In Korea, what is the difference between a young widow and a virgin?

ANSWER: One wears a red skirt, and the other a green one.

The Sino-Korean word 청상 (靑裳), with 裳 (상), literally means "green (靑) skirt (裳)," and the Sino-Korean word 청상 (靑孀), with 孀 (상), literally means "green (靑) widow (孀)," which refers to a woman who became a widow at a young age. So, since the words for "green skirt" (靑裳 청상) and "young widow" (靑孀) are pronounced the same, "a young widow" was associated with "a green skirt." By the way, the expression 청상과부 (靑孀寡婦) literally means "a young widow (靑孀) widow (寡婦)," which clarifies that the 청상 in the expression is referring to "a green widow," not to "a green skirt," and that, again, suggests that there was some confusion between the words for "green widow" and "green skirt." And "a green skirt" was also associated with young women in general who were not virgins, such as prostitutes or kisaeng (기생 妓生).

The Sino-Korean word 홍상 (紅裳) literally means "red (紅) skirt (裳)," which for some reason (wink, wink), is associated with virgins in Korea. The Sino-Korean expression 녹의홍상 (綠衣紅裳) literally means "green jacket (綠衣), red skirt (紅裳)," and that refers to the traditional dress for young (virgin) women in Korea, which was a green jacket worn with a red skirt. Besides meaning "clothes" in general, the Chinese character 衣 (의) can also mean "jacket" (웃옷).

So, "green skirts" (청상 靑裳) were associated with "young widows," and "red skirts" (홍상 紅裳) with "young virgin women."

The Sino-Korean expression 동가홍상 (同價紅裳) literally means "[for] the same (同) price (價), [choose] the red (紅) skirt (裳)," which suggests that if a man has a choice between marrying a young widow or a young virgin, he should choose the virgin. However, Koreans these days usually use it to mean: "If two things cost the same, buy the one of better quality." And instead of saying 동가홍상 (同價紅裳), Koreans these days usually say, "같은 값이면 다홍지마," which translates as "[for] the same price," [choose] the deep red (다홍 多紅) skirt (지마)."