B1 Proverb Formal

잔치집에 먹을 것 없으랴.

janchijibe meogeul geot eopseurya.

How can a feast house have nothing to eat?

Phrase in 30 Seconds

A rhetorical way to say that in a place of abundance, there will surely be something for you.

  • Means: You can always find resources in a wealthy or large-scale environment.
  • Used in: Encouraging someone to seek help from a large organization or wealthy person.
  • Don't confuse: Do not confuse with '소문난 잔치에 먹을 것 없다' (the opposite).
🎉🏠 + 🍱❓ = 😋✅

Explanation at your level:

This is a proverb about a big party. In Korea, a 'Janchi' is a feast. The phrase asks: 'Is there no food at a party?' But it really means 'Of course there is food!' It is used to say that big places have many things. It is like saying a big supermarket will have the milk you need.
This proverb uses a rhetorical question. 'Janchi-jib' means a house having a feast. The ending '-으랴' makes it a question that means 'Yes.' So, 'Would a feast house have no food?' means 'A feast house always has food.' You use this when you think a big company or a rich person can help you because they have many resources.
At the B1 level, you should recognize the rhetorical ending '-으랴'. This proverb suggests that in any environment of abundance, there are bound to be opportunities or resources available for others. It's an optimistic expression often applied to large organizations or wealthy individuals. For example, if you are looking for a job, you might target a large corporation because 'there must be something to eat at a feast house.' It teaches you about the Korean cultural expectation of hospitality and the pragmatic approach to seeking resources where they are most plentiful.
This proverb functions as a metaphor for the 'overflow' of resources in high-capital or high-resource environments. The grammatical structure employs the archaic rhetorical suffix '-으랴', which is characteristic of 'frozen' proverbs. It implies a certain level of social pragmatism—suggesting that one should seek benefits from those who have an abundance, as the marginal cost to the provider is low. It is frequently used in business or social contexts to justify why one might pursue a relationship with a dominant player in a field, assuming that their 'feast' will naturally provide sustenance for others.
This proverb encapsulates the socio-economic philosophy of communal abundance in traditional Korean society. Linguistically, it is a prime example of the rhetorical interrogative form used to assert a positive absolute. The 'Janchi' serves as a metonym for any entity possessing surplus capital or influence. From a sociolinguistic perspective, using this phrase demonstrates a mastery of 'Gyeok-sik' (formality) and an understanding of the historical 'In-sim' culture. It contrasts sharply with the cynical '소문난 잔치에 먹을 것 없다', allowing the speaker to navigate between optimism and skepticism regarding large-scale institutions.
The proverb '잔치집에 먹을 것 없으랴' operates as a cognitive linguistic anchor, mapping the traditional agrarian concept of communal feasting onto modern institutional structures. The use of the archaic '-으랴' suffix invokes a sense of timeless wisdom, asserting a teleological certainty that abundance necessitates distribution. Mastery of this phrase involves not just understanding its literal-to-figurative mapping, but also the delicate pragmatics of its application—avoiding the pitfall of sounding entitled while successfully conveying a strategic, optimistic reliance on systemic surplus. It reflects a deeply rooted cultural archetype of the 'generous host' that continues to influence Korean corporate and social hierarchies.

Significado

Meaning there must be something available in an abundant place.

🌍

Contexto cultural

The 'Janchi' culture is central to Korean social life. Historically, feasts were the only time commoners ate meat and white rice. This proverb reflects the hope and trust placed in these moments of communal wealth. In the modern era, this proverb is often applied to 'Chaebols' (conglomerates). It explains why many graduates focus solely on top-tier companies, believing that the 'feast' there is so large it must include them. Similar to the 'Starved Camel' proverb, Chinese culture values the 'scale' of an entity. A large family or business is expected to maintain a certain level of provision even in hard times. Hospitality in the 'Big House' is a sacred duty. This proverb would resonate deeply with the Bedouin tradition of keeping the coffee pot always full for any traveler.

🎯

Master the Rhetorical Ending

The '-으랴' ending is the key to sounding like a native proverb expert. It's much more impactful than saying '있을 거예요'.

⚠️

Don't sound entitled

When using this about a person's wealth, be careful. It can sound like you expect them to give you things.

Significado

Meaning there must be something available in an abundant place.

🎯

Master the Rhetorical Ending

The '-으랴' ending is the key to sounding like a native proverb expert. It's much more impactful than saying '있을 거예요'.

⚠️

Don't sound entitled

When using this about a person's wealth, be careful. It can sound like you expect them to give you things.

Teste-se

Fill in the blank with the correct proverb.

삼성이 그렇게 큰 회사인데 (____________________), 분명 너에게 맞는 자리가 있을 거야.

✓ Correto! ✗ Quase. Resposta certa: 잔치집에 먹을 것 없으랴

The context is optimistic about a large company, so '잔치집에 먹을 것 없으랴' is correct.

Which situation best fits the proverb '잔치집에 먹을 것 없으랴'?

Which situation is most appropriate?

✓ Correto! ✗ Quase. Resposta certa: Looking for a specific book in a massive library.

The proverb applies to finding resources in a large, abundant place.

Complete the dialogue.

