[Korean Culture & Language] Cutting Losses

Hello, this is Uptempo!

No one wants to sell something for less than the price they paid for it, especially when trading stocks. However, many famous stock analysts claim that one should sell a stock when it falls 7%-8% below one’s original purchase price. This basic principle of cutting losses early could spare investors from suffering a severe fall that would be impossible to recover from.

In Korean, this technique is called ‘손절.’

The word ‘손절’ is not only used in stock trading but also in relationships. It means ‘to cut someone out of one’s life (early enough to minimize the emotional ‘loss’ that one experiences).’

Ex)
A: 민정이가 요즘 너가 전화 안 받는다고 속상해하더라. 무슨 일 이야?
A: Min-Jeong has been whining to me about how depressed she is that you no longer answer or return her calls. What’s going on?
B: 나 걔 손절했잖아.
B: I cut her out of my life.
A: 왜? 무슨 일 있었어?
A: Why? What happened?
B: 항상 생각 해 왔던거긴 한데, 저번주에 걔가 정말 선 넘었어.
B: I have always thought about it, and last week, she has crossed the line.
A: 민정이가 가끔 생각 없이 행동하긴 하지. 어떻게 했길래?
A: Sometimes she doesn’t think before she says or acts. What did she do?
B: 다 같이 있는 자리에서 나 성형한걸 갑자기 얘기 하는거야… 내가 좋아하는 오빠도 있었는데.
B: She suddenly brought up the fact that I had plastic surgery in front of everyone. My crush was there, too.
A: 아, 그건 진짜 선 넘었네.
A: Oh, she has definitely gone too far.
B: 그치?
B: Right?

Have you ever 손절 someone out of your life? Why?