The Korean word 엉동이 [eongdongi] means both "butt" or "ass", as well as "hips." The meaning is completely ambiguous, and undifferentiated in the language. I don't see this as a defect – it's just how it works.
It can be difficult to explain to my students that there is a difference, and confusions are constant – and with elementary kids, you will not be shocked to learn that this is an important group of vocabulary items. Thus you get "Teacher, he hit my hips" when "he hit my butt" is meant, or "He was standing with his hands on his butt" when "He was standing with his hands on his hips" was intended.
Yesterday with my 9th graders – who should already know this – I was explaining to Doyeong this difference. Probably, I've explained it before to him, given his potty mouth. I stood in front of the class, I put my hands in my hips. "Hips." I reached behind. "Butt." I explained, "They're completely different, in English. Different words, different concepts."
"Really," said Doyeong, after a long pause as, it appeared, the distinction was finally sinking in.
"Hey. That's a useful idea," he declared.
[daily log: walking, 6km]