Korean Food & Cooking Vocabulary Reference

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Here is a compiled list of Korean words related to food, cooking, eating out, going out, and nutrition, all on one page.

If you spot a mistake or wish to add to this, please email Andrew or open an issue on Github.

General #

Positions / People Terms #

WordMeaning
조리사a cook (요리사 is more common, see Cooking Verbs footnotes)
요리사a chef

General Terms #

WordMeaning
요리cooking
요리법recipe
요리책cookbook
음식food
중식Chinese food
일식Japanese food
한식Korean food
양식Western food
cooked rice, meal
식사meal
진지meal (honorific)
아침 식사, 조식breakfast
점심, 중식lunch
저녁 (식사), 석식dinner
식용edible
반찬side dishes
과자snack
안주food/snacks/appetizers served with alcohol

Fruits #

WordMeaning
사과apple
아보카도avocado
바나나banana
체리cherry
곶감dried persimmon
과일fruit
포도grape
자몽grapefruit
단감hard persimmon
재추jujube, Chinese date
키위kiwi fruit
레몬lemon
mandarin orange, tangerine
망고mango
멜론, 참위melon
오렌지orange
복숭아peach
pear
persimmon
파인애플pineapple
자두plum
석류pomegranate
건포도raisin
홍시soft, mellow persimmon
딸기strawberry
수박watermelon

Vegetables #

WordMeaning
bean
미역brown seaweed
양배추cabbage
옥수수corn, maize
오이cucumber
가지eggplant
마늘garlic
마늘쫑garlic stems
green/spring onion
강낭콩kidney bean
배주Korean cabbage
상추, 양상치lettuce
양파onion
완두콩pea
감자potato
red bean
깻잎sesame leaf
시금치spinach
고구마sweet potato
토마토tomato
야채, 채소vegetables
무우white radish
애호박zucchini
브로콜리broccoli
당근carrot
호박pumpkin, squash

Beverages #

WordMeaning
음료, 음료수beverages, drinks
water
우유milk
커피coffee
콜라cola
주스juice
오렌지 주스orange juice
탄산음료soft drinks
tea
홍차black tea
유자차citron Tea
인삼차ginseng tea
녹차green tea
매실차asian Apricot Tea
보리차roasted barley tea
옥수수차roasted corn tea
alcohol
맥주beer
칵테일cocktail
막걸리rice wine
소주traditional Korean vodka
양주western liquors
와인wine

Meat #

WordMeaning
베이컨bacon
소고기beef
닭가슴살Chicken breast
닭고기chicken (meat)
양고기lamb/mutton
고기meat
돼지 고기pork
갈비rib
등심sirloin
안심tenderloin

Seafood #

WordMeaning
전복abalone
조개clam
crab
가재crayfish
장어eel
생선fish (cooked for eating)
물고기live fish in the ocean
랍스터lobster
고등어mackerel
홍합mussels
낙지, 문어octopus
oyster
새우prawn, shrimp
raw fish, sashimi
연어salmon
scallion
해산물seafood
오징어squid, cuttlefish
참치tuna

Nuts #

WordMeaning
도토리acorn
아몬드almond
chestnut
땅콩peanut
호두walnut

Misc #

WordMeaning
버터butter
달걀/계란egg
치즈cheese
박력분cake/pastry flour
고추chili pepper, chili
식용유cooking oil
부스러기crumbs
흰자egg white
노른자egg yolk
어목fishcake
생크림fresh cream
버섯mushroom
noodle
깻잎perilla leaf
rice cake
수프, 국, 탕soup
떡볶이spicy rice cake
보리barley
wheat
설탕sugar

Cooking & Ingredients #

Ingredients, Spices #

WordMeaning
양념spices, seasonings
올리브오일/ 올리브유olive oil
중력분all-purpose flour
강력분bread flour
밀가루flour
성분ingredient, component
재료ingredients, material
uncooked rice
식초vinegar
파프리카capsicum, pepper
고수cilantro
후추black pepper

Sauces & Seasonings #

WordMeaning
honey
케첩ketchup
마요네즈mayonnaise
겨자mustard
고추장red pepper paste
고추가루red pepper powder
소금salt
참기름sesame oil
된장soybean paste
간장soy sauce

