Nuance Dictionary / Emotions & Feelings
배가 아프다 baega apeuda
The physical ache of resentment felt when watching someone else succeed.
What does 배가 아프다 mean?
배가 아프다 (baega apeuda) means: The physical ache of resentment felt when watching someone else succeed.
Speakers use this idiomatic expression to describe the sharp, uncomfortable feeling that arises when someone else succeeds or receives something better. It is a common colloquial way to refer to envy, drawing on the physical sensation of discomfort. It appears in casual conversations among friends, family members, or peers when discussing achievements or possessions.
This often reads as a lighthearted or slightly self-deprecating acknowledgment of one's own envy, though tone and context determine whether it carries a genuinely bitter edge.
This often reads as a lighthearted or slightly self-deprecating acknowledgment of one's own envy, though tone and context determine whether it carries a genuinely bitter edge.
Other sides of 배가 아프다
◆ Literal Physical Pain — Speakers use this expression to describe physical pain or discomfort located in the stomach area. It combines the noun for belly or stomach, 배, with the verb meaning to be sore or painful, 아프다. It appears frequently in everyday contexts when discussing digestion issues, illness, or general physical discomfort.
Depending on the tone of voice and context, stating that one's stomach hurts can range from a simple, factual update to a polite request for rest or medication.
Depending on the tone of voice and context, stating that one's stomach hurts can range from a simple, factual update to a polite request for rest or medication.
How it's actually used
- 친구가 새 차를 샀다니 은근히 배가 아프다.
chin-gu-ga sae cha-reul sat-da-ni eun-geun-hi bae-ga a-peu-da.
Hearing that my friend bought a new car secretly makes me envious.
💡 A speaker expressing mild jealousy regarding a peer's purchase - 남이 잘되는 것을 보고 배가 아프면 안 된다.
nam-i jal-doe-neun geot-eul bo-go bae-ga a-peu-myeon an doen-da.
You shouldn't feel envious seeing others do well.
💡 Giving advice against jealousy toward others' success - 승진 소식을 들었을 때 축하하면서도 속으로는 배가 아팠다.
seung-jin so-sik-eul deureot-eul ttae chu-ka-ham-seo-do sok-euro-neun bae-ga a-pat-da.
When I heard the news of the promotion, I congratulated them while feeling envious inside.
💡 Reflecting on mixed feelings of congratulations and private envy
Related words in Emotions & Feelings
에이 Ei어머나 Eomeona엄살 Eomsal객기 Gaekgi간이 콩알만 해지다 Gan-i kong-alman haejida