As you spend time in America and get used to the English language, you might often hear the phrase "Holy cow!" even if you don't know its meaning.

For example, if a friend hears the price of a new house they bought, they might say, "Holy cow! You paid that much?"

Literally translated, Holy cow means "sacred cow!" but you might wonder why a cow suddenly comes up. The actual meaning is more like "Wow, no way!"

You can also hear it at a baseball game. When a batter hits an incredible home run, someone next to them might exclaim, "Holy cow!"

In this case, it's closer to "Wow, that's amazing!" It's used when someone is surprised by something unexpected.

However, as you continue to listen to Americans, you might start to hear some strange variations.

If someone brings in a huge hamburger, a friend might say, "Holy cheese!"

This isn't a fixed English expression but rather a playful twist on the word Holy followed by something amusing.

It's similar to how in Korean, you might say something like "Wow, what is this?" in your own way.

"Holy moly!" is much more common. It's been used for a long time and means something like "Wow" or "Oh my!"

Then one day, at a Mexican restaurant, if someone sees a dish piled high with guacamole, they might say, "Holy guacamole!"

This is a playful expression that combines Holy moly with the similar-sounding guacamole.

There's no need to interpret the meaning seriously. It's just like saying, "Wow, this is something else!"

The important question is why the word Holy is used in the first place.

In English, there have always been strong expressions of surprise using religious words like "Holy God" or "Holy Christ."

However, in a society heavily influenced by Christian culture, some people feel uncomfortable using words like God or Jesus Christ casually as exclamations.

So, expressions that convey surprise without using direct religious terms or profanity emerged.

Expressions like Holy cow and Holy moly are prime examples.

Imagine a father dropping something in front of his child.

He could say, "Holy shit!" but since the child is there, he might quickly change it to "Holy cow!"

In a workplace, if a boss shows employees an incredible sales figure, saying "Holy shit!" might sound harsh, but saying "Holy cow, that's incredible" is much more acceptable.

On the other hand, when friends are at a bar watching sports and something outrageous happens, the expressions can get stronger.

"Holy fxxx!"

At this point, the intensity of surprise increases significantly. Saying "Holy fxxx, did you see that?" would feel like saying, "Wow, did you just see that?" in Korean.

Among close friends, it's acceptable (regardless of whether it's the president or the governor), but it's best to avoid it in a workplace or around children.

Interestingly, there are almost endless words that can follow Holy.

Expressions like Holy smokes, Holy crap, and Holy moly are widely used, while Holy macaroni is used humorously.

You can even create words on the spot that fit the situation, and people will generally understand.

Ultimately, it's easy to understand based on the intensity of the expression.

Holy cow and Holy moly are relatively safe to use in front of family as "Wow!", while Holy crap is a bit rougher, and Holy shit is definitely a profanity.

When I first came to America, I really thought there was some connection between Holy cow and cows.

But as I lived here, I realized this is a truly American expression.

The expression of surprise can shift from Holy cow to Holy shit depending on who you're with, and among friends, it can escalate to Holy fxxx.