Utensils, Dishes, & Cups #

WordMeaning
사발bowl
젓가락chopsticks
조리용 소쿠리colander
cup
디저트 포크dessert fork
포크fork
얼음통ice bucket
얼음집게ice tongs
knife, chef’s knife
얕은 냄비pan
접시plate
평평한접시plate
밥그릇rice bowl
샐러드 포크salad fork
받침접시saucer
숟가락spoon
수저spoon and chopsticks
수저통spoon bag
맥주잔stein
식기류tableware
정찬용 식기tableware/ dinner set
WordMeaning
그램a gram
앞치마apron
톱칼bandsaw
깡통따개can opener
구멍뚫린 조미료통caster
타래 송곳corkscrew
식기실cupboard
도마cutting (chopping) board
후라이팬, 프라이팬frying pan
유리glass
쥬서기juicer
주전자kettle
식칼kitchen knife (cleaver, butcher knife)
행주kitchen towel
주걱ladle
레몬즙기lemon squeezer
계량컵measuring cup
큰접시platter
냄비pot
밥솥rice cooker
밀대rolling pin
고무장갑rubber gloves
소스냄비sauce pan
저울scale
국자soup ladle
뒤집개spatula
수세미steel wool / scrubbing pad
strainer
계량weighing, measuring
교반기whisk, egg beater

Appliances & Rooms #

WordMeaning
믹서기blender
식기세척기dishwasher
냉동고freezer
냉장고fridge
가스렌지gas stove
그릴grill
부엌, 주방kitchen
전자 레인지microwave
오븐oven
식기pantry
커피끓이개percolator
토스터toaster

Cooking Verbs #

WordMeaning
잘게 썰다cut into small pieces
얇게 썰다cut into thin slices
굽다roast, grill, barbecue, bake, toast
양념하다season, add flavor
간을하다to add salt
바르다to baste or apply
데치다to blanch, parboil
삶다to boil
끓이다to boil
물을 꿇이다to boil water
요리하다to cook *
조리하다to cook *
익히다to cook thoroughly (all the way through)
식히다to cool down
깨다to crack
썰다to cut, chop (up), slice (up), dice (up), cube
자르다to cut, slice
채우다to fill
뒤집다to flip over
튀기다to fry
갈다to grind
데우다to heat up
반죽하다to knead
반족(하다)(to make) batter or dough
재우다to marinate, lay down and marinate
으깨다to mash
녹다to melt
다지다to mince
섞다to mix and blend
무치다to mix, season, stir
비비다to mix, twist, rub
부치다to pan fry (cook in a shallow pan with just a bit of oil)
깍다to peel with a knife, shave
껍질을 까다to peel with ones hands (like an orange)
붓다, 따르다to pour
넣다to put in, add
놓다to put on
조리다to reduce (boil until there is little water left in a sauce)
(기름에) 볶다to saute, fry (in oil)
뿌리다to spray or sprinkle
부리다to sprinkle
찌다to steam
볶다to stir fry
젓다to stir (liquid)
맛을 보다, 맛보다to taste
건을 보다to taste (to see if food is too salty / bland)
손질하다to trim (meats)
다듬다to trim (vegetables, like cut the ends of spring onion)
계량하다to weigh, measure

Adjectives #

WordMeaning
썩다 (past tense)to be rotten
짭짤하다to be a little salty
끓다to boil/be boiling
쓰다to be bitter
싱겁다to be bland
차갑다to be cold
얼큰하다to be cold (used for broth)
뜨거워지다to become hot
기름지다to be fatty, greasy, or oily
구수하다to be fermented and stinky
신선하다to be fresh
볶이다to be fried, roasted, parbroiled
새럽다to be new and fresh
고소하다to be nutty
느끼하다to be oily and greasy
말랑하다to be soft, tender, and ripe
부드럽다to be soft to the touch
시큼하다to be sour
달콤하다to be sweet
상하다to go bad, spoil, sour, rotten, become stale

Taste/Smell/Feeling Words #

Nouns (Nominalized) #

WordMeaning
taste
떫은 맛puckery taste
쓴 맛bitter taste
짠 맛salty taste
신 맛sour taste
얼큰한 맛spicy, hot taste
매운 맛spicy taste
단 맛sweet taste

Adjectives #

WordMeaning
떫다bitter, sour, rough-tasting
새콤하다to be a bit sour and fresh
얼큰하다to be a bit spicy enough to feel tingly in one’s mouth
쓰다to be bitter (coffee)
씁쓸하다to be bitterish, a bit bitter (dark chocolate)
쌉쌀하다to be bitterish, slightly bitter
싱겁다to be bland, flat, not salty enough
진짜 맛있다to be delicious
구수하다to be earthy-smelling / tasting (된장찌개)
비리다to be fishy, smell fishy
맵다to be hot, spicy
담백하다to be light, clean, plain
맛없다to be not good (literally: lacking taste)
매콤하다to be pleasantly hot, spicy (떡볶이)
달짝지근하다to be rather sweet, sweetish
시원하다, 개운하다to be refreshing
짭조름하다to be salty (good feeling)
짭잘하다to be savory, salty (pringles)
시큼하다to be somewhat sour, tart, acidic
시다to be sour, tart, acidic, vinegary
달다to be sweet
상큼하다to be sweet and cool, refreshing (lemonade / orange juice)
달콤하다to be sweet (chocolate)
달달하다to be sweet (sugared water, etc)
칼칼하다to be thirsty, dry, parched
느끼하다to be too fatty, greasy, oily, rich, nauseating
짜다to be too salty
고소하다to have a nutty flavor (smell or taste of roasted sesame newly-baked bread)
맛있다to taste good, be tasty (literally: to have taste)

