KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean phrases › Proverbs & idioms › 까마귀 날자 배 떨어진다
“A coincidence that makes you look guilty” in Korean
까마귀 날자 배 떨어진다
kkamagwi nalja bae tteoreojinda
Meaning
A coincidence that makes you look guilty.
Usage note
Literally “when the crow flies off, the pear falls”. It describes an unrelated coincidence that makes you look guilty or puts you in an unfair position.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 까마귀 | ||
| 까 | ㄲ+ㅏ | kka |
| 마 | ㅁ+ㅏ | ma |
| 귀 | ㄱ+ㅟ | gwi |
| 날자 | ||
| 날 | ㄴ+ㅏ+ㄹ | nal |
| 자 | ㅈ+ㅏ | ja |
| 배 | ㅂ+ㅐ | bae |
| 떨어진다 | ||
| 떨 | ㄸ+ㅓ+ㄹ | tteol |
| 어 | ㅇ+ㅓ | eo |
| 진 | ㅈ+ㅣ+ㄴ | jin |
| 다 | ㄷ+ㅏ | da |
A ㅇ at the start of a syllable is silent; at the end of a syllable it sounds like “ng”.
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.
Phrases that use the same word
Phrases with “떨어진다”
- 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다Even a monkey falls from a tree. (Even experts make mistakes.)
Quick self-check
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 What does “까마귀 날자 배 떨어진다” mean?
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Answer: A coincidence that makes you look guilty
Question 2 How do you say “A coincidence that makes you look guilty” in Korean?
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Answer: 까마귀 날자 배 떨어진다 kkamagwi nalja bae tteoreojinda
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Practice in the gameMore phrases for this situation
- 어깨가 무겁다I feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders
- 눈코 뜰 새 없이 바쁘다Too busy to even catch a breath
- 발등에 불이 떨어졌다Things have gotten urgent. The heat is on
- 우이독경Preaching to deaf ears
- 공든 탑이 무너지랴A tower built with devotion won’t crumble
- 동병상련People in the same plight sympathize with each other
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