똥 묻은 개가 겨 묻은 개 나무란다

The Korean proverb '똥 묻은 개가 겨 묻은 개 나무란다' (ddong mudeun gaega gyeo mudeun gae namuranda) literally translates to 'A dog stained with feces criticizes a dog stained with chaff.' This proverb is deeply rooted in traditional Korean agricultural society, where dogs were common animals found in every household and their interactions, as well as the substances they might encounter, were familiar observations. '똥' (ddong) means 'feces' or 'dung,' a highly undesirable and dirty substance. '묻은' (mudeun) is the past participle of '묻다' (mutda), meaning 'to be stained with' or 'to be smeared with.' So, '똥 묻은 개' refers to 'a dog stained with feces,' symbolizing someone who has committed a significant fault or is deeply flawed. '겨' (gyeo) means 'chaff,' which is the dry, scaly protective casing of the seeds of cereal grains (like rice or barley). While chaff is generally considered waste and less valuable than the grain itself, it is not as utterly disgusting or offensive as feces. '겨 묻은 개' thus refers to 'a dog stained with chaff,' symbolizing someone who has a minor fault or a less significant flaw. '나무란다' (namuranda) is the third-person singular informal declarative form of '나무라다' (namurada), meaning 'to scold,' 'to criticize,' or 'to rebuke.' The proverb encapsulates the hypocrisy of someone who, having a much greater flaw or having committed a more serious wrongdoing themselves, scolds or criticizes another person for a lesser fault. It highlights the human tendency to point out others' imperfections while overlooking or downplaying one's own, especially when one's own imperfections are more severe. The imagery of dogs and the common substances they might encounter makes the proverb vivid, relatable, and easy to understand for the general populace. It has been used for centuries to admonish those who display such hypocritical behavior, serving as a reminder for self-reflection and humility.