Nouns #

WordMeaning
입맛appetite
계산서bill or check
대리 운전designated driving
음주drinking
술자리drinking party/event, banquet
음주운전drunk driving
포장마차food cart with seating
차림표, 메뉴menu
해장something to relieve a hangover (food or drink)
배달하다to deliver

Verbs #

WordMeaning
건배cheers, a toast
음주(하다)drinking, to have a drink.
씹다to chew
나눠서 내다to divide the check (3+ people)
장을 보다to do grocery shopping
마시다to drink
먹다to eat (can be used drinks like 소주 as well)
들다to eat (honorific)
드시다to eat (honorific)
식사하다to have a meal
예약하다to make a reservation
따다to open (a bottle, etc)
주문하다to order food
붓다to pour
따르다to pour
(저녁을) 굶다to skip a meal, to starve
반반 씩 내다to split in half / go dutch (2 people)
맛을 보다to taste
건을 보다to taste (to see if food is too salty / bland)

Adjectives #

WordMeaning
알딸딸하다slang for being buzzed or tipsy
아깝다to be a waste (used when there are leftovers)
배 부르다to be full
배고프다to be hungry
목이 마르다to be thirsty
얼큰하다to be tipsy, drunk
(~에) 취하다to get drunk

Counter Words #

CounterItems Counted
조각a slice (pizza/pie), a piece (of something)
bottles
그릇, 볼bowls
장, 컵cups
plastic bottles
인분servings, portions
WordMeaning
칼슘calcium
열량calorie
탄수화물carbohydrate
콜레스테롤cholesterol
영양사dietician
지방fat
식이섬유fibers, dietary fibers
철분iron
영양소nutrient
영양nutrition
영양성분nutritional ingredients
영양제nutritional supplements
영양가nutritional value
단백질protein
포화지방saturated fat
나트륨sodium
당/당류sugars
불포화지방unsaturated fat
비타민vitamin

Korean Food Names #

WordMeaning
김치Kimchi, made by salting vegetables such as napa cabbages, white radishes, etc., and seasoning and fermenting them.
겉절이Fresh Kimchi
깍두기Kimchi made of salt-pickled radish chopped in small cubes mixed with seasonings such as red pepper powder, etc.
나박김치Chilled Water Kimchi, made by cutting slices of radishes in square shapes, salting them, adding chopped vegetables and spices, and finally soaking all these ingredients in seasoned water.
배추김치Kimchi made with napa cabbages.
백김치White Kimchi, made without chili pepper.
보쌈김치Wrapped Kimchi, made by seasoning radishes, vegetables, etc., sliced in fixed sizes, and wrapping them with a large napa cabbage leaf.
오이소박이Cucumber Kimchi, made by cutting cucumbers twice lengthwise, leaving one end uncut, and then stuffing them with chopped chives and onions seasoned with chopped scallions, minced garlic, red pepper, etc.
두부김치Tofu with Stir-Fried Kimchi
WordMeaning
Cooked White Rice
콩밥Rice with beans
김밥Dried Seaweed Rolls, made by rolling rice and various other ingredients in dried laver seaweed and cutting them into bite-size slices.
김치볶음밥Kimchi fried rice, made by stir-frying chopped kimchi, meat, vegetables, etc., with rice.
돌솥비빔밥Stone Pot Bibimbap. Bibimbap served in a sizziling-hot earthenware bowl.
불고기덮밥Bulgogi with Rice
비빔밥Rice topped with sliced meat, mushrooms, eggs, seasoned vegetables, some seasonings, etc., of which all the ingredients are stirred before eating.
산채비빔밥Mountain Vegetable Bibimbap
쌈밥Leaf wraps and rice, eaten after wrapping rice, several side dishes, and ssamjang, condiments, on a leaf of lettuce, sesame, etc.
영양돌솥밥Nutritious Stone Pot Rice
오징어덮밥Spicy Sautéed Squid with Rice
콩나물국밥Bean Sprout Soup with Rice
WordMeaning
볶음Stir-fried dish
낙지볶음Stir-Fried Octopus
오징어볶음Stir-Fried Squid
제육볶음Stir-Fried Pork
WordMeaning
Porridge
잣죽Pine Nut Porridge
전복죽Rice Porridge with Abalone
호박죽Pumpkin Porridge
흑임자죽Black Sesame and Rice Porridge
WordMeaning
찌개Korean stew made by putting tofu, vegetables, etc., in a small amount of broth with soybean or red pepper paste, and then boiling it with some spices or seasonings to taste a little salty.
김치찌개Kimchi Stew
된장찌개Soybean Paste Stew
부대찌개Spicy Sausage Stew
순두부찌개Spicy Soft Tofu Stew
청국장찌개Rich Soybean Paste Stew
해물순두부찌개Seafood Soft Tofu Stew

