Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ya-ta Boy]

Well, after wearing my light spring jacket almost every day last week, it snowed all day here on Monday in southeast Seoul. One of the students said Monday night's temperature would be the coldest of the winter.

Years ago, my first Korean friend, Kyu-Sang, taught me a Korean expression to describe this kind of late winter weather: 꽃샘추의 (Winter is jealous of the spring flowers.)

I think it's one of the prettiest and most descriptive Korean expressions.

No, this post doesn't have a particular point. Ptooey to those who think all posts need one.

[Horangi Munshin]

No worries about the point of your post.

I am just about to send an e-mail to my folks back home. Thanks for the expression! My e-mail won't just be a boring, 'sheet it's cold!' weather report.

[xtchr]

Well, my co-teacher just told me the expression and said that it means "flowers have many trouble to blooming in April, and now winter is the envy".

I prefer your version
I agree with you, it is a lovely sentiment.

[VanIslander]

Thanks for reminding me of the expression.

I was told about it by an adult student when I taught the term "Indian Summer" regarding the last gasp of warmth at the end of summer/beginning of fall. He was surprised that there was no English equivalent for springtime, like Koreans have (was one of those guys who always implies Korea is beter but never comes out and says it, everything indirect).

I'll put it on the board to start class (always good to have a short conversation starter, as sometimes such gets them talking) and ask what the expression is talking about (most classes did a lesson/review of feelings in the winter and learned 'jealous'). I'll need to put multiple choice options for the lower level classes but they'll get it.

[davai!]

Word is they got 2 meters of snow in Vladivostok. Shut down the whole city....

[SPINOZA]

I think Ya-ta Boy's student had a point re the coldest night of the year. I don't think we've the temperature stats to back that up but with the wind chill it was the second coldest period (including this morning) of the whole winter in my opinion. Again, like 2005, the coldest was the week prior to Christmas.

Phrases like that are poetic and obviously beyond dictionaries, but 꽃샘 is "cold (windy) weather in the blooming season".

[VanIslander]

Reminds me of the Saturday, March 5th snowfall in Busan a couple of years ago. Time flies...

[SuperFly]

Isn't there also an expression that goes something like, In winter the sky is high, and the horse gets fat? Meaning that since it's so cold in the winter, people eat too much and gain weight...

[Kimchi Cha Cha]

We've got another interpretation of the phrase, my friend just text me this message: ' Though it's spring already, the spring frost is still really bitter. take care'.

It's a very nice sentiment and all but I think this interpretation is a little bit too wordy for mine and I still prefer the first one!

[hubba bubba]

That's a great expression. I bet there are a lot of cool things like this in Korean. Maybe I'll start a thread.

[SPINOZA]

Sorry to be pedantic, but it's 꽃샘추위, btw. It's the 샘 that's the 'jealousy' component here.

[Roch]

[pdx]

my director told me the same saying and wondered if there was something similar in English.

I saw him yesterday and said "you were right! Winter is back!"

[kermo]

I was reminded of the English phrase "March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb." Have any of you heard this phrase? I'm wondering how common it is.

[Ya-ta Boy]