속이 시원하다
그는 거짓말을 하고도 태연해서 속이 시원했다.
He lied so casually that it felt like a relief.
to feel mentally or emotionally relieved, often after resolving a frustrating or tense situation
일이 잘 풀려서 속이 시원하다.
I feel relieved because things are working out.
그가 사과를 해서 속이 시원해졌다.
I felt relieved after he apologized.
Often used when a long-standing issue is resolved or when someone's actions finally meet expectations.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
When to use
Use 속이 시원하다 when describing relief from emotional stress, not physical cooling (e.g., after drinking cold water).
Gold Rule
Emotional vs. physical
속이 시원하다 refers to emotional relief, while 시원하다 alone can mean physically cool (e.g., 시원한 바람 'cool breeze').
Word Origin
속 (sok, 'inside') + 시원하다 (siwonhada, 'refreshing/cool'). Literally means 'the inside feels cool,' metaphorically extending to emotional relief.
Usage Notes
Primarily used in casual speech. Can imply satisfaction after seeing justice served or after a burden is lifted.