|Word |Meaning| |—|—|| | |Soup| |삼계탕 |Ginseng Chicken Soup| |보신탕 |Dog soup| |갈비탕 |Short Rib Soup| |감자탕 |Pork-on-the-Bone Soup with Potatoes| |곰탕 |Thick Beef Bone Soup| |매운탕 |Spicy Fish Soup| |설렁탕 |Ox Bone Soup| |우거지갈비탕 |Cabbage and Short Rib Soup| |육개장 |Spicy Beef Soup| |해물탕 |Spicy Seafood Soup|

WordMeaning
Soup
떡국Sliced Rice Cake Soup
미역국Seaweed Soup
된장국Soybean Paste Soup
떡만둣국Rice cake and Mandu Soup
만둣국Mandu Soup
북엇국Dried Pollock Soup
WordMeaning
전골Hot Pot, food made by putting meat, mushroom, seafood, seasoning,
etc., in a stew pot, adding broth, and boiling it.
곱창전골Spicy Beef Tripe Hot Pot
국수전골Noodles Hot Pot
두부전골Tofu Hot Pot
만두전골Mandu Hot Pot
불낙전골Bulgogi and Octopus Hot Pot
신선로Royal Hot Pot
WordMeaning
/ 조림Steamed, Braised dish
아귀찜Spicy Angler Fish with Soybean Sprouts
해물찜Braised Seafood
갈비찜Braised Short Ribs
찜닭Braised Chili Chicken
갈치조림Braised Cutlassfish
고등어조림Braised Mackerel
두부조림Braised Pan-Fried Tofu
은대구조림Braised Cod
WordMeaning
국수 / Noodles, made by kneading wheat flour, buckwheat, potatoes, etc. and cutting the dough into long thin strips with a knife, machine, or by hand, or a dish made by boiling this.
냉면Cold noodles
물냉면Chilled Buckwheat Noodle Soup
비빔냉면Spicy Mixed Buckwheat Noodles
자장면Black bean noodles
잡채sweet potato noodles
신라면Shin Ramen
비빔국수Spicy Mixed Noodles
수제비Sujebi (Korean Style Pasta Soup)
잔치국수Banquet Noodles
쟁반국수Jumbo Sized Buckwheat Noodles
칼국수Noodle Soup
WordMeaning
고기Meat
삼겹살pork belly meat: A fleshy part of a pork belly, featuring three layers of fat and flesh, grilled pork belly, a Korea dish made from the meat.
갈비Ribs
불고기Bulgogi
오삼고기Combination of 오징어 and 삼겹살 meat
닭발Chicken feet
WordMeaning
물고기fish
조기yellow corvina (popular in Korea - the fish is fried whole)
고등어mackerel (also fried whole)
참치tuna
멸치anchovy (popular side dish)
WordMeaning
구이Grilled
곱창구이Grilled Beef Tripe
더덕구이Grilled Deodeok
돼지갈비구이Grilled Spareribs
생선구이Grilled Fish
소갈비구이Grilled Beef Ribs
오리구이Grilled Duck
황태구이Seasoned and Grilled Dried Pollock
WordMeaning
-채Platter
잡채Noodles with Sautéed Vegetables
탕평채Mung Bean Jelly Mixed with Vegetables and Beef
해파리냉채Jellyfish Platter
WordMeaning
만두dumpling
만두소dumpling filling/stuffing
만두피dumpling skin
군만두fried dumpling
물만두boiled dumpling
찐만두steamed dumpling

Other Food #

WordMeaning
순대Korean blood sausage, made by steaming seasoned sweet potato, noodles, tofu, glutinous rice, etc. which are stuffed into a pig’s intestine
샌드위치sandwich
감자 튀김french fries, chips
도넛doughnut
피자pizza
두부tofu
파스타pasta
라면instant noodles (ramen)
쿠키cookie
비스킷biscuit
케이크cake
아이스크림ice cream
2482 words — under korean, vocabulary