Korean Proverb : Spitting While Lying Down Hurts Yourself

Korean Proverb Series 24

Spitting While Lying Down Hurts Yourself

"누워서 침 뱉기"
(Nuwoseo chim baetgi)

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🕰️ 1. The Proverb’s Core Meaning

The Korean proverb “누워서 침 뱉기” literally translates to:
“When you spit while lying down, it falls back on your own face.”

It means that harming or speaking ill of others often ends up hurting oneself. The proverb serves as a reminder that negativity, malice, or deceit inevitably return to the person who started them.

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🪄 2. Meaning & Key Lesson

• Words and actions motivated by spite eventually come back to the source.
• The proverb teaches that when we act unfairly or harm others, we damage our own integrity and peace.
• It encourages self-reflection — before speaking or acting in anger, consider whether it might ultimately harm you.

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👀 3. Real-Life Applications

• A coworker spreads false rumors, only to lose credibility and trust.
• A person insults a friend out of jealousy, later realizing they’ve damaged the relationship beyond repair.
• A business that deceives customers eventually loses reputation and collapses.

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🌏 4. Similar Proverbs Around the World

CountryProverb / SayingInterpretation

 

United States	“What goes around, comes around.”	Harmful actions return to the one who commits them.
United Kingdom	“He who digs a pit for others falls into it himself.”	Those who plot harm often suffer from their own schemes.
China	“害人终害己” (Hài rén zhōng hài jǐ)	“He who harms others eventually harms himself.”

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💬 A Warm Saying

“When you throw bitterness into the world,
it always finds its way back to you.”

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📌 Note
This is a creative cultural content from the Misojieum Story Blog (kor-telling.com).

Please do not copy without permission.
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