KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean phrases › Proverbs & idioms › 말 한마디로 천 냥 빚을 갚는다
How to Say “A single word can repay a huge debt” in Korean
말 한마디로 천 냥 빚을 갚는다
mal hanmadiro cheon nyang bijeul gamneunda
Meaning
A single word can repay a huge debt.
Usage note
Literally “repay a debt of a thousand nyang (old Korean currency) with one word.” Skillful speech can solve big problems, so it is used to stress the value of how you speak.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 말 | ㅁ+ㅏ+ㄹ | mal |
| 한마디로 | ||
| 한 | ㅎ+ㅏ+ㄴ | han |
| 마 | ㅁ+ㅏ | ma |
| 디 | ㄷ+ㅣ | di |
| 로 | ㄹ+ㅗ | ro |
| 천 | ㅊ+ㅓ+ㄴ | cheon |
| 냥 | ㄴ+ㅑ+ㅇ | nyang |
| 빚을 | ||
| 빚 | ㅂ+ㅣ+ㅈ | [비] bi |
| 을 | ㅇ+ㅡ+ㄹ | [즐] jeul |
| 갚는다 | ||
| 갚 | ㄱ+ㅏ+ㅍ | gap |
| 는 | ㄴ+ㅡ+ㄴ | neun |
| 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. 빚을 → [비즐]
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 “말 한마디로 천 냥 빚을 갚는다” mean?
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Answer: A single word can repay a huge debt
Question 2 How do you say “A single word can repay a huge debt” in Korean?
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Answer: 말 한마디로 천 냥 빚을 갚는다 mal hanmadiro cheon nyang bijeul gamneunda
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