물을 쓰다
To 쓰다 물
字面意思: To use water
Use it to describe someone spending money or resources carelessly and excessively, like an open faucet.
15秒了解
- Spending money recklessly and wastefully.
- Treating resources as if they're infinite.
- Commonly paired with 'money' (돈).
意思
While it literally means 'to use water,' it is almost always used as an idiom to describe spending money or resources recklessly and wastefully, as if they were as abundant and free as water.
关键例句
3 / 6Texting a friend about a shopping spree
어제 쇼핑하면서 돈을 물 쓰듯 했어.
I spent money like water while shopping yesterday.
Complaining about a sibling's habits
제 동생은 용돈을 항상 물 쓰듯 해요.
My younger sibling always spends their allowance like water.
Discussing a movie character's wealth
영화 속 주인공이 돈을 물 쓰듯 쓰는 게 부러워요.
I'm jealous of how the movie protagonist spends money like water.
文化背景
This phrase stems from a time when water was considered a 'common good' in Korea, easily accessible from local wells or streams. Because it didn't cost anything to fetch a bucket of water, it became the ultimate symbol for something used without restraint. Today, even though water is metered and paid for, the idiom remains a staple in the Korean language to criticize wastefulness.
The 'Like' Particle
Notice the suffix `-듯`. This means 'as if' or 'like.' You can attach it to other verbs too, but `물 쓰듯` is the most famous pair!
Don't Be Too Harsh
Calling someone's spending `물 쓰듯` can be seen as a criticism. Only use it with people you are close to, or when talking about a third party.
15秒了解
- Spending money recklessly and wastefully.
- Treating resources as if they're infinite.
- Commonly paired with 'money' (돈).
What It Means
Imagine you turn on the kitchen faucet and just walk away. The water flows out effortlessly, right? In Korean, when you say someone is 물을 쓰다 (specifically in the phrase 돈을 물 쓰듯 하다), you are saying they treat their money exactly like that running tap. They are spending it without a care in the world, usually in a way that seems a bit irresponsible or excessive. It’s the perfect way to describe that friend who gets their paycheck on Friday and has zero dollars by Sunday morning. You aren't just using the resource; you are pouring it out like it will never run dry.
How To Use It
You will rarely see 물을 쓰다 standing completely alone in a sentence to mean 'spending.' Instead, you’ll usually see it in the form 물 쓰듯 하다 (to do something as if using water) or 물 쓰듯 쓰다 (to spend like using water). The most common partner for this phrase is 돈 (money). You simply put the thing being wasted at the start: 돈을 물 쓰듯 해요. It’s a very visual expression. You can almost see the bills flying out of a wallet like a splashing fountain. It’s punchy, descriptive, and carries a bit of a judgmental (but often funny) undertone.
When To Use It
This is your go-to phrase for high-drama spending moments. Use it when you’re gossiping with a friend about a celebrity’s lavish lifestyle. Use it when your sibling buys their fifth pair of designer sneakers this month. It’s also great for self-reflection after a vacation where you definitely overspent on souvenirs. You can use it in texts when a friend asks why you’re broke: "I spent money like water this weekend!" It fits perfectly in any casual or semi-formal conversation where someone is being a bit 'extra' with their resources.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use this for necessary, calculated expenses. If you’re paying your rent or buying groceries, you aren't 'using money like water'—you’re just surviving. Also, avoid using this phrase to describe someone who is being genuinely generous or charitable. 물을 쓰다 implies a lack of thought or a sense of waste. If a billionaire builds a hospital, they aren't 'using money like water'; they are being a philanthropist. Lastly, don't use it in a very serious business meeting to describe a budget deficit unless you want to sound quite accusatory.
Cultural Background
Why water? Historically, Korea is a mountainous country with many clean springs and rivers. Before modern plumbing and water bills, water was seen as a resource that was 'just there' for everyone to use. It was abundant and essentially free. Money, on the other hand, was always scarce and hard to earn. So, the metaphor highlights the absurdity of treating something precious (money) as if it were something common and infinite (water). It reflects a traditional Korean value of frugality and the shock one feels when seeing someone disregard that value.
