Chapter 1: Proverbs from Life and Customs

Don't lock the barn door after the horse has bolted. 10
If there is no smoke, there is no smoke. 12
The day I go is market day 14
Give and receive in return 16
If the price is the same, it's Dahongchima 18
I don't even know how to sleep with a sickle 20
It's dark under the lamp 22
I don't even think about who will give me rice cakes, but I start drinking kimchi stew first. 24
The old one is the famous one 26
Even dog poop is useful as medicine. 28
Even the salt from the hut needs to be added to make it salty 30
I'm afraid of maggots so I can't make kimchi. 32
Even if you make meju with soybeans, it won't be accepted. 34

Chapter 2: Proverbs about Animals

Crayfish is a crab 38
A shrimp's back gets broken in a fight between whales 40
Eat your fill of pheasant and eggs 42
Frogs can't think like tadpoles 44
Reading the Sutra to the Cow's Ear 46
Frog in the Well 48
They say even hedgehogs love their babies 50
If a magpie follows a stork, its legs will be torn. 52
Even a caterpillar can roll 54
The dog chasing the chicken looks up at the roof 56
When the crow flies, the pear falls. 58
The squid causes the fishmonger to lose face. 60
Even an earthworm squirms when stepped on 62
Even if you're bitten by a tiger, you'll survive if you keep your wits about you. 64

Chapter 3: Proverbs that contain human psychology

If you speak kindly, you will hear kind words in return. 68
A Needle Thief Becomes a Cattle Thief 70
It is said that it is attached to the liver and gallbladder. 72
Dream interpretation is better than dreams 74
Without this, I live on my gums 76
My nose is 78cm long
Other people's rice bowls look bigger 80
I don't want to eat it myself, but it's a waste to give it to someone else. 82
It's different when you go to the bathroom and when you come back 84
Even Mount Geumgang looks better after a meal, 86
Even if you fill the sea, you can't satisfy people's greed. 88
If things go well, it's my fault. If things don't go well, it's my ancestors' fault. 90
People say, "Put a persimmon or a pear on someone else's ancestral rites." 92
You can't spit in a smiling face 94
I'll give you an extra rice cake if you hate me 96
I'm falling for my own tricks 98
I can't give up my bad habits 100

Chapter 4: Proverbs Taught by Historical Figures

Will a tower built with so much effort collapse? 104
A rolling stone gathers no moss 106
Words Become Seeds 108
Dig a well, dig a well 110
Even iron can be sharpened and turned into a needle. 112
Spiderwebs on the Mountain's Mouth 114
It's already spilt milk 116
There is no tree that will not fall after ten blows. 118
A little goes a long way. 120
Even if the sky falls, there is a hole to emerge from. 122
You don't know that the axe handle is rotting while playing with fresh water 124
If you don't like Peace and Gratitude, then just leave it at that 126
A tiger leaves its skin when it dies, and a person leaves his name when he dies. 128
A promising tree is recognized by its cotyledons. 130

Chapter 5 Proverbs that Contain the Ways of the World

Birds hear what is said during the day, and rats hear what is said at night. 134
There's a fly above the runner 136
After hardship comes happiness 138
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Deep water attracts fish 142
If the upper water is clear, the lower water will be clear. 144
You reap what you sow 146
Bitter medicine is good for the sick 148
If you have intelligence, you can move heaven 150 times
Blood is thicker than water 152
Even an eighty-year-old man can learn something from a three-year-old child. 154

Proverbs that broaden the scope of thought and expression,
Knowing proverbs helps you develop literacy.

“This is awesome,” “This is ruined,” “This is annoying.” These are the most used words by kids these days.
Children who are accustomed to such fragmentary and direct speech become increasingly confined in their thoughts and have difficulty developing vocabulary and expressive skills.
Which child has a richer imagination and expressive power: the child who says, “Wow, that’s a huge win!” or “Wow, I had my cake and breakfast!”?

The proverbs we often encounter may seem short and easy at first glance, but they contain the wisdom of life and the principles of the world.
By understanding the metaphors and similes used in proverbs and inferring their context, you will not only improve your comprehensive literacy skills but also broaden your horizons.
You can also express what you want to say much more richly in your daily life.

Learn proverbs in a fun way with four-panel cartoons
Understand proverbs 'properly' with their origin stories!

This book is a fun way to learn about the origins of proverbs and their meanings and uses through four-panel comics and short stories.
Unlike dictionary-style books that only list meanings, this book provides the background of how proverbs came to be, allowing you to learn proverbs more deeply and accurately.
It's even better because we can get a glimpse into our old culture contained in proverbs.


Rather than learning proverbs that you can just memorize, learn proverbs that you can understand and use in real life.


Learn the meaning and usage of proverbs by reading interesting origin stories.

How did the saying "locking the barn door after the horse has bolted" come about? To understand this proverb, we need to understand that cattle were the most valuable asset in agricultural societies.
'When the crow flies, the pear falls' is a proverb from an old Buddhist tale. If you know the tale, you can better understand its meaning and usage.
Like this, each of the proverbs we commonly use has its own reason and background.
Many proverbs contain the daily lives of people in the past, and many are based on animals or stories from history.
By reading interesting origin stories like these, you can naturally learn the meaning and usage of proverbs without having to memorize them.


Learn life wisdom and broaden your perspective on the world through proverbs.

This is a proverb that tells us that we must be careful with the saying, “If you speak kindly, you will hear kind words in return,” the power of effort in “If you work hard, will a tower collapse?” and the importance of consistency in “If you sharpen iron, it becomes a needle.”
Also, the proverb, “Even if you fill the ocean, you cannot satisfy people’s greed,” wittily satirizes people’s greed.
Like this, proverbs are full of life wisdom that has been passed down from ancient times.
Learning proverbs is like reading a children's self-help book.
Proverbs help us better understand the lives of our ancestors and even give us a glimpse into the wisdom and cleverness embedded within them.


It is composed mainly of important proverbs that elementary school students must know.

I selected proverbs that are frequently used in daily life, elementary school textbooks, news, and newspapers.
Because even a single proverb can have many nuances depending on the situation, this book includes the most representative interpretations.
Enjoy the fun of understanding the exact meaning of proverbs you either didn't know or only vaguely understood until now.
Also, similar proverbs and idioms are organized separately at the bottom of the four-panel cartoon, so it is also great as a learning material.
There is a 'Search' section at the end of the book, so you can search for just the proverbs you need.


Even children who only like educational comics can read it without any burden.

On each left page where the story begins, there is a fun four-panel comic.
Just by reading the comics, you can immediately understand how the proverb is used in everyday life.
The origin story is written in a short fairy tale format on the right page, making it easy to read.

This book is fun to read for children who are only familiar with educational comics or have difficulty reading long texts, so it is a book that both parents and children can enjoy.