Shin Hyun-bae: Vocabulary King

Why is it still important to know idiomatic expressions today, which have been developed over the ages? It is said that Chinese characters originated approximately 5,000 years ago. Legend has it that Cangjie, a historian serving the Chinese emperor, created the first characters by observing the footprints of birds and beasts. Korea belongs to the Sinosphere, along with China and Japan. Consequently, we have been using Chinese characters since ancient times. The fact that over 70% of the Korean language consists of Sino-Korean words demonstrates just how deeply these characters have permeated our daily lives. Chinese characters widely used in everyday life over the centuries are called Hanja-seongeo, or Gosa-seongeo. Most of these expressions originate from Chinese history, classics, myths, legends, and literary works. The reason these idioms have not disappeared despite changing times and have persisted to this day is that they contain wisdom for living life. Because they deeply address the life lessons and wisdom that humans ought to learn, they remain beloved and widely used even by modern people. Mastering these idioms, filled with life's wisdom and lessons, will boost your vocabulary significantly! Learning Chinese characters happens effortlessly! Killing two birds with one stone! “Vocabulary Idiom King” selects widely used idioms and explains their core meanings with illustrations to make them easy to understand. It is organized into seven themes: ‘Idioms regarding socializing and conduct,’ ‘Idioms that make you reflect on life,’ ‘Idioms regarding personality and the mind,’ ‘Idioms regarding family and education,’ ‘Idioms regarding politics, diplomacy, and the military,’ ‘Idioms regarding the nation, society, and customs,’ and ‘Idioms regarding the economy, culture, and nature.’

Korean title: 어휘력 고사성어 왕

Korean author: 신현배

Korean publisher: 효리원

ISBN-13: 9788928106820