Nuance Dictionary / Time Pressure & 'Ppal-i Ppal-i'
벼락치기(하다) byeo-rak-chi-gi
Cramming; doing everything at the absolute last minute, like studying the night before an exam
What does 벼락치기(하다) mean?
벼락치기(하다) (byeo-rak-chi-gi) means: Cramming; doing everything at the absolute last minute, like studying the night before an exam.
Literally 'getting struck by lightning'. The universal student experience.
How it's actually used
- 내일이 시험인데 오늘 밤새워서 벼락치기 해야 돼요.
nae-il-i siheom-inde oneul bamsae-wseo byeorakchigi haeya dwaeyo.
The exam is tomorrow, so I have to pull an all-nighter and cram tonight.
💡 The quintessential student expression for last-minute studying. - 평소에 좀 해둘 걸, 또 벼락치기하려니까 죽을 맛이네.
pyeongso-e jom haedul geol, tto byeorakchigi-haryeonikka jugeul mat-ine.
I should've done this in advance; trying to cram again is killing me.
💡 Used when regretting leaving things to the last minute. - 내일이 시험인데 오늘 밤새워서 벼락치기하기는 이미 틀렸다.
naeil-i siheom-inde oneul bamsae-woseo byeorak-chigi-hagineun imi teul-ryeotda.
There's no way I can pull off a cram session tonight for tomorrow's exam anymore.
💡 Often used with '하기' or '하다' when facing hopeless deadlines.
Related words in Time Pressure & 'Ppal-i Ppal-i'
닥치다 dak-chi-da여유롭다 yeo-yu-rop-da허송세월(하다) heo-song-se-wol기약(이) 없다 gi-yak-i-eop-da차일피일(미루다) cha-il-pi-il