Mercury and the Woodman

전 재산 (jeon jaesan)

One's entire property; all one's fortune.

Real Pattern

This phrase is used to emphasize that something, no matter how small or humble it may seem, is literally everything a person owns. It highlights the immense value of that single possession to the owner.

Pattern Application

이 낡은 트럭이 저희 아버지의 전 재산이에요. — This old truck is my father's entire fortune.

가게가 불타서 전 재산을 잃었어요. — The store burned down, so I lost everything I owned.

제 전 재산은 이 노트북 하나뿐입니다. — My entire property consists of just this one laptop.

Tip

While it literally means "entire fortune," it can be used slightly hyperbolically to stress the importance of an object, like a student calling their computer their 전 재산.

전 재산이었지요

...할지 막막하다 (...halji mangmakada)

To be at a loss for what to do.

Real Pattern

This expresses a feeling of hopelessness or being overwhelmed when you have no idea what to do next. It's the feeling of facing a dead end with no clear path forward. The woodman felt this way because without his axe, he had no way to work.

Pattern Application

갑자기 직장을 잃어서 앞으로 뭘 해야 할지 막막해요. — I suddenly lost my job, so I feel hopeless about what to do next.

어디서부터 시작해야 할지 막막해서 그냥 앉아만 있었어요. — I was so at a loss for where to start that I just sat there.

Tip

This phrase is great for conveying genuine anxiety or confusion about the future. It's stronger than just saying "I don't know what to do."

무엇으로 일을 해야 할지 막막했지요

제 것이 아니에요 (je geosi anieyo)

It's not mine.

Real Pattern

This is a fundamental, polite, and clear way to state that something does not belong to you. In the story, it's a simple declaration of honesty. In daily life, it's an essential phrase for clarifying ownership.