가: 이번에 아주 큰 프로젝트에 참여하게 됐어. 나한테 돌아올 이익이 있을까? 나: 걱정 마. (____________________).

✓ Correto! ✗ Quase. Resposta certa: 잔치집에 먹을 것 없으랴

The speaker is reassuring the other that a large project will yield benefits.

Match the proverb to the meaning.

잔치집에 먹을 것 없으랴

✓ Correto! ✗ Quase. Resposta certa: Abundance leads to sharing.

It implies that a place of plenty will surely have something to offer.

🎉 Pontuação: /4

Recursos visuais

Perguntas frequentes

2 perguntas

In modern standard Korean, '잔칫집' is the correct spelling, but '잔치집' is very common in older texts and proverbs.

Not really. It implies a scale of abundance that a small party usually doesn't have.

Frases relacionadas

🔗

소문난 잔치에 먹을 것 없다

contrast

A famous feast has nothing to eat.

🔗

부잣집이 망해도 삼 년은 간다

similar

Even if a rich house fails, it lasts three years.

🔗

창고에서 인심 난다

builds on

Generosity comes from the storehouse.

Onde usar

💼

Job Hunting

A: 삼성전자에 지원하고 싶은데, 너무 경쟁이 치열할까 봐 걱정돼요.

B: 걱정 마세요. 잔치집에 먹을 것 없으랴, 그렇게 큰 회사에 당신 자리 하나 없겠어요?

neutral
🛠️

Borrowing a Tool

A: 옆집 김 씨네는 장비가 진짜 많던데, 드릴 좀 빌릴 수 있을까?

B: 그럼요. 잔치집에 먹을 것 없으랴, 드릴 하나쯤은 분명히 있을 거예요.

informal
📚

Looking for a Book

A: 이 희귀한 책을 국립중앙도서관에서 찾을 수 있을까요?

B: 잔치집에 먹을 것 없으랴, 거기 없다면 우리나라 어디에도 없을 겁니다.

neutral
💰

Asking for a Small Loan

A: 형, 만 원만 빌려주면 안 돼? 형 돈 많잖아.

B: 잔치집에 먹을 것 없으랴 싶어서 나한테 왔냐? 알았다, 여기 있다.

informal
🍽️

At a Buffet

A: 벌써 음식이 다 떨어진 거 아니야?

B: 에이, 잔치집에 먹을 것 없으랴. 주방에서 또 나올 거야.

informal
📈

Investment Advice

A: 이 펀드에 투자해도 괜찮을까요?

B: 워낙 자산 규모가 큰 운용사니 잔치집에 먹을 것 없으랴 하는 마음으로 믿어보시죠.

formal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'Janchi' (Party) house. Would they really run out of food? No way! (Janchi = Joyful Abundance).

Visual Association

Imagine a table overflowing with Korean rice cakes, fruits, and meats. Even if 100 people eat, there's still a small plate left for you in the corner.

Rhyme

잔치집에 (Janchi-jib-e) / 먹을 것 없으랴 (Meok-eul geot eobs-eu-rya)

Story

A traveler arrives at a village during a huge wedding. He is hungry and has no money. He sees the 'Janchi' sign and smiles, saying '잔치집에 먹을 것 없으랴.' He enters, and as expected, the host welcomes him with a warm bowl of noodles.

Word Web

잔치 (Feast)풍요 (Abundance)인심 (Generosity)대기업 (Conglomerate)기회 (Opportunity)나눔 (Sharing)낙관 (Optimism)

Desafio

Try to use this phrase next time you are looking for something in a very large store or library.

In Other Languages

English moderate

A full barn needs no herald.

Korean focuses on the seeker's benefit; English focuses on the owner's reputation.

Chinese high

瘦死的骆驼比马大 (Shòusǐ de luòtuó bǐ mǎ dà)

The Chinese version emphasizes the scale even in failure; the Korean version emphasizes the certainty of resources in a feast.

Japanese moderate

腐っても鯛 (Kusattemo tai)

Japanese focuses on quality/status; Korean focuses on the quantity of resources available to share.

Spanish low

Donde hubo fuego, cenizas quedan.

Spanish focuses on remnants of the past; Korean focuses on current abundance.

French high

Il y a toujours à boire et à manger.

French can sometimes imply a mix of quality, whereas Korean is generally optimistic about finding something good.

German moderate

In einem vollen Haus ist immer Platz.

German focuses on 'space/room'; Korean focuses on 'food/resources'.

Arabic high

البيت الكبير دايمًا فيه خير (Al-bayt al-kabeer dayman fih khair)

Almost identical in cultural sentiment and usage.

Portuguese moderate

Onde se come um, comem dois.

Portuguese focuses on the act of sharing; Korean focuses on the scale of the source.

Easily Confused

잔치집에 먹을 것 없으랴. vs 소문난 잔치에 먹을 것 없다

Both use 'Janchi' and 'food,' but they have opposite meanings.

If the phrase starts with 'Somunnan' (Famous/Rumored), it's negative. If it ends with 'Eobs-eu-rya' (Rhetorical), it's positive.

Perguntas frequentes (2)

In modern standard Korean, '잔칫집' is the correct spelling, but '잔치집' is very common in older texts and proverbs.

Not really. It implies a scale of abundance that a small party usually doesn't have.

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