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In Korean, “고개” has more than one meaning.

It can refer to:

• Meaning 1 – A hill or mountain pass
• Meaning 2 – A body part that includes the back of the neck and the lower part of the head

They Kind of look similar, right? The curve of head and neck, and the shape of a hill.

You can’t really translate “고개” directly into English, because English doesn’t have a word for this specific part of body. However, there are quite a lot of idiomatic expressions that comes along with “고개” in Korean.

Here are some common Korean expressions that use 고개, each with its own nuance and feeling:

고개를 들다 / 고개를 내밀다

“고개를 들다” means to lift or raise your head, while “고개를 내밀다” means to stick your head out, usually forward or through something. Both expressions describe physical movements involving the head (고개) — one upward, the other outward — but they also carry figurative meanings that often overlap.

In a figurative sense, it can mean:

• 고개를 들다 is used when someone gains confidence, regains pride, or faces others with honesty. It can also describe feelings or phenomena beginning to rise or emerge.
• 고개를 내밀다 also expresses the idea of something emerging or surfacing — such as a thought, feeling, or problem coming into view.

Here are some example sentences with translations:

• 이제는 고개를 들고 당당하게 걸어요. – Now I walk with my head held high.
• 불안이 다시 고개를 들기 시작했다. – The anxiety started to rise again.
• 너 때문에 부끄러워서 고개를 못 들고 다니겠어! – Because of you, I’m too ashamed to show my face!
• 호기심이 다시 고개를 내밀기 시작했다. – Curiosity started to rear its head again.
• 고양이가 문틈으로 고개를 내밀었다. – A cat poked its head through the crack in the door.

고개를 돌리다

“고개를 돌리다” literally means to turn one’s head. It describes the physical movement of rotating your head to look in a difference direction. But also has extended, metaphorical meanings.

In a figurative sense, it can mean:

• to look away from something, especially to ignore or avoid it
• to change focus or turn your attention elsewhere, either physically or emotionally

Here are some example sentences with translations:

• 나는 창밖을 보려고 고개를 돌렸다. – I turned my head to look out the window.
• 고개를 돌려서 주위를 훑어 보면 좋은 사람들이 참 많아요. – If you turn your head and look around, you’ll see that there are so many good people out there.
• 잘난 척하는 그 모습이 너무 보기 싫어서 난 고개를 돌려 버렸다. – I couldn’t stand how full of himself he looked, so I turned my head away.

고개를 숙이다 / 고개를 떨구다

“고개를 숙이다” means to lower or bow your head, while “고개를 떨구다” means to drop you head, usually out of disappointment or discouragement. Both expressions can describe the physical motion of lowering your head, but they are also often used metaphorically in different emotional contexts.

In a figurative sense:

• 고개를 숙이다 is often used when someone shows respect, or apology.
• 고개를 떨구다 is typically used when someone feels deep disappointment, discouragement, or emotional defeat — it describes the common reaction of dropping your head when you’ve failed or lost hope.

Here are some example sentences with translations:

• 그 남자는 사과하며 고개를 숙였다. – He bowed his head in apology.
• 경기에서 진 그 선수는 조용히 고개를 떨궜다. – The player who lost the match quietly dropped his head.
• 할아버지가 돌아가셨다는 소식을 듣자 민수는 조용히 고개를 떨궜다. – When Minsu heard that his grandfather had passed away, he quietly dropped his head.

고개를 젓다

“고개를 젓다” means to shake one’s head. It describes the physical action of moving your head side to side, usually say “no.”

In a figurative sense, it can express:

• disagreement, refusal, or denial
• a silent reaction to disbelief, disappointment, or disapproval

Here are some example sentences with translations:

• 아빠가 아무 말 없이 고개를 저으셨다. – Dad shook his head without saying a word.
• 믿을 수 없다는 듯이 고개를 저었다. – He shook his head in disbelief.
• 선생님이 계속 고개를 저으시는 걸 보니까 내 말이 틀렸나 보네요. – Seeing the teacher keep shaking her head, I guess what I said was wrong.

고개를 끄덕이다 / 고개를 까닥하다

“고개를 끄덕이다” means to nod your head, usually to express agreement, understanding, or approval, while “고개를 까딱하다” (or “까딱이다”) refers to a much smaller motion — a slight bob of the head.

These two expressions describe similar head movements, but the nuance is different:

• 끄덕이다 usually shows clear, deliberate agreement or acknowledgement.
• 까딱하다 can sometimes feel minimal, casual, or even a bit insincere — as if the person is just going through the motions without real engagement.

Here are some example sentences with translations:

• 나는 고개를 끄덕였다. – I nodded in agreement.
• 제 말 이해하신 분들은 끄덕끄덕해 주세요. – If you understand what I’m saying, give me a nod.
• 그 사람 인성이 별로일 것 같아… 고개만 한 번 까딱하고 핸드폰만 보던데? – He doesn’t seem like a good person… He just gave a quick nod and kept looking at his phone.

Linguistic Note:

In Korean, verbs like 끄덕이다, 끄덕거리다, 끄덕대다, and 끄덕끄덕하다 all describe the repeated motion of nodding. They’re built from the mimetic word “끄덕”, combined with suffixes like -이다, -거리다, -대다, which emphasize repetition or intensity.

고개를 갸웃하다 / 고개를 갸우뚱하다

“고개를 갸웃하다” means to tilt one’s head slightly to one side. It describes the small, subtle movement we often make when we’re unsure, curious, or doubtful about something.

This physical gesture often signals that someone:

• is puzzled or confused
• is questioning something silently
• has doubts about what they just heard or saw

In Korean, this phrase is frequently used not only to describe the literal motion, but also to express a mental state — when someone isn’t sure, can’t quite understand, or finds something suspicious.

Here are some example sentences with translations:

• 제 말이 이해가 안 되는지 고개를 갸웃하더라고요. – He tilted his head, like he didn’t understand what I was saying.
• 왜 갑자기 고개를 갸우뚱하세요? 제 말을 못 믿으시는 거예요? – Why are you tilting your head like that all of a sudden? Don’t you believe what I’m saying?

Thanks for exploring these “고개” expressions with me! Isn’t it fascinating how many emotions and subtle meanings can be expressed just by moving your head? I hope this posting helped you better understand not just the language, but also the culture behind it. Which “고개” phrase did you find the most interesting? Let me know!! 😀