Nuance Dictionary / Social Situations
손을 벌리다 Soneul beollida
To financially reach out and ask someone for money, loans, or support.
What does 손을 벌리다 mean?
손을 벌리다 (Soneul beollida) means: To financially reach out and ask someone for money, loans, or support.
Speakers use this expression when someone asks others for money or financial backing. It typically appears in contexts involving borrowing funds or seeking economic help from family, acquaintances, or institutions. It is often used in casual or descriptive contexts regarding financial distress or reliance.
Depending on the context, this can feel somewhat vulnerable or pleading, as it highlights an open hand asking for resources.
Depending on the context, this can feel somewhat vulnerable or pleading, as it highlights an open hand asking for resources.
Other sides of 손을 벌리다
◆ Expanding Business / Taking on More — Speakers use this expression to describe a company or individual taking on new operations or widening their professional scope beyond their original focus. It typically appears in discussions regarding business expansion, investment ventures, or taking on more responsibilities than before.
This use often carries a subtle caution about overextending oneself, suggesting that someone might be taking on more than they can comfortably manage.
◆ Welcoming / Seeking Embrace — Speakers use this physical action metaphorically to describe opening oneself up to accept or welcome others. It turns up when describing gestures of forgiveness, emotional acceptance, or receiving someone into a group or care. It often combines with adverbs or descriptors that emphasize the breadth or warmth of the gesture.
Depending on the context, this can feel deeply affectionate or reassuring, often signaling unconditional acceptance or readiness to forgive.
This use often carries a subtle caution about overextending oneself, suggesting that someone might be taking on more than they can comfortably manage.
◆ Welcoming / Seeking Embrace — Speakers use this physical action metaphorically to describe opening oneself up to accept or welcome others. It turns up when describing gestures of forgiveness, emotional acceptance, or receiving someone into a group or care. It often combines with adverbs or descriptors that emphasize the breadth or warmth of the gesture.
Depending on the context, this can feel deeply affectionate or reassuring, often signaling unconditional acceptance or readiness to forgive.
🎙️ 손을 벌리다는 표기 그대로 읽지 않아요 — 실제로는 [소늘 벌리다]로 소리나요 (연음법칙). 발음 연습하기 →
How it's actually used
- 사업이 어려워지자 결국 지인에게 손을 벌리게 되었다.
sa-e-bi eo-ryeo-wo-ji-ja gyeol-guk ji-in-e-ge son-eul beol-ri-ge doe-eot-da.
As the business struggled, he ended up asking acquaintances for financial help.
💡 Describes turning to others for money during business trouble - 부모님께 손을 벌리는 것도 이제는 그만해야 한다.
bu-mo-nim-kke son-eul beol-li-neun geot-do i-je-neun geum-man-hae-ya han-da.
I need to stop asking my parents for money now.
💡 Expresses the decision to stop relying on parental financial support - 그는 누구에게도 손을 벌리지 않고 스스로 일어섰다.
geu-neun nu-gu-e-ge-do son-eul beol-li-ji an-go seu-seu-ro i-re-seot-da.
He stood on his own feet without asking anyone for financial help.
💡 Describes refusing financial assistance from others
Related words in Social Situations
손이 크다 soni keuda수수하다 su-su-ha-da숨이 차다 Sum-i chada숨이 턱 막히다 sumi teok makhida티끌 ti-kkeul