선 넘다 (seon neomda) — to cross a line or overstep.
Lesson 27 in our Korean Slang series, adapted from Korean Your Teacher Doesn’t Teach You by Injin Hwang.
What 선 넘다 means
선 is a line and 넘다 means to cross. The phrase refers to overstepping social or personal boundaries, such as making an intrusive joke. The exact line depends on the people and situation.
A short conversation
A: 왜 화났어?
B: 내 사생활을 계속 물어서 선 넘었다고 느꼈어.
A: Why were you upset?
B: They kept asking about my private life, so I felt they crossed a line.
How to understand it
Start with the context in the dialogue. The speaker uses 선 넘다 to mean “to cross a line or overstep.” A word-for-word reading can miss the tone. Compare the Korean lines with the natural English translation, and notice which part of the situation makes the meaning clear.
Use it with care
It can be a serious criticism. If possible, explain which behavior made you uncomfortable.
A more neutral or polite alternative:
그 질문은 조금 불편했어요.
That question made me a little uncomfortable.
Try it yourself
Is 선 넘다 about physically crossing a painted line here?
Show the answer
No. It means crossing a social boundary.
Read the conversation aloud, then try the neutral alternative. Think about which one fits a friend and which one fits a polite conversation.
Based on the author’s slang collection, with additional learning notes. AI-generated illustration created for this lesson.
