Nuance Dictionary / Daily Verbs
눈감아주다 nun-gam-a-ju-da
To turn a blind eye, deliberately overlook a fault or mistake
What does 눈감아주다 mean?
눈감아주다 (nun-gam-a-ju-da) means: To turn a blind eye, deliberately overlook a fault or mistake.
Literally 'to close one's eyes for someone'. If an employee is 5 minutes late for the first time in 5 years, a good boss will just '눈감아주다'. It's an act of generous leniency.
Other sides of 눈감아주다
◆ workplace — In the workplace, this isn't just 'forgiving'—it's a calculated act of power. By choosing to 'close one's eyes,' a superior is essentially spending their own social capital to protect you, signaling that the *jeong* (affectionate bond) they feel for you outweighs the strict adherence to company policy. Learners often mistake this for simple leniency, but it is deeply tied to *chemyon* (face); your boss is essentially deciding that calling out your mistake would be more embarrassing for the team than just pretending it never happened. If you are a junior, never assume this is your right; it is a grace extended by your superior, and failing to acknowledge the 'unspoken' nature of this favor will quickly kill your career prospects.
◆ parenting — In Korean parenting, you don't correct every single misstep because constant scolding erodes the 'jeong' (emotional bond) between parent and child. When a parent says they are '눈감아주다', they aren't just letting a behavior slide; they are making a strategic calculation to preserve their child's 'che-myeon' (face) and avoid a exhausting, pointless confrontation. Learners often mistake this for simple permissiveness, but natives know it’s a tactical tool in a high-context culture where picking your battles is essential to keeping the household dynamic from becoming overly rigid.
◆ parenting — In Korean parenting, you don't correct every single misstep because constant scolding erodes the 'jeong' (emotional bond) between parent and child. When a parent says they are '눈감아주다', they aren't just letting a behavior slide; they are making a strategic calculation to preserve their child's 'che-myeon' (face) and avoid a exhausting, pointless confrontation. Learners often mistake this for simple permissiveness, but natives know it’s a tactical tool in a high-context culture where picking your battles is essential to keeping the household dynamic from becoming overly rigid.
🎙️ 눈감아주다는 표기 그대로 읽지 않아요 — 실제로는 [눈가마주다]로 소리나요 (연음법칙). 발음 연습하기 →
How it's actually used
- 이번 한 번만 눈감아주시면 다음부터는 절대 안 그럴게요.
Ibeon han beonman nungam-ajusimyeon daeum-buteoneun jeoldae an geureolgeyo.
If you just turn a blind eye this once, I will never do it again.
💡 Used when asking someone to forgive or overlook a mistake. - 직원이 실수했을 때 상사가 조용히 눈감아주었다.
Jigwoni silsuhaesseul ttae sangsaga joyonghi nungam-ajueotda.
When the employee made a mistake, the boss quietly overlooked it.
💡 Commonly used in workplace settings by authority figures. - 이번 한 번만 눈감아 줄 테니까 다음부터는 그러지 마.
Ibeon han beonman nungam-ajul tenikka da-eumbuteoneun geureoji ma.
I'll turn a blind eye just this once, so don't do it again.
💡 Used when forgiving minor infractions or mistakes informally.
Related words in Daily Verbs
달래다 dal-lae-da격려하다 gyeong-nyeo-ha-da응원하다 eung-won-ha-da위로하다 wi-ro-ha-da하소연하다 ha-so-yeon-ha-da