Meaning
To wait with great anticipation and longing for something or someone.
Cultural Background
The crane ({鶴|학}) is a symbol of nobility and longevity in Korea. The idiom '학수고대' links the crane's long neck to the noble act of waiting patiently for something important. In the age of 'Rocket Delivery' (쿠팡 로켓배송), the 'wait' has shortened, but the idiom is used even more frequently to describe the excitement of tracking a package in real-time. Waiting for children to return home for holidays like Chuseok ({秋夕|추석}) is a core part of Korean family life, where parents are said to wait '목을 빼고' at the bus terminal. Fans use this phrase constantly on social media (Twitter/Weverse) to express their desire for a group's 'comeback' ({컴백}).
Use with '만'
Adding '만' (only) after the noun makes it sound more natural: '이 날만 목을 빼고 기다렸어!' (I waited only for this day!)
Don't overstretch
Don't use it for things that happen every day, like the sun rising, unless you are being poetic.
Meaning
To wait with great anticipation and longing for something or someone.
Use with '만'
Adding '만' (only) after the noun makes it sound more natural: '이 날만 목을 빼고 기다렸어!' (I waited only for this day!)
Don't overstretch
Don't use it for things that happen every day, like the sun rising, unless you are being poetic.
The Crane Connection
If you want to sound very educated, use '학수고대' in a speech.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the idiom.
나는 어제부터 택배를 목을 ( ) 기다리고 있어.
The idiom is '목을 빼고 기다리다.'
Which situation is MOST appropriate for this idiom?
다음 중 '목을 빼고 기다리다'를 쓰기 가장 좋은 상황은?
The idiom is used for eager anticipation and longing.
Complete the dialogue naturally.
가: 민수 씨, 왜 그렇게 창밖만 보고 있어요? 나: 오늘 여자친구가 유학 마치고 돌아오거든요. 아까부터 ( ).
Waiting for a loved one's return is the classic context for this idiom.
Match the idiom with its meaning.
Match the following:
Each idiom has a slightly different nuance of waiting.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercises나는 어제부터 택배를 목을 ( ) 기다리고 있어.
The idiom is '목을 빼고 기다리다.'
다음 중 '목을 빼고 기다리다'를 쓰기 가장 좋은 상황은?
The idiom is used for eager anticipation and longing.
가: 민수 씨, 왜 그렇게 창밖만 보고 있어요? 나: 오늘 여자친구가 유학 마치고 돌아오거든요. 아까부터 ( ).
Waiting for a loved one's return is the classic context for this idiom.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Each idiom has a slightly different nuance of waiting.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questionsBoth exist but with different verbs. '목을 빼고' (stretching the neck) and '목이 빠지게' (neck falling out). '을' goes with '빼고'.
Only if the bus is very late and you are desperate to get home. Otherwise, it's too dramatic.
No, it's a standard idiom. Just make sure to conjugate the end of the sentence politely (기다리고 있어요).
'손꼽아' is for counting down to a specific date. '목을 빼고' is for the physical act of looking for something to appear.
Yes, to express how much you want the position: '결과를 목을 빼고 기다리겠습니다.'
Related Phrases
손꼽아 기다리다
similarTo count the days/fingers while waiting
눈이 빠지게 기다리다
similarTo wait until one's eyes fall out
기다리다 지치다
contrastTo be tired of waiting
학수고대하다
synonymTo wait like a crane
