 어쩔 수 없네요.
Historical Drama (Sageuk) Plea
Subject: 전하, 목숨만은 살려주시옵소서! 손이 발이 되도록 빌겠나이다!
King: 네 죄를 네가 알렸다! 당장 끌어내라!
Losing a friend's expensive item
Friend A: 야, 내 카메라 어디 있어? 설마 잃어버린 거야?
Friend B: 미안해... 내가 손이 발이 되도록 빌게. 꼭 변상할게.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Imagine your hands moving so fast to apologize that they blur and look like your feet on the floor.
Visual Association
A person kneeling on a wooden floor, rubbing their hands together so vigorously that smoke starts to rise, and their hands literally morph into the shape of feet.
Rhyme
손이 발이 되도록, 빌고 빌어 살도록 (Beg until hands are feet, so that you may live/survive).
Story
Min-su broke his mother's favorite 500-year-old vase. He knew a simple 'sorry' wouldn't work. He knelt down and started rubbing his hands together. He rubbed so hard and for so long that his hands got tired and heavy, feeling just like his feet. He was '손이 발이 되도록 빌다'-ing.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Write a 3-sentence dialogue where a character has to use this phrase to describe how they apologized to their boss for losing a million-dollar contract.
In Other Languages
To beg on bended knee
Korean uses hyperbole (hands becoming feet), English uses a literal physical posture.
手をすり合わせる (Te o suriawaseru)
The Japanese version is more literal, while the Korean version adds a hyperbolic result.
磕头求饶 (Kētóu qiúráo)
Chinese focuses on the head/forehead, Korean focuses on the hands/feet.
Suplicar de rodillas
Spanish is more about the posture of the whole body.
Supplier à genoux
French often has a more romantic or poetic connotation.
Auf Knien angekrochen kommen
The German version often implies a sense of 'I told you so' from the listener.
يتوسل إليه (Yatawassalu ilayh)
Focuses on the verbal intensity rather than a physical metaphor.
Implorar de joelhos
Focuses on the knees as the point of submission.
Easily Confused
Both involve 'feet' and 'hands' and taking action.
This one means to actively volunteer or take the lead, not to beg.
よくある質問 (10)
Yes, it is often used to describe someone praying very desperately for a miracle or for forgiveness of sins.
No, it can also be used for very desperate requests, like asking for a life-saving favor.
It's not grammatically 'wrong,' but it's not the standard idiom. Koreans will always prefer '되도록.'
It has a traditional feel, but it is still very commonly used in modern dramas, novels, and daily speech when describing intense situations.
Yes, you can say '제가 손이 발이 되도록 빌게요' to show how sorry you are.
The verb '빌다' (to beg/pray) is almost always used with this idiom.
Yes, the idiom is conceptually tied to that specific physical gesture.
The idiom itself is neutral, but the context is usually very emotional and serious.
Only if you are explaining a past mistake where you had to apologize. Don't use it to ask for the job!
It's the sound of hands rubbing together. '싹싹 빌다' is a shorter, more common version of this idiom.
