Nuance Dictionary / Luck, Fate, & Superstition
액땜(하다) aek-ttaem-ha-da
To experience a small misfortune, believing it acts as a sacrifice to ward off a larger disaster
What does 액땜(하다) mean?
액땜(하다) (aek-ttaem-ha-da) means: To experience a small misfortune, believing it acts as a sacrifice to ward off a larger disaster.
A mental coping mechanism. If you break your phone, you say 'Well, that was my 액땜 for the year.'
How it's actually used
- 지갑 잃어버린 건 올해 액땜 셈 쳐야지 뭐.
jigap ireobeorin geon ohae aekttam sem chyeoyaji mwo.
I guess losing my wallet is just a sacrifice to ward off worse luck for the year.
💡 Used to shrug off a minor misfortune positively. - 이 정도 다친 걸로 액땜했다고 생각하자.
i jeongdo dachin geollo aekttamhaetdago saenggakaja.
Let's just think of this minor injury as warding off a bigger disaster.
💡 Used to comfort someone after a small accident. - 지갑 잃어버렸다고 너무 속상해하지 마, 액땜했다고 셈 치자.
jigap ilheobeoryetdago neomu soksanghaehaji ma, aekddaemhaetdago sem chija.
Don't be too upset about losing your wallet, let's just consider it a small sacrifice to ward off worse luck.
💡 Used to comfort someone after an unfortunate incident.
Related words in Luck, Fate, & Superstition
천생연분 cheon-saeng-yeon-bun재수(가) 없다 jae-su-ga-eop-da징크스 jing-keu-seu길몽 / 흉몽 gil-mong-hyung-mong업보 eop-bo