Korean Idioms & Expressions

찬밥 신세

chanbap sinse

Literal meaning

cold-rice status/lot

What it really means

Being treated as unimportant and left out, like leftover cold rice nobody wants. Used when someone is ignored or sidelined after no longer being needed.

Examples

Korean	English
신제품이 나오자 예전 모델은 찬밥 신세가 됐다. sinjepum-i naja yejeon model-eun chanbap sinse-ga dwaetda.	Once the new product came out, the old model was left out in the cold.

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