Learning & Wisdom
刮目相對
괄목상대
guā mù xiāng duì
Gwal-mok-sang-dae
刮
긁을 괄
目
눈 목
相
서로 상
對
대할 대
Character by character
Meaning
Rub your eyes and look again — someone’s ability has grown astonishingly.
Origin
From the Records of the Three Kingdoms: Lu Su said Lü Meng’s learning deserved a second, eye-rubbing look.
How it is used
A compliment for someone who improved sharply in a short time.
Hanja刮目相對
Simplified刮目相对
Korean reading괄목상대
Pinyinguā mù xiāng duì
Frequently asked questions
Q. What does Gwal-mok-sang-dae mean?
刮目相對 · Rub your eyes and look again — someone’s ability has grown astonishingly.
Q. Where does Gwal-mok-sang-dae come from?
From the Records of the Three Kingdoms: Lu Su said Lü Meng’s learning deserved a second, eye-rubbing look.
Q. How is Gwal-mok-sang-dae used?
A compliment for someone who improved sharply in a short time.
Idioms in the same group
敎學相長 Gyo-hak-sang-jangTeaching and learning grow each other.多多益善 Da-da-ik-seonThe more, the better.聞一知十 Mun-il-ji-sipHear one thing and know ten — exceptional quickness of mind.格物致知 Gyeong-mul-chi-jiInvestigate things to reach knowledge.學而時習 Hak-i-si-seupLearn, and practise it in due time.不恥下問 Bul-chi-ha-munNot ashamed to ask those below you.
The idioms used in Korea mix phrases from the Chinese classics with ones coined in Korea. Where an expression is not used in China, the entry says so.