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TOPIK 4expression

속을 썩이다

sogeul sseogida [소글 써기다]

속을 썩여요 · 속을 썩였어요 · 속(이) 썩다 (to be distressed)

to cause someone worry or grief, to give someone a hard time

Example

어렸을 때 부모님 속을 많이 썩였어요.

I gave my parents a lot of grief when I was young.

Word parts

속 = one's insides; 썩이다 = to make rot, as if worry rots your insides.

Good to know

Don't confuse 썩이다 (to distress) with 썩히다 (to let rot or go to waste), a common spelling mix-up.