[Korean Culture & Language] Looking for...

Hello, this is Uptempo!


It would be counterproductive to look for meat on a tree. There’s an old idiom in Korea, ‘나무에서 고기를 찾는다’. It is translated to ‘Looking for meat on a tree’. It describes a situation in which someone makes a valiant effort to accomplish something that appears to be impossible. It is often used on someone who is trying to do something silly and ineffective.

Photo by niko photos on Unsplash

A: 나 존이 너무 잘생긴 것 같아. 내일 저녁 같이 먹을 수 있는지 물어보려구..
A: I think John is so cute. I’m going to ask if he wants to have dinner with me tomorrow.
B: 너 다정한 사람 좋아하잖아. 존은 그런 스타일이 아닌데?
B: You like sweet guys. John isn’t sweet.
A: 원래는 다정한 사람 아닌거 나도 아는데, 혹시라도 데이트 하면 다르지 않을까?
A: I know he’s not naturally sweet. But he might be when he’s on a date?
B: 에이 설마… 나무에서 고기를 찾는게 낫겠다…
B: I doubt it… It seems more realistic to look for meat on a tree…



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