Nuance Dictionary / Emotions & Feelings
간이 콩알만 해지다 Gan-i kong-alman haejida
The visceral physical shrinking of one's courage while awaiting a life-altering verdict.
What does 간이 콩알만 해지다 mean?
간이 콩알만 해지다 (Gan-i kong-alman haejida) means: The visceral physical shrinking of one's courage while awaiting a life-altering verdict.
Speakers use this idiom when anticipating high-stakes results, such as waiting to see if they passed an evaluation. It often appears in contexts where someone worries about being caught in a mistake or facing negative consequences. The expression frequently pairs with conditional framing about getting caught in an act.
This can evoke a physical sensation of shrinking or cowering inside, capturing the agonizing pause between action and consequence.
This can evoke a physical sensation of shrinking or cowering inside, capturing the agonizing pause between action and consequence.
Other sides of 간이 콩알만 해지다
◆ playful hyperbole — Speakers use this idiom to describe becoming suddenly frightened or filled with anxiety. It turns up in situations where a person worries about being caught in a wrong or facing an unexpected consequence. The phrasing scales down the liver—the traditional seat of courage and daring in the language—to the size of a tiny bean.
When used in casual banter between friends or family members, this hyperbole can sound playful rather than genuinely distressed, softening a minor startle or a shared joke about getting caught.
When used in casual banter between friends or family members, this hyperbole can sound playful rather than genuinely distressed, softening a minor startle or a shared joke about getting caught.
🎙️ 간이 콩알만 해지다는 표기 그대로 읽지 않아요 — 실제로는 [가니 콩알만 해지다]로 소리나요 (연음법칙). 발음 연습하기 →
How it's actually used
- 행여나 내가 걸릴까 봐 간이 콩알만 해졌다.
haeng-yeo-na nae-ga geollil-kka bwa gan-i kong-alman haejyeot-da.
My liver shrank to the size of a bean out of fear that I might get caught.
💡 Shows the anxiety of waiting while fearing discovery. - 시험 결과를 기다리는 동안 간이 콩알만 해지는 줄 알았다.
si-heom gyeol-gwa-reul gidarineun dong-an gan-i kong-alman haejineun jul arat-da.
While waiting for the exam results, I thought my liver would shrink to the size of a bean.
💡 Exemplifies anticipation of high-stakes results. - 면접 합격자 발표를 앞두고 간이 콩알만 해져서 아무것도 못 했다.
myeon-jeop hap-gyeok-ja bal-pyo-reul ap-du-go gan-i kong-alman haejyeoseo amugeot-do mot haet-da.
Ahead of the interview results announcement, my liver shrank to the size of a bean so I couldn't do anything.
💡 Shows nervous waiting for interview outcomes.
Related words in Emotions & Feelings
간이 크다 Gani keuda갑갑하다 gap-gap-ha-da기가 죽다 Giga jukda기가 막히다 giga makhida기운을 내다 giuneul naeda