KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean phrases › Proverbs & idioms › 바늘 도둑이 소 도둑 된다
“Small wrongs, left alone, grow into big ones” in Korean
바늘 도둑이 소 도둑 된다
baneul dodugi so doduk doenda
Meaning
Small wrongs, left alone, grow into big ones.
Usage note
Literally “a needle thief becomes a cow thief”. A warning that small wrongdoings, if repeated, become habits and lead to serious ones. Often used when raising children.
Romanization follows the Revised Romanization system and is a guide to pronunciation.
How to pronounce it
In natural speech, sounds link and shift across words. The table below reads each word separately, as it sounds when said on its own.
| Syllable | Letters (consonant + vowel + final) | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 바늘 | ||
| 바 | ㅂ+ㅏ | ba |
| 늘 | ㄴ+ㅡ+ㄹ | neul |
| 도둑이 | ||
| 도 | ㄷ+ㅗ | do |
| 둑 | ㄷ+ㅜ+ㄱ | [두] du |
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | [기] gi |
| 소 | ㅅ+ㅗ | so |
| 도둑 | ||
| 도 | ㄷ+ㅗ | do |
| 둑 | ㄷ+ㅜ+ㄱ | duk |
| 된다 | ||
| 된 | ㄷ+ㅚ+ㄴ | doen |
| 다 | ㄷ+ㅏ | da |
A ㅇ at the start of a syllable is silent; at the end of a syllable it sounds like “ng”.
Sound changes in this phrase
- Linking: when a syllable ending in a consonant (patchim) is followed by a syllable that starts with a vowel, the consonant moves over to the next syllable. 둑이 → [두기]
Speech style
Ends in -다. Common in proverbs, writing and the news, but not how you normally speak to the person in front of you.
Quick self-check
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 What does “바늘 도둑이 소 도둑 된다” mean?
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Answer: Small wrongs, left alone, grow into big ones
Question 2 How do you say “Small wrongs, left alone, grow into big ones” in Korean?
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Answer: 바늘 도둑이 소 도둑 된다 baneul dodugi so doduk doenda
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