Korean Proverb : Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire

Korean Proverb Series 87

Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire

“아닌 땐 굴뚝에 연기 나랴”
(Anin ttaen gulttuk-e yeongi narya)

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🕰️ 1. The Proverb’s Core Meaning

The Korean proverb “아닌 땐 굴뚝에 연기 나랴” literally means
“Would smoke come out of a chimney if nothing were burning?”

It expresses the idea that rumors or accusations usually have some underlying cause.
While not every rumor is entirely true,
persistent signs or repeated talk rarely appear without reason.

This proverb encourages us to look for the root cause
instead of dismissing everything as coincidence.

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🪄 2. Meaning & Key Lesson

▪️ Repeated signs often point to a real issue.
▪️ Nothing happens completely without cause.
▪️ It’s wise to examine facts before denying concerns outright.

The proverb does not promote blind belief in rumors,
but rather careful attention to patterns and signals.

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👀 3. Real-Life Applications

▪️ When the same complaint keeps surfacing in a workplace,
　there may be a real problem beneath it.
▪️ If multiple people raise similar concerns about a situation,
　it deserves serious consideration.
▪️ In personal relationships, repeated misunderstandings
　often signal unresolved issues.

This saying reminds us to ask:
“What is creating the smoke?”

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🌏 4. Similar Proverbs Around the World

▪️ United States / United Kingdom — “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
　→ Repeated rumors often have some basis.

▪️ China — “无风不起浪 (Wú fēng bù qǐ làng).”
　→ Without wind, waves do not rise.

▪️ Japan — “火のない所に煙は立たぬ (Hi no nai tokoro ni kemuri wa tatanu).”
　→ Smoke does not rise where there is no fire.

▪️ France — “Il n’y a pas de fumée sans feu.”
　→ There is no smoke without fire.

Across cultures, people recognize that
signs rarely appear without a cause.

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💬 A Warm Saying

“When something keeps appearing,
it may be time to look beneath the surface.”

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📌 Note
This is a creative cultural content from the Misojieum Story Blog (kor-telling.com).

Please do not copy without permission.
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