KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean phrases › Proverbs & idioms › 우이독경
“Preaching to deaf ears” in Korean: 우이독경 (uidokgyeong)
우이독경
uidokgyeong
Meaning
Preaching to deaf ears.
Usage note
Written 牛耳讀經: reading scripture into a cow’s ear. It describes advice that falls on deaf ears; used about people who ignore every warning.
Romanization follows the Revised Romanization system and is a guide to pronunciation.
How to pronounce it
Said aloud, it sounds like [우이독꼉].
| Syllable | Letters (consonant + vowel + final) | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 우 | ㅇ+ㅜ | u |
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | i |
| 독 | ㄷ+ㅗ+ㄱ | dok |
| 경 | ㄱ+ㅕ+ㅇ | [꼉] gyeong |
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
- Tensing: after a final ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅂ sound, ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ and ㅈ become tense (ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, ㅉ). 독경 → [독꼉]
Speech style
There is no verb ending, so the phrase has no politeness level of its own: it is a short fixed expression or a noun phrase.
Quick self-check
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Question 1 What does “우이독경” mean?
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Answer: Preaching to deaf ears
Question 2 How do you say “Preaching to deaf ears” in Korean?
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Answer: 우이독경 uidokgyeong
Question 3 How is “우이독경” pronounced?
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Answer: [우이독꼉]
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