Meaning
To hinder or prevent someone from progressing or succeeding.
Cultural Background
In Korean corporate culture, '발목을 잡다' is often used to describe how older, rigid regulations hinder the growth of new startups. The idiom is a direct reference to Ssireum wrestling. Grabbing the ankle is a defensive move to prevent a throw. Korean parents often worry that a child's 'weak subject' (like Math) will 'grab the ankle' of their overall university entrance exam score. Villains often 'grab the ankle' of the protagonist by revealing a secret from their past just as they are about to succeed.
Use with '제' (My)
When talking about your own problems, '제 발목을 잡아요' sounds very natural and humble.
Don't use for physical pain
If you actually twisted your ankle, say '발목을 삐었어요.'
Meaning
To hinder or prevent someone from progressing or succeeding.
Use with '제' (My)
When talking about your own problems, '제 발목을 잡아요' sounds very natural and humble.
Don't use for physical pain
If you actually twisted your ankle, say '발목을 삐었어요.'
Passive Voice
Use '발목이 잡히다' when you want to sound like you are the victim of a situation you can't control.
News Context
Listen for this phrase in Korean news about the economy; it's almost always there!
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the idiom.
어제 너무 늦게 자서 오늘 아침에 피곤함이 제 (______) 잡았어요.
The idiom for hindering progress is '발목을 잡다.'
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Choose the natural sentence:
The idiom is used for obstacles (bad grades) preventing progress.
Complete the dialogue.
가: 이번 프로젝트 왜 포기했어? 나: 예산 부족이 계속 (______).
'~아서/어서' is used here to provide a reason for the failure.
Match the situation to the meaning of '발목을 잡다'.
Situation: A politician's old scandal is revealed during an election.
Scandals are classic 'ankle-grabbers' in political contexts.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Active vs Passive
Practice Bank
4 exercises어제 너무 늦게 자서 오늘 아침에 피곤함이 제 (______) 잡았어요.
The idiom for hindering progress is '발목을 잡다.'
Choose the natural sentence:
The idiom is used for obstacles (bad grades) preventing progress.
가: 이번 프로젝트 왜 포기했어? 나: 예산 부족이 계속 (______).
'~아서/어서' is used here to provide a reason for the failure.
Situation: A politician's old scandal is revealed during an election.
Scandals are classic 'ankle-grabbers' in political contexts.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
12 questionsYes, but be careful. Saying a person is grabbing your ankle implies they are sabotaging you.
Yes, it almost always refers to a hindrance or an obstacle.
'방해하다' is a general verb for 'to disturb.' '발목을 잡다' is more idiomatic and implies a persistent drag on progress.
Yes! It's a cute and funny way to say your pet is keeping you from leaving the house.
Very often. It describes market factors or lack of resources.
Use the passive form: '발목이 잡혔어요.'
No, it's a standard idiom used in both formal and informal Korean.
Usually no, unless that good thing is preventing you from doing something even better.
Abstract nouns like '과거' (past), '돈' (money), and '부상' (injury).
Not necessarily. It can be an accidental hindrance or a systemic one.
Yes, '교통 체증이 제 발목을 잡았어요' is perfectly natural.
The word '발목' is native Korean, but the concept is often written as '足頸' in academic texts, though the idiom itself is always in Hangul.
Related Phrases
발을 묶다
similarTo tie one's feet
찬물을 끼얹다
similarTo throw cold water on
걸림돌이 되다
synonymTo become a stumbling block
앞길을 막다
similarTo block the path ahead
도움을 주다
contrastTo give help
