Monday, March 15, 2021

What does 와잠 (臥蠶) literally mean?

 ANSWER: a sleeping silkworm

In the Chinese novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," Kuan Yu (관우 關羽), one of the three main characters,  was described as having "the eyebrows of a sleeping silkworm" (臥蠶眉 와잠미). The Chinese character 臥 (와) means "to lie down," "to rest," or "to sleep," 蠶 (잠) means "silkworm," and 眉 (미) means "eyebrows."

So, here is my real question: "Are the eyebrows of a sleeping silkworm different from those of one that is awake?"

ANSWER: I don't think so. I suspect that 臥蠶 (와잠) meant something besides just "a sleeping silkworm." 

My Korean-English dictionary defines 아미 (蛾眉) as "eyebrows of a beautiful woman," "arched eyebrows," or "shapely eyebrows," but the Sino-Korean word literally means "moth (蛾) eyebrows (眉)" and refers to the eyebrows of a silkworm moth or a silk moth.

So, instead of just meaning "a sleeping silkworm," could 臥蠶 (와잠) have been the Chinese name for "a silk moth"?

From Dong-A's Prime Korean-English Dictionary

A silk moth

Friday, March 12, 2021

What's worse than a butt-kisser?

 ANSWER: a hemorrhoid-licker

The Chinese character for "lick" is 舐 (지), and the Chinese character for "hemorrhoids" or "piles" is 痔 (치), which is the same 치 used in 치질 (痔疾), the Sino-Korean word for "hemorrhoids." So, the Chinese phrase 舐痔 (지치) literally means "lick (舐) hemorrhoids (痔)," which my Chinese character dictionary says is used to refer to "a flatterer" (아첨쟁이) or "butt-kisser."

I noticed the phrase "hemorrhoid-licker" this morning as I was looking up how many characters were under the Chinese radical 舌 (설), which means "tongue."

Anyway, now you can go back to eating your breakfast.

From 활용대옥편, Chinese Characters Dictionary

Monday, March 08, 2021

What does 황육 (黃肉) literally mean?

 ANSWER: yellow (黃) meat (肉)

My Korean-English dictionary defines 황육 (黃肉) as "beef," but it literally means "yellow (黃) meat (肉)."

Korean friend: "Would you like some yellow meat?"

Me: "No thank you."

From Dong-A's Prime Korean-English Dictionary