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TOPIK 6expression

구르는 돌에는 이끼가 끼지 않는다

gureuneun doreneun ikkiga kkiji anneunda [구르는 도레는 이끼가 끼지 안는다]

구르는 돌에는 이끼가 끼지 않는다고 · 구르는 돌에는 이끼가 안 낀다잖아요

a rolling stone gathers no moss; if you keep active, you won't stagnate

Example

할아버지는 구르는 돌에는 이끼가 끼지 않는다며 은퇴 후에도 매일 공부하세요.

Saying a rolling stone gathers no moss, my grandfather studies every day even after retiring.

Word parts

A translation of the English proverb: a stone that keeps rolling never gets covered in moss (이끼가 끼다).

Good to know

Pronounced [안는다]. In Korean it is almost always positive (keep moving and you'll keep growing), not the older English sense of criticizing people who never settle down.