물을 먹다
To 먹다 물
Literalmente: To eat water
Use it literally for thirst, or idiomatically to describe a casual failure or rejection among friends.
En 15 segundos
- Literal: To drink water casually.
- Idiom: To fail an exam or interview.
- Social: To be tricked or snubbed by someone.
Significado
Literally, it means to drink water. Idiomatically, it means to fail, be rejected, or get tricked by someone.
Ejemplos clave
3 de 6Feeling thirsty after a run
운동하고 나서 물을 많이 먹었어요.
I drank a lot of water after exercising.
Telling a friend about a failed job interview
이번 면접에서도 또 물을 먹었어.
I failed the interview again this time.
Warning a friend about a scammer
그 사람한테 물 먹지 않게 조심해.
Be careful not to get tricked by that person.
Contexto cultural
The use of 'eat' for liquids is a unique feature of colloquial Korean. The idiomatic shift to 'failure' likely stems from the idea of being 'soaked' or 'submerged' by a problem, or simply the bitterness of swallowing a loss. It became a staple of 20th-century slang and remains a favorite in modern dramas.
The 'Eat' Rule
In Korean, you can 'eat' drinks like water, coffee, or juice in casual speech. It sounds more natural than the textbook '마시다' (drink) among close friends.
Watch the Tense
If you say '물을 먹다' (present), people assume you are thirsty. If you say '물을 먹었다' (past), they might start comforting you because they think you failed something!
En 15 segundos
- Literal: To drink water casually.
- Idiom: To fail an exam or interview.
- Social: To be tricked or snubbed by someone.
What It Means
물을 먹다 is a phrase with two faces. Literally, it just means you are hydrating. Idiomatically, it describes the sting of failure or rejection. Think of it like 'swallowing' a loss. It is very common when talking about job interviews or exams. It can also mean being snubbed or deceived by someone you trusted.
How To Use It
You use the object marker 를 with 물. The verb 먹다 conjugates normally. For the idiomatic meaning, you almost always use the past tense 먹었다. It sounds very natural in casual, spoken Korean. You can drop the 를 in quick speech to say 물 먹었어.
When To Use It
Use it when you are actually thirsty at a restaurant. Use the idiomatic version when venting to friends. It is perfect for saying 'I failed the test' or 'I got rejected.' If a company doesn't call you back, you 'ate water.' It adds a relatable, slightly self-deprecating touch to your story.
When NOT To Use It
Avoid the idiomatic version in formal business reports. It is too casual for a professional presentation about losses. Use 실패하다 (to fail) in those cases instead. Also, do not use it for literal drowning. That is a different, much more serious expression. Keep this one for metaphorical 'swallows' of defeat.
Cultural Background
Koreans use the verb 먹다 (to eat) for everything. We 'eat' our age, 'eat' insults, and even 'eat' our minds (meaning to resolve). Water is the most basic thing you can swallow. Swallowing water instead of the 'prize' you wanted feels empty. It captures that hollow feeling of coming home with nothing but a stomach full of water.
Common Variations
물(을) 먹이다 is the active version. It means to trick or 'screw over' someone else. 고배를 마시다 is the high-level, literary version. It means 'to drink from a bitter cup.' If you want to be polite about literal drinking, use 물을 마시다 instead of 먹다.
Notas de uso
The literal meaning is safe anywhere. The idiomatic meaning is best kept for friends and family. Using '먹다' for liquids is a sign of a more natural, 'native' level of casual speech.
The 'Eat' Rule
In Korean, you can 'eat' drinks like water, coffee, or juice in casual speech. It sounds more natural than the textbook '마시다' (drink) among close friends.
Watch the Tense
If you say '물을 먹다' (present), people assume you are thirsty. If you say '물을 먹었다' (past), they might start comforting you because they think you failed something!
The Trickster Version
If you want to say someone tricked you, use '물 먹이다' (to make someone eat water). It's like saying they fed you a lie.
Ejemplos
6운동하고 나서 물을 많이 먹었어요.
I drank a lot of water after exercising.
A literal use of the phrase in a daily context.
이번 면접에서도 또 물을 먹었어.
I failed the interview again this time.
The idiomatic use meaning 'to be rejected'.
그 사람한테 물 먹지 않게 조심해.
Be careful not to get tricked by that person.
Using the phrase to mean being deceived.
나 오늘 완전 물 먹었어 ㅠㅠ
I totally got burned today (failed/rejected).
Common texting style using the idiom.
시원한 물 좀 먹을까요?
Shall we have some cold water?
Literal use, slightly more polite but still friendly.
내가 너한테 제대로 물 먹었네!
You really got me there!
Humorous way to say someone successfully tricked you.
Ponte a prueba
Choose the correct form to say 'I failed the exam.'
시험에서 또 ___. (I failed the exam again.)
`물을 먹다` in the past tense `먹었어` is the idiomatic way to express failure.
Complete the sentence to ask for water.
목말라요. ___ 좀 주세요.
`물` (water) is the object needed for the literal meaning of the phrase.
🎉 Puntuación: /2
Ayudas visuales
Formality of '물을 먹다'
Used with friends to mean 'I failed' or 'I got tricked'.
나 물 먹었어.
Common way to say 'drink water' in daily life.
물을 좀 먹어요.
Better to use '마시다' for drinking with superiors.
물을 마십니다.
When to use 물을 먹다
After a workout
Literal thirst
Job Rejection
Idiomatic failure
Being Scammed
Idiomatic trickery
Exam Results
Idiomatic disappointment
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasNot at all! It is neutral when used literally. However, the idiomatic meaning (failing) is very informal, so don't use it in a report to your boss.
Yes, it is perfect for that. You can say 운전면허 시험에서 물 먹었어.
마시다 is the standard word for 'to drink.' 먹다 is 'to eat,' but in casual Korean, it replaces 'drink' very often.
No, it's a metaphor. It just means the outcome was as empty or disappointing as just having water when you wanted a feast.
You can say 나 그 사람한테 물 먹었어, which implies you were the one who 'ate the water' (the trick).
Yes, but younger people use the idiomatic version more frequently in casual settings.
Usually, no. For breakups, we use 차이다 (to be kicked). 물을 먹다 is more for tasks, goals, or scams.
It is the causative form. It means to cause someone to fail or to play a trick on them. 친구가 나를 물 먹였어 means my friend tricked me.
Yes, you can use 실패하다 (to fail) or 불합격하다 (to not pass).
Yes! It is very common to say 커피 먹으러 가자 (Let's go eat/drink coffee) instead of 마시러.
Frases relacionadas
미역국을 먹다 (To fail an exam)
고배를 마시다 (To taste the bitter cup of defeat)
허탕 치다 (To go on a fool's errand/fail to get what you wanted)
물을 마시다 (To drink water - polite/literal)
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