불장난
buljangnan
The Korean phrase for "playing with fire" is 불장난 (buljangnan).
While 불장난 can literally mean playing with fire, it is frequently used metaphorically to describe risky behavior or a dangerous romantic entanglement.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of 불, meaning fire and 장난, meaning play or prank.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use this as a verb in a sentence, you typically add the object marker and the verb 하다 (to do), resulting in 불장난을 하다.
How do you pronounce it?
buljangnan
Did you know?
- In Korean, 불장난 is often used specifically to describe illicit or forbidden romantic affairs, a nuance not always present in the English 'playing with fire'.
- While 불장난 describes playing with fire, the Korean word for an actual fire caused by negligence is 실화, which creates a sharp linguistic distinction between 'play' and 'accident'.
- The part 장난 in 불장난 can be used independently in the phrase 장난하지 마 to tell someone to 'stop messing around'.
Examples in context
- 친구들이랑 불 놀이하면 어때?How about playing with fire with friends?
- 그렇게 하는 건 불장난이나 다름없어.geureoke haneun geon buljangnani-na dareumeopseo.Doing it that way is no different from playing with fire.
- 너 지금 불장난을 하고 있는 거야.neo jigeum buljangnareul hago inneun geoya.You are playing with fire right now.
Example conversation
Seoyeon warns Jihun about a risky investment.
- 서연 Seo-yeon지훈 씨, 이 투자는 너무 위험해요.jihun ssi, i tujaneun neomu wiheomhaeyo.Jihun, this investment is too risky.
- 지훈 Ji-hun하지만 수익이 정말 높을 거예요.hajiman suigi jeongmal nopeul geoyeyo.But the returns will be very high.
- 서연 Seo-yeon그건 그냥 불장난일 뿐이에요.geugeon geunyang buljangnanil ppunieyo.That is just playing with fire.
- 지훈 Ji-hun알겠어요. 다시 생각해 볼게요.algetseoyo. dasi saenggakhae bolgeyo.I see. I will think about it again.