Common Variations
The most popular variation is 돈을 물 쓰듯 하다. Another one you’ll hear often is 돈을 펑펑 쓰다, where 펑펑 is an onomatopoeia for something falling or pouring out in large amounts (like heavy snow or water). If you want to sound a bit more sophisticated, you might use 과소비 (excessive consumption), but that lacks the colorful imagery of the water metaphor. If you’re talking about someone who is naturally generous (in a good way), you might say they have a 큰 손 (big hand).
使用说明
The phrase is most effective when used with the particle `-듯`. It is neutral in formality but carries a critical tone regarding the subject's spending habits.
The 'Like' Particle
Notice the suffix `-듯`. This means 'as if' or 'like.' You can attach it to other verbs too, but `물 쓰듯` is the most famous pair!
Don't Be Too Harsh
Calling someone's spending `물 쓰듯` can be seen as a criticism. Only use it with people you are close to, or when talking about a third party.
The Opposite Phrase
If someone is the opposite and saves every penny, Koreans say they are '구두쇠' (a miser/scrooge) or that they 'stint even on salt' (소금물도 아낀다).
例句
6어제 쇼핑하면서 돈을 물 쓰듯 했어.
I spent money like water while shopping yesterday.
Uses the past tense to express regret or excitement about spending.
제 동생은 용돈을 항상 물 쓰듯 해요.
My younger sibling always spends their allowance like water.
The present tense indicates a recurring habit.
영화 속 주인공이 돈을 물 쓰듯 쓰는 게 부러워요.
I'm jealous of how the movie protagonist spends money like water.
Used here to describe a fictional level of luxury.
돈을 그렇게 물 쓰듯 하면 나중에 고생한다.
If you use money like water like that, you'll suffer later.
A classic 'tough love' warning from a Korean parent.
여행 가서 돈을 너무 물 쓰듯 쓴 것 같아 걱정이야.
I'm worried because I think I spent money like water on the trip.
Expresses anxiety over financial choices.
예산을 물 쓰듯 해서 결국 프로젝트가 중단되었습니다.
The project was eventually halted because the budget was used like water.
Used to describe the mismanagement of a professional budget.
自我测试
Complete the sentence to say 'Don't spend money like water.'
돈을 ___ 쓰지 마세요.
'물 쓰듯' is the idiomatic way to say 'like using water' in the context of spending.
Which particle correctly follows '돈' in this idiom?
돈_ 물 쓰듯 해요.
Since 'money' is the object being spent, the object particle '을' is used.
🎉 得分： /2
视觉学习工具
Formality & Context Spectrum
Slangy versions like '돈을 꼴아박다' (shoving money in).
돈 다 꼴아박았어.
The standard '물 쓰듯 하다' used with friends or family.
돈을 물 쓰듯 하네!
Using '과소비' or '낭비' in official reports.
예산 낭비가 심각합니다.
When to say '물 쓰듯 하다'
At the Casino
칩을 물 쓰듯 걸어요.
Luxury Shopping
명품을 물 쓰듯 사요.
Wasting Time
시간을 물 쓰듯 보내요.
Payday Party
월급을 물 쓰듯 써요.
常见问题
10 个问题Yes! You can use it for time (시간을 물 쓰듯 하다) or even energy, though money is by far the most common usage.
Yes, but it's rare. Usually, you'd say 물을 사용하다 for literal use. If you say 물을 쓰다, people will likely wait for you to finish the idiom.
Treat 하다 or 쓰다 as the main verb. For example, 물 쓰듯 했어요 (past) or 물 쓰듯 해요 (present).
It's not 'rude' in terms of language level, but the meaning is critical. It's like telling someone they are being wasteful.
At A1, you might just say 돈을 많이 써요 (I spend a lot of money). This idiom is a great way to level up your expression!
Usually, yes. Without 돈, the context might be confusing unless it's already clear what you are talking about.
Hardly ever. It almost always implies that the spending is 'too much' or 'unnecessary.'
Yes, young people might say 돈 지랄 (vulgar) to describe someone showing off their wealth wastefully.
It's a shortened form of -듯이, which means 'as if' or 'in the manner of.' So 물 쓰듯 is 'as if using water.'
It can be used informally among colleagues, but in a report, you would use 낭비 (waste) or 과소비 (overspending).
相关表达
돈을 펑펑 쓰다 (To spend money lavishly)
낭비하다 (To waste)
과소비하다 (To overspend)
손이 크다 (To be very generous/big-handed)
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