IdiomFood & Drink
Korean
Korean누워서 떡 먹기 (nuwoseo tteok meokgi)
Meaning: An extremely easy task.
Literally: Eating rice cake lying down
Example: “그 요리사에게 김밥 싸기는 누워서 떡 먹기다.” — For that chef, rolling kimbap is a piece of cake.
English equivalent: A piece of cake
Other ways to say this
Spanish: Ser pan comido Literally: To be eaten bread- Korean: 식은 죽 먹기 (Sigeun juk meokgi) Literally: Eating cold porridge
French: Les doigts dans le nez Literally: Fingers in the nose
Polish: Bułka z masłem Literally: A roll with butter
Japanese: 朝飯前 (Asameshi mae) Literally: Before breakfast- Spanish: en dos patadas Literally: In two kicks
- Polish: prosty jak drut Literally: Straight as wire
English: a piece of cake- French: C'est du nanan Literally: It's nanan
- English: with one hand tied behind one's back
Origin: Eating rice cake lying down needs no effort at all. The traditional saying means something extremely easy, like "a piece of cake." Ironically, eating while lying down is not easy, but the picture is of pure comfort.
More Korean idioms
- 발 벗고 나서다 (bal beotgo naseoda) To throw yourself into helping wholeheartedly.
- 똥 묻은 개가 겨 묻은 개 나무란다 (Ttong mudeun gaega gyeo mudeun gae namuranda) Someone with a bigger fault criticizes another person's smaller one.
- 눈에 콩깍지가 씌다 (nun-e kongkkakjiga sseuida) To be blinded by love.
- 우물 안 개구리 (Umul an gaeguri) Someone with a narrow, limited worldview.
- 꿩 먹고 알 먹고 (Kkwong meokgo al meokgo) Getting two benefits from one action.
- 발 없는 말이 천리 간다 (Bal eomneun mari cheolli ganda) Gossip and rumors spread incredibly fast.
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