Nuance Dictionary / Social Situations
마음을 먹다 maeumeul meokda
To steel oneself and forge a mental resolve to finally start a grueling daily discipline or self-improvement goal.
What does 마음을 먹다 mean?
마음을 먹다 (maeumeul meokda) means: To steel oneself and forge a mental resolve to finally start a grueling daily discipline or self-improvement goal.
Textbooks love to translate this literally as 'to eat one's mind,' which misses the entire physical weight of the expression. Natives reach for this when crossing the psychological chasm between *wanting* to change and actually locking in to do something genuinely painful, like waking up at 5 AM or cutting out late-night delivery food. It doesn't mean a casual wish; it sounds like a heavy internal decision that has just been swallowed and sealed, signaling that a new, unyielding routine is about to begin.
Other sides of 마음을 먹다
◆ Steel-Nerved Determination — While textbooks often lump this into a generic 'make up your mind,' natives reserve this specific weight for moments of heavy psychological armor. You don't use it because you're starting a casual gym habit; you use it when you are about to walk into the CEO's office to hand in a resignation you've agonized over, or face a grueling medical diagnosis. It signals that a psychological threshold has been crossed, and you are girding your loins for what comes next.
◆ False Resolution — Textbooks teach you this means to 'make up one's mind' with solemn dignity, but natives use it with a heavy dose of irony. When you announce you've 'eaten your mind' about starting a diet or studying at 6 AM, everyone at the table knows the expiration date is roughly 48 hours. It’s the linguistic equivalent of buying a gym membership on January 1st and canceling it by the 5th.
◆ False Resolution — Textbooks teach you this means to 'make up one's mind' with solemn dignity, but natives use it with a heavy dose of irony. When you announce you've 'eaten your mind' about starting a diet or studying at 6 AM, everyone at the table knows the expiration date is roughly 48 hours. It’s the linguistic equivalent of buying a gym membership on January 1st and canceling it by the 5th.
🎙️ 마음을 먹다는 표기 그대로 읽지 않아요 — 실제로는 [마으믈 먹따]로 소리나요 (경음화, 연음법칙). 발음 연습하기 →
How it's actually used
- 내일부터 진짜 다이어트하기로 마음먹었어.
nae-il-buteo jinjja da-i-eo-teu-hagi-ro maeum-meogeosseo.
I've made up my mind to seriously start dieting starting tomorrow.
💡 Notice how the verb often collapses into a single word (마음먹다) when attached to a definitive plan. - 올해는 영어 공부 제대로 마음먹고 해보려고요.
ol-hae-neun yeong-eo gong-bu jedae-ro maeum-meokgo hae-boryeogoyo.
This year, I'm really resolving to dive into studying English properly.
💡 Using '제대로 마음먹고' emphasizes moving past half-hearted attempts into true commitment. - 한번 마음먹은 건 끝까지 해야지.
han-beon maeum-meogeun geon kkeut-gaji haeyaji.
Once you make up your mind to do something, you've got to see it through to the end.
💡 Highlights the unyielding, stubborn perseverance that the phrase inherently demands.
Related words in Social Situations
머리를 맞대다 Meoril matdaeda미필 mi-pil밑 빠진 독에 물 붓기 Mit pajin doge mul butgi모 아니면 도 Mo animyeon do모임 mo-im