Korean Proverb : You Don’t Notice Your Clothes Getting Wet in a Drizzle

Korean Proverb Series 55

You Don’t Notice Your Clothes Getting Wet in a Drizzle
“가랑비에 옷 젖는 줄 모른다”
(Garangbi-e ot jeotneun jul moreunda)

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🕰️ 1. The Proverb’s Core Meaning

The Korean proverb “가랑비에 옷 젖는 줄 모른다” literally means
“You don’t realize your clothes are getting wet in a drizzle.”

It describes how small things — good or bad — accumulate slowly,
often without our awareness, until the result becomes clear.
Whether it’s a habit, attitude, or choice,
even the smallest repetition shapes who we become.

The proverb encourages mindfulness and consistency,
for little drops eventually soak through.

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🪄 2. Meaning & Key Lesson

▪️ Small actions build up to great outcomes over time.
▪️ Neglecting little faults leads to big problems.
▪️ Change happens quietly — step by step, drop by drop.

This proverb teaches that success and failure alike
begin with what seems insignificant.

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👀 3. Real-Life Applications

▪️ A small daily habit, like reading for 10 minutes, can transform knowledge.
▪️ Ignoring minor health issues can lead to serious illness.
▪️ In relationships, small acts of care (or neglect) make all the difference.

Life’s big changes often arrive disguised as tiny raindrops.

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🌏 4. Similar Proverbs Around the World

▪️ United States / United Kingdom — “Little drops of water make a mighty ocean.”
　→ Small efforts create great results.
▪️ China — “积少成多 (Jī shǎo chéng duō).”
　→ “Many small things add up to much.”
▪️ Japan — “塵も積もれば山となる (Chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru).”
　→ “Even dust, when piled up, becomes a mountain.”
▪️ France — “Petit à petit, l’oiseau fait son nid.”
　→ “Little by little, the bird builds its nest.”

Across all cultures, the wisdom is the same —
great change begins quietly.

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💬 A Warm Saying

“Small drops don’t shout,
but they shape rivers, hearts, and lives.”

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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.
Sharing is welcome with proper source citation.