Meaning
To feel extremely nervous, excited, or tense about something.
Cultural Background
In Korean sports culture, '손에 땀을 쥐는' is the most common adjective for a 'must-watch' game. It is used in news headlines constantly. Korean thrillers (like those by Bong Joon-ho) are often described using this phrase to praise their pacing and tension. In Hanbang (traditional Korean medicine), sweating in the palms is linked to 'Sim-bi-허' (weakness of heart and spleen) caused by excessive worry. In the world of professional StarCraft and LoL in Korea, commentators use this phrase to describe 'clutch' moments.
Use with '정도로'
To sound more natural, use it with '정도로' (to the extent of). E.g., '손에 땀이 날 정도로 긴장했어요.'
Don't use for 'Hot'
If you say '손에 땀이 나요' in a sauna, people will think you are having a panic attack, not just feeling hot.
Meaning
To feel extremely nervous, excited, or tense about something.
Use with '정도로'
To sound more natural, use it with '정도로' (to the extent of). E.g., '손에 땀이 날 정도로 긴장했어요.'
Don't use for 'Hot'
If you say '손에 땀이 나요' in a sauna, people will think you are having a panic attack, not just feeling hot.
Sports Commentary
Listen for this phrase during the last 5 minutes of any Korean sports broadcast to hear it in its natural habitat.
Variation for Movies
When talking about a movie plot, '손에 땀을 쥐게 하는' is much more common than '손에 땀이 나는'.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the idiom.
어제 공포 영화를 봤는데 너무 무서워서 손에 ( ) 났어요.
The idiom for being nervous or scared is '손에 땀이 나다'.
Which situation best fits the phrase '손에 땀을 쥐게 하는 경기'?
다음 중 '손에 땀을 쥐게 하는 경기'는 무엇일까요?
The idiom is used for high-tension, suspenseful situations.
Complete the dialogue naturally.
가: 면접 잘 봤어요? 나: 아니요, 너무 긴장해서 ( ).
Expressing nervousness during an interview using the idiom.
Choose the most natural sentence.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
The idiom is used for suspenseful matches.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Sweat Idioms Comparison
Practice Bank
4 exercises어제 공포 영화를 봤는데 너무 무서워서 손에 ( ) 났어요.
The idiom for being nervous or scared is '손에 땀이 나다'.
다음 중 '손에 땀을 쥐게 하는 경기'는 무엇일까요?
The idiom is used for high-tension, suspenseful situations.
가: 면접 잘 봤어요? 나: 아니요, 너무 긴장해서 ( ).
Expressing nervousness during an interview using the idiom.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
The idiom is used for suspenseful matches.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, it is a neutral idiom. You can use it with teachers, bosses, or friends as long as you use the correct politeness level (e.g., -요 or -습니다).
Absolutely! It's a very common way to describe the 'butterflies' and nervousness of a first meeting.
'나다' means the sweat is appearing. '쥐다' means you are clenching your hands because of the sweat/tension. '쥐다' is more common for describing a movie or game.
Yes, it works for fear as well as excitement, though '식은땀' (cold sweat) is more specific to fear.
Younger people might say '심장 쫄깃' (heart is chewy/tight) to mean the same thing.
Not always. It can mean 'excited' or 'thrilled' in a positive way, like during a great movie.
No, that would be '땀을 흘리다'.
Yes, to describe a high-stakes negotiation or a tense market situation.
You would use the adjective form: '손에 땀을 쥐게 하는 [명사]'.
Very common. It's in the top 200 most used idioms in Korea.
Related Phrases
손에 땀을 쥐다
similarTo clench sweat in one's hands
식은땀이 나다
similarTo break out in a cold sweat
가슴이 두근거리다
builds onHeart is thumping
침이 마르다
similarOne's mouth is dry
안절부절못하다
similarTo be restless/fidgety
