Korean Four-Character Idioms
새옹지마
塞翁之馬
Word for word
“the old frontiersman's horse”
What it means
Luck turns unpredictably — bad can become good and back again.
When you'd use it
Comforting someone after a setback.
Example
그때 떨어진 게 오히려 잘된 일이었어. 인생은 새옹지마야.Failing back then turned out to be a good thing. Life's like that.
Frequently asked questions
What does 새옹지마 (塞翁之馬) mean?
새옹지마 (塞翁之馬) is a Korean four-character idiom: luck turns unpredictably — bad can become good and back again.
What are the Chinese characters in 새옹지마?
새옹지마 is written 塞翁之馬 in hanja (Chinese characters), literally “the old frontiersman's horse”.
When do Koreans use 새옹지마?
Typical use: comforting someone after a setback.
How do you use 새옹지마 in a sentence?
“그때 떨어진 게 오히려 잘된 일이었어. 인생은 새옹지마야.” means “Failing back then turned out to be a good thing. Life's like that.”