“Did You Just 흐린 눈 하다?” — A Fun Korean Slang You Need to Know
Have you ever seen something… and decided not to see it? That’s what the Korean slang “흐린 눈 하다” means — literally, “to make your eyes blurry.” It’s a humorous way to say, “I saw it, but let’s pretend I didn’t.”
Example:
친구가 실수했지만, 난 그냥 흐린 눈 했어.
→ My friend messed up, but I just turned a blind eye.
Now, let’s compare it with similar expressions:
1. 모른 척 하다 – “To pretend not to know.”
걔가 날 봤는데 모른 척했어.
(He saw me but acted like he didn’t.)
2. 못 본 척 하다 – “To pretend not to see.”
싸움이 나도 못 본 척했어.
(Even if there’s a fight, I just act like I didn’t see it.)
3. 못 들은 척 하다 – “To pretend not to hear.”
불편한 말은 못 들은 척 넘겨요.
(When things get awkward, I pretend I didn’t hear.)
4. 무시하다 – “To ignore.” (Stronger, possibly rude)
내가 말했는데 무시했어.
(I spoke, but they totally ignored me.)
흐린 눈 하다 is playful, casual, and perfect for when you want to let something slide.
Have you ever 흐린 눈 한 적 있어요?
