악화가 양화를 구축한다

Korean

Etymology

Probably calque of English bad money drives out good: the principle of Gresham's law, formulated in 1860. A figurative use of the phrase is common in East Asia, cf. Chinese 劣幣驅逐良幣 / 劣币驱逐良币 (lièbì qūzhú liángbì), Japanese 悪貨(あっか)は良貨(りょうか)を駆逐(くちく)する (akka wa ryōka o kuchiku suru).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [a̠kʰwa̠ɡa̠ ja̠ŋβwa̠ɾɯɭ kut͡ɕʰukʰa̠nda̠]
• Phonetic hangul: [아콰가 양화를 구추칸다]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	akhwaga yanghwareul guchukhanda
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	aghwaga yanghwaleul guchughanda
McCune–Reischauer?	akhwaga yanghwarŭl kuch'ukhanda
Yale Romanization?	ak.hwaka yanghwalul kwu.chwuk.hanta

Proverb

악화가 양화를 구축한다 • (akhwa-ga yanghwa-reul guchukhanda) (hanja 惡貨가 良貨를 驅逐한다)

1. (literal, economics) bad money drives out good
2. (figurative) people of mediocre talent, or items of mediocre value, drive out real talent or value