Meaning and Usage
The verb '망치다' means 'to ruin' or 'to spoil' something. It is commonly used in everyday conversation to express failure or damage to plans, events, or objects. It often carries a negative connotation implying that something valuable or important has been damaged or wasted.
Common Contexts
You will hear '망치다' used when talking about exams, projects, relationships, or opportunities that have been negatively affected by mistakes or bad decisions.
Collocations and Patterns
- 시험을 망치다: to ruin an exam, often used when someone performs poorly.
- 기회를 망치다: to spoil an opportunity, emphasizing lost chances.
- 계획을 망치다: to ruin a plan, indicating that plans have failed.
Register and Politeness
'망치다' is informal and commonly used in casual speech. In formal contexts, more polite or neutral expressions might be preferred.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse '망치다' with '망하다' (to fail or be ruined). '망치다' is a transitive verb requiring an object (something that is ruined), while '망하다' is intransitive, describing the state of failure itself. For example, '시험을 망치다' (to ruin the exam) vs. '시험이 망하다' (the exam fails/is ruined).