Nuance Dictionary / Social Situations
손에 땀을 쥐다 Son-e ttam-eul jwida
To be physically gripped by the suffocating, palm-sweating tension of a match that could go either way.
What does 손에 땀을 쥐다 mean?
손에 땀을 쥐다 (Son-e ttam-eul jwida) means: To be physically gripped by the suffocating, palm-sweating tension of a match that could go either way.
Speakers use this to describe the intense nervous excitement experienced while watching a neck-and-neck sports match or competitive tournament. It turns up when the outcome remains uncertain down to the wire, capturing the physical sensation of gripping one's hands tightly in suspense. It pairs with descriptions of tightly contested games where neither side holds a clear advantage.
Can convey a vivid sense of communal participation, as if the viewer's physical tension is directly tied to the unpredictable flow of the match.
Can convey a vivid sense of communal participation, as if the viewer's physical tension is directly tied to the unpredictable flow of the match.
Other sides of 손에 땀을 쥐다
◆ Suspenseful Media Consumption — Speakers use this expression when describing situations that are intensely suspenseful or make one's heart race with nervous anticipation. It commonly turns up when watching high-stakes artistic performances, acrobatics, or gripping narrative media. It appears frequently in contexts involving thrilling narratives, intense performances, and close competitions.
This can convey a palpable sense of physical tension and mental absorption, as if the physical act of clenching one's fists mirrors the intense mental grip of the unfolding drama.
◆ High-Stakes Real-Life Moments — Speakers reach for this expression when an outcome hangs entirely in the balance and the tension is acute. It turns up frequently around pivotal personal events such as waiting for exam results, major job interviews, or live performances where a single misstep changes everything. The phrase functions as a descriptive idiom focusing on the physical tension of clutching one's hands in anxiety.
When applied to personal trials rather than entertainment, this can sound markedly dramatic, turning a routine life event into a cliffhanger.
This can convey a palpable sense of physical tension and mental absorption, as if the physical act of clenching one's fists mirrors the intense mental grip of the unfolding drama.
◆ High-Stakes Real-Life Moments — Speakers reach for this expression when an outcome hangs entirely in the balance and the tension is acute. It turns up frequently around pivotal personal events such as waiting for exam results, major job interviews, or live performances where a single misstep changes everything. The phrase functions as a descriptive idiom focusing on the physical tension of clutching one's hands in anxiety.
When applied to personal trials rather than entertainment, this can sound markedly dramatic, turning a routine life event into a cliffhanger.
🎙️ 손에 땀을 쥐다는 표기 그대로 읽지 않아요 — 실제로는 [소네 따믈 쥐다]로 소리나요 (연음법칙). 발음 연습하기 →
How it's actually used
- 이 경기는 막상막하라서 손에 땀을 쥘 정도로 긴장감이 넘친다.
i gyeong-gi-neun maksang-mak-ha-ra-seo son-e ttam-eul jwil jeong-do-ro gin-jang-gam-i neom-chin-da.
This game is neck-and-neck, overflowing with tension that makes you grip your hands in sweat.
💡 Describes the nervous excitement of watching a tightly contested match. - 아슬아슬한 곡예를 보고 있노라니 나도 모르게 손에 땀을 쥐게 되었다.
aseul-aseul-han gok-ye-reul bo-go innora-ni na-do mo-reu-ge son-e ttam-eul jwi-ge doe-eot-da.
Watching the precarious acrobatics, I found myself gripping my hands in sweat without realizing it.
💡 Shows the physical reaction of nervous tension during a close performance. - 결승전 경기가 연장전까지 가면서 모든 관중이 손에 땀을 쥐고 지켜보았다.
gyeol-seung-jeon gyeong-gi-ga yeon-jang-jeon-kkaji ga-myeon-seo mo-deun gwan-jung-i son-e ttam-eul jwi-go ji-kyeo-boat-da.
As the final match went into extra time, all the spectators watched with bated breath.
💡 Illustrates an audience gripped by tension during a tournament final.
Related words in Social Situations
손을 놓다 Son-eul noh-da손을 벌리다 Soneul beollida손이 크다 soni keuda수수하다 su-su-ha-da숨이 차다 Sum-i chada