How to Say "Mind Your Own Business" in Korean

너나 잘해

neona jalhae

The English phrase 'mind your own business' is expressed in Korean as 너나 잘해 (neona jalhae).

너나 잘해 is a blunt expression used to tell someone to stop interfering in your affairs and focus on their own. Another informal way to express annoyance when someone tries to involve themselves in your affairs is to say 참견하지 마, which means 'Don't interfere' or 'Don't meddle'.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase 너나 잘해 literally translates to 'You do well (yourself)' or 'You should take care of yourself,' implying that the listener should focus on their own actions instead of yours.

Which one should you use?

너나 잘해 is a sharp, confrontational retort. In contrast, if you want to tell someone not to interfere in a more polite way, you should use 상관하지 마세요, which means 'don't interfere' or 'don't concern yourself with this'.

How does it change in a sentence?

The phrase uses the informal pronoun 너 (you).

How do you pronounce it?

neona jalhae

Did you know?

The particle 나 in 너나 acts as a limiting marker, implying that the listener is the only person who needs improvement. It essentially says 'as for you, at least you should…'.
Because 너나 잘해 uses the informal pronoun 너, using it with someone older than you or of higher social status is not just blunt, it is considered a major social transgression or a deliberate insult.
The polite version, 상관하지 마세요, uses the verb 상관하다, which relates to 'relation' or 'connection', so you are literally telling the person there is 'no relation' between them and the matter at hand.

Examples in context

내 일에 참견하지 마
Don't meddle in my business.
너나 잘해.
neona jalhae.
Mind your own business.
내 일에 참견하지 마. 너나 잘해.
nae ire chamgyeonhaji ma. neona jalhae.
Don't interfere in my business. Mind your own business.
그렇게 말할 거면 그냥 너나 잘해.
geureoke malhal geomyeon geunyang neona jalhae.
If you're going to talk like that, just mind your own business.

Example conversation

Two friends are arguing because one is giving unsolicited advice.

서연 Seo-yeon

민준아, 너는 왜 자꾸 내 옷차림을 지적해?
Minjun-a, neoneun wae jakku nae otcharimeul jijeokhae?
Minjun, why do you keep criticizing my clothes?
민준 Min-jun

그냥 네가 좀 더 깔끔하게 입었으면 해서 그래.
geunyang nega jom deo kkalkkeumhage ibeosseumyeon haeseo geurae.
I'm just saying it because I want you to dress more neatly.
서연 Seo-yeon

됐으니까 너나 잘해.
dwaesseunikka neona jalhae.
Forget it, just mind your own business.
민준 Min-jun

알았어, 미안해.
arasseo, mianhae.
Okay, I'm sorry.