[Korean Culture & Language] A jar with a broken bottom

Hello, this is Uptempo!


If you've ever visited Korea or enjoy Korean cuisine, I'm fairly certain you would have tried 간장 (ganjang -soy sauce), 고추장 (gochujang - red pepper paste), and 된장 (doenjang – bean paste). They are the three most frequently used Korean seasonings, and they are added to almost every food. These fermented condiments were traditionally kept in special clay jars called ‘장독 (Jangdok)’ or ‘항아리 (Hangari).’ The 장독 are made of baked clay and are claimed to be “breathable.” 장독 were also the main way to keep Kimchi fresh until the ‘김치 냉장고 (Kimchi fridge)’ appeared in 2013. Since pickled and fermented food has always been such an important part of the Korean diet, 장독 also took on a significant role in Korean cuisine. 

There’s an old Korean idiom ‘밑 빠진 독에 물 붓기.’

‘밑’ means ‘bottom’

‘빠진’ means ‘missing,’ or ‘broken’

‘독 (=장독)’ means ‘a jar’

‘물’ means ‘water’

‘붓기’ means ‘to pour’

‘Trying to pour water into a jar that has a cracked bottom,’ Or ‘Trying to fill water in a jar with a broken bottom.’

It refers to a situation where someone pours unending effort or money into something that is not rewarding or productive.

Ex) 

A: 민수 돈 진짜 잘 버나 봐. 맨날 여자친구 좋은 식당 데려 다니고 비싼 선물 주잖아.

A: Min-su seems to make a lot of money. He always takes her girlfriend to fancy restaurants and gives her expensive gifts.

B: 걔 평균 급여보다 적게 받아. 게다가 그 여자애 여자친구도 아니고 어장관리하는 거야. 완전 밑 빠진 독에 물 붓기지…

B: He earns less than average. Also, she isn’t even his girlfriend. She’s just keeping him on the hook. It’s totally like “pouring water into a jar with a broken bottom.”

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