Chengyu vs Korean idioms

Big Picture: What’s Shared and What’s Different

• Shared DNA: both are fixed four-character forms derived largely from classical Chinese; they compress stories, morals, and logic.
• Key differences:
  1. Pronunciation system: Korean uses Sino-Korean readings (hanja); Chinese uses Mandarin with tones.
  2. Grammar slot: Chinese chengyu can freely be predicate, adverbial, modifier, or headline; Korean 사자성어 typically behave like nouns/adverbials and require particles/verb endings to fit sentences.
  3. Register: both are perceived as bookish/formal, but many 사자성어 are common in school exams and media in Korea; everyday Korean often paraphrases them.

Close Twins (very similar meaning)

• 一举两得 (yì jǔ liǎng dé) ↔ 일석이조 (一石二鳥) — achieve two gains with one move.
• 优柔寡断 (yōu róu guǎ duàn) ↔ 우유부단 (優柔不斷) — indecisive.
• 晴天霹雳 (qíng tiān pī lì) ↔ 청천벽력 (晴天霹靂) — a bolt from the blue; shocking news.
• 同病相怜 (tóng bìng xiāng lián) ↔ 동병상련 (同病相憐) — people with the same trouble sympathize.
• 卧薪尝胆 (wò xīn cháng dǎn) ↔ 와신상담 (臥薪嘗膽) — endure hardship for a future goal.

Shared Story, Different Common Wording

• 塞翁失马 (sài wēng shī mǎ) ↔ 새옹지마 (塞翁之馬) — misfortune may be a blessing in disguise; Korean keeps the story title form.
• 因祸得福 (yīn huò dé fú) ↔ 전화위복 (轉禍爲福) — turn misfortune to blessing.
• 过犹不及 (guò yóu bù jí) ↔ 과유불급 (過猶不及) — too much is as bad as too little.
• 答非所问 (dá fēi suǒ wèn) ↔ 동문서답 (東問西答) — ask east, answer west; irrelevant answer.
• 苦尽甘来 / 先苦后甘 ↔ 고진감래 (苦盡甘來) — after hardship comes joy.

Near-Equivalents (pick the best Chinese match)

• 자업자득 (自業自得) — “you reap what you sow”
  → best Chinese: 自作自受 (closest set phrase) / 种瓜得瓜 (proverb).
• 자승자박 (自繩自縛) — “bound by one’s own rope”
  → best Chinese: 作茧自缚 (more idiomatic than a literal calque).
• 호사다마 (好事多魔 → Korean spelling) — “good things attract obstacles”
  → standard Chinese: 好事多磨 (mó, ‘frictions’) (note character/meaning difference).

Grammar & Placement (how to seat them in sentences)

• Chinese chengyu:
  • Predicate: 结果一清二楚。
  • Adverbial: 我们稳扎稳打推进。
  • Modifier: 有条不紊的流程。
• Korean 사자성어: typically need particles/copulas:
  • Noun-like: 오늘 발표는 일석이조였다.
  • Adverbial with -하게/-스럽게 equivalents: 우유부단하게 결정을 미뤘다.
  • As topic/quote: 새옹지마라는 말처럼, 결과는 아직 모른다.

False Friends & Nuance Traps (watch these)

• 无可厚非 (acceptable, not perfect) has no common everyday four-character twin in Korean; avoid translating as strong praise.
• 差强人意 (barely acceptable) may be mistaken for positive; in Korean, paraphrase clearly (그럭저럭, 기대에는 못 미치다).
• 炙手可热 in Chinese can carry a critical shade (too hot/powerful); Korean renderings like 매우 인기 있다 may lose the caution—add a note if needed.

Translation Strategies (CN ⇄ KR)

1. If a stable twin exists, use it: 一举两得 ↔ 일석이조.
2. If not, prefer a natural paraphrase over a forced calque: 作茧自缚 ↔ 스스로 옭아매다.
3. Keep Chinese + gloss in bilingual contexts where the Chinese image matters: “전략은 以退为进 (yǐ tuì wéi jìn)—한 걸음 물러서 두 걸음 전진.”

Mini Comparison Table (study-ready)

• 因地制宜 (adapt to local conditions) ↔ 자연/상황에 맞게 조정하다 (no fixed 사자성어; paraphrase).
• 纸上谈兵 (theory without practice) ↔ 탁상공론 / 공론만 무성하다 (paraphrase; no single 사자성어 match).
• 名副其实 (lives up to its name) ↔ 이름값을 하다 (natural Korean phrase).
• 居安思危 (stay vigilant in safe times) ↔ 평소에 대비하다 / 안일함을 경계하다 (paraphrase).
• 水到渠成 (success when ready) ↔ 때가 되면 이루어지다 / 자연스레 성사되다.

Practice (choose the best mapping)

1. “Two birds, one stone” in Chinese ↔ 一举两得.
2. CN 塞翁失马 in Korean ↔ 새옹지마 / 혹은 전화위복 by outcome.
3. KR 과유불급 in Chinese ↔ 过犹不及.
4. KR 동문서답 in Chinese ↔ 答非所问.
5. CN 作茧自缚 in Korean ↔ 자승자박 or natural paraphrase (스스로 옭아매다).

Study Tips for Bilingual Learners

• Build a three-column deck: Chinese chengyu | Korean twin/paraphrase | short English gloss.
• Tag by function (praise/critique/warning/method) and register (formal/neutral).
• Drill sentence slots: speak one CN line (predicate/adverbial), then a KR line using particles/copulas.
• Note character differences that flip meaning (e.g., 好事多磨 vs. Korean spelling 호사다마).

Takeaway: Chengyu and 사자성어 overlap strongly, but perfect 1:1 matches are not guaranteed. Map function + register + grammar slot first, use true twins when they exist (일석이조 ↔ 一举两得), and switch to natural paraphrase when they don’t to keep your meaning clear and idiomatic in both languages.