Nuance Dictionary / Social Situations
고래 싸움에 새우 등 터진다 Gorae ssaume saeu deung teojinda
Mid-level employees or junior teams crushed collateral-style in power struggles between higher-up executives.
What does 고래 싸움에 새우 등 터진다 mean?
고래 싸움에 새우 등 터진다 (Gorae ssaume saeu deung teojinda) means: Mid-level employees or junior teams crushed collateral-style in power struggles between higher-up executives.
Speakers use this saying when junior staff or lower-level teams suffer the fallout of clashes between senior executives or rival departments. It applies when individuals with no direct stake in a dispute find their projects derailed or positions threatened by decisions made above them. The phrase paints a vivid picture of small shrimp crushed beneath fighting whales.
In corporate settings, this can sound remarkably vivid and theatrical, allowing an employee to vent collective frustration about upper management with a touch of dark humor.
In corporate settings, this can sound remarkably vivid and theatrical, allowing an employee to vent collective frustration about upper management with a touch of dark humor.
🎙️ 고래 싸움에 새우 등 터진다는 표기 그대로 읽지 않아요 — 실제로는 [고래 싸우메 새우 등 터진다]로 소리나요 (연음법칙). 발음 연습하기 →
How it's actually used
- 임원들 간의 파워 게임으로 인해 우리 팀만 고래 싸움에 새우 등 터지는 격이 되었다.
im-won-deul gan-eui pa-wo ge-im-eu-ro in-hae u-ri tim-man go-rae ssaum-e saeu deung teo-jineun gyeog-i doe-eot-da.
Because of the power game between executives, our team ended up getting crushed like shrimp in a whale fight.
💡 Describes a junior team caught in an executive power struggle. - 대기업 두 곳의 인수 합병 싸움에서 하청 업체들이 고래 싸움에 새우 등 터지는 피해를 보고 있다.
dae-gi-eop du got-eui in-su hap-byeong ssaum-eseo ha-cheong eop-che-deul-i go-rae ssaum-e saeu deung teo-jineun pi-hae-reul bo-go it-da.
In the merger and acquisition battle between the two conglomerates, subcontractor companies are suffering collateral damage like shrimp caught in a whale fight.
💡 Describes smaller suppliers squeezed by corporate giants. - 부서장들이 예산 확보를 위해 언성을 높이는 통에 실무자들만 고래 싸움에 새우 등 터지는 꼴이 되었다.
bu-seo-jang-deul-i ye-san hwak-bo-reul wi-hae eon-seong-eul nop-ineun tong-e sil-mu-ja-deul-man go-rae ssaum-e saeu deung teo-jineun kkol-i doe-eot-da.
While department heads raised their voices to secure budgets, only the working-level staff ended up caught in the crossfire.
💡 Describes working-level employees affected by management budget disputes.
Related words in Social Situations
고생 끝에 낙이 온다 Gosaeng kkeute nagi onda과연 gwayeon귀에 못이 박히다 Gwi-e mot-i bakhida귀가 솔깃하다 Gwi-ga solgithada귀를 기울이다 Gwi-reul giulida