낫 놓고 기역자도 모른다
“Does not recognize the letter giyeok even with a sickle in hand.”
Someone is so uneducated that they miss even the most obvious clue right in front of them, since a sickle is shaped like the Korean letter giyeok (ㄱ).
— Traditional South Korea Wisdom, South Korea
Source: Traditional Korean proverb (속담), public-domain oral tradition
More Proverbs from South Korea
After hardship comes joy.
Enduring difficulty patiently will eventually be rewarded with good fortune.
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Words that go out kindly are words that come back kindly.
If you speak politely to others, they will speak politely to you in return.
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Gather specks of dust and you make a great mountain.
Small amounts, saved or accumulated consistently, add up to something great.
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Even monkeys fall from trees.
Even an expert can make mistakes, so no one should be overconfident.
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Birds listen to daytime words and mice listen to nighttime words.
There are no true secrets, so be careful what you say because someone may always overhear.
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A frog in a well.
Someone with a narrow, limited view of the world who is unaware of the wider reality.
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