[Korean Culture & Language] To Have a Crooked Back

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The spinal cord is a very important part of one’s body since it connects one’s brain with the rest of the body. Without a spinal cord, one wouldn’t be able to move any part of their body, and their organs wouldn’t function.

Many idioms that are related to ‘spine(등골)’ in Korean.


For example, ‘등골을 빼먹다,’ which is directly translated to ‘pull out one’s backbone and eat it,’ means ‘to extort someone else’s property.’


ex) 너는 아직도 부모님 등골을 빼먹으면서 사니?
Are you still living off your parents’ money?


‘등골이 휘겠다’ is directly translated to ‘one’s back is about to get crooked.’ The expression is usually used in situations when someone is working so hard to feed or pay for someone else.

ex) 

A: 또 라면 먹어?
A: Ramen again?
B: 돈 없어.
B: I’m broke.
A: 알바비는 다 어디다 쓰고?
A: You work part-time. Where do you spend all your paycheck?
B: 여자친구가 갖고싶은게 많아서 선물 몇 개 사주고나면 아무것도 안 남는다.
B: My girlfriend wants so many things. I am left with nothing after buying her some presents.
A: 너 그러다 등골 휘겠다.
A: Your spine is going to get crooked.


등골브레이커 (Spine Breaker) means kids who whine and cry until their parents give in and buy what they want. Those kids usually ask for expensive, trendy items simply because all the other kids have them. 


Have you ever felt like ‘your spine was about to get crooked’? Or have you ever seen a ‘spine breaker’ before?

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