Korean Dictionary
How to say "Pass the Buck" in Korean
“Pass the Buck” in Korean is 책임을 떠넘기다 (pronounced "Chaegimeul Tteonumgida").
책임을 떠넘기다
Chaegimeul Tteonumgida
Usage & Context
Passing the buck means shifting responsibility to someone else. In Korean work culture, this behavior is often criticized as it undermines teamwork and accountability.
Example Sentence
실수를 했으면 책임을 떠넘기지 말고 직접 해결하세요.
If you made a mistake, do not pass the buck and resolve it yourself.
How to use 책임을 떠넘기다 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Pass the Buck” is 책임을 떠넘기다, romanized as Chaegimeul Tteonumgida.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 책임을 떠넘기다.
Pronunciation Guide
책임을 (chae-gim-eul) sounds like 'cha-eh-gim-eul'. 'Chae' is like 'chai' (tea) but with an 'eh' sound. 'Gim' is like 'gim' in 'gimme'. 떠넘기다 (tteo-neom-gi-da) is 'tuh' (short 'u', strong 't'), 'num' like in 'number', 'gee' like in 'geese', and 'dah'.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
책임을 떠넘기십니다
chaegimeul tteoneomgisipnida
This is the honorific form of the verb, used when speaking formally about someone passing the buck.
Casual (반말)
책임을 떠넘겨
chaegimeul tteoneomgyeo
This is the informal ending for the verb, used in casual conversation.
More Example Sentences
Describing a manager avoiding accountability at work.
팀장이 자기 실수를 부하 직원에게 책임을 떠넘겼다.
The team leader passed the buck for his mistake to a subordinate.
Illustrating a lack of accountability within a group.
문제가 생기면 서로 책임을 떠넘기기 바빴다.
When a problem arose, they were busy passing the buck to each other.
Advising someone to take personal responsibility.
책임을 떠넘기지 말고 네가 직접 해결해.
Don't pass the buck; solve it yourself.
Cultural Context
In Korean work culture, especially within hierarchical structures, accountability is highly valued. '책임을 떠넘기다' is often seen as a sign of immaturity, lack of leadership, or even cowardice, and can severely damage one's reputation and relationships. Conversely, taking responsibility (책임을 지다, chaegimeul jida) is highly respected and considered a virtue.
Editorial note
We review entries like 책임을 떠넘기다 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
책임을 떠넘기지 마세요
Please don't pass the buck.
책임 떠넘기기
Passing the buck (noun form).
서로 책임을 떠넘겼다
They passed the buck to each other.
Related Expressions
남 탓하다
nam tat-hada
to blame others
발뺌하다
balppaemhada
to deny responsibility, make excuses
회피하다
hoepihada
to avoid, evade
책임을 지다
chaegimeul jida
to take responsibility (antonym)
More Idioms & Proverbs Words
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