목숨을 걸고

1. 본문

"목숨을 걸고" is a Korean phrase that translates to "risk one's life" or "stake one's life" in English. It implies putting everything on the line for a specific purpose, goal, or situation. Here's a breakdown of the phrase and its usage:

• 목숨 (moksum): This word means "life."
• 걸고 (geolgo): This is the verb "to stake," "to bet," or "to risk," conjugated in a way that connects it to the following action or situation.

• Literal meaning: To risk one's life. For instance, in an emergency or dangerous situation, one might say someone "risked their life" to save another. A sentence example, "He risked his life to save his daughter from the fire." (그는 목숨을 걸고 불 속에서 딸의 목숨을 구했다).

• Figurative meaning: To exert utmost effort and dedication, even to the point of risking something important (not necessarily one's physical life). It implies a strong commitment and willingness to make significant sacrifices.

• "Neck or nothing": There is an expression in english 'neck or nothing' that has a similar meaning 'risking everything', 'trying everything'.

• Examples in different contexts:

• Love/Relationships: "To have a true romance in this land, you have to love with all your life" (이 땅에서 참된 연애를 하려거든 목숨을 걸고 연애를 해야 한다)
• Work/Career: Someone might be described as "staking their life" on their work, indicating extreme dedication.
• Drinking: "If you are going to be a real drinker in this land, you have to drink with all your life" (이땅에서 진짜 술꾼이 되려거든 목숨을 걸고 술을 마셔야 한다).
• Soldiers: "The reason why we can live so peacefully is because soldiers risk their lives every day!"(우리가 평화롭게 살 수 있는 이유는 군인들이 매일 목숨을 걸고 있기 때문이야!).
• In a poem: The phrase can appear in poems to emphasize dedication even in hard times. For example, in a poem: No matter how hard it is you should 'risk you life to become real' (아무리 어려운 시기라 할지라도 '진짜가 되려거든 목숨을 걸고').