Korean Food & Cooking Vocabulary Reference
Published:
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 #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
조리사 | a cook (요리사 is more common, see Cooking Verbs footnotes) |
요리사 | a chef |
General Terms #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
요리 | cooking |
요리법 | recipe |
요리책 | cookbook |
음식 | food |
중식 | Chinese food |
일식 | Japanese food |
한식 | Korean food |
양식 | Western food |
밥 | cooked rice, meal |
식사 | meal |
진지 | meal (honorific) |
아침 식사, 조식 | breakfast |
점심, 중식 | lunch |
저녁 (식사), 석식 | dinner |
식용 | edible |
반찬 | side dishes |
과자 | snack |
안주 | food/snacks/appetizers served with alcohol |
Fruits #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
사과 | apple |
아보카도 | avocado |
바나나 | banana |
체리 | cherry |
곶감 | dried persimmon |
과일 | fruit |
포도 | grape |
자몽 | grapefruit |
단감 | hard persimmon |
재추 | jujube, Chinese date |
키위 | kiwi fruit |
레몬 | lemon |
귤 | mandarin orange, tangerine |
망고 | mango |
멜론, 참위 | melon |
오렌지 | orange |
복숭아 | peach |
배 | pear |
감 | persimmon |
파인애플 | pineapple |
자두 | plum |
석류 | pomegranate |
건포도 | raisin |
홍시 | soft, mellow persimmon |
딸기 | strawberry |
수박 | watermelon |
Vegetables #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
콩 | bean |
미역 | brown seaweed |
양배추 | cabbage |
옥수수 | corn, maize |
오이 | cucumber |
가지 | eggplant |
마늘 | garlic |
마늘쫑 | garlic stems |
파 | green/spring onion |
강낭콩 | kidney bean |
배주 | Korean cabbage |
상추, 양상치 | lettuce |
양파 | onion |
완두콩 | pea |
감자 | potato |
팥 | red bean |
깻잎 | sesame leaf |
시금치 | spinach |
고구마 | sweet potato |
토마토 | tomato |
야채, 채소 | vegetables |
무우 | white radish |
애호박 | zucchini |
브로콜리 | broccoli |
당근 | carrot |
호박 | pumpkin, squash |
Beverages #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
음료, 음료수 | beverages, drinks |
물 | water |
우유 | milk |
커피 | coffee |
콜라 | cola |
주스 | juice |
오렌지 주스 | orange juice |
탄산음료 | soft drinks |
차 | tea |
홍차 | black tea |
유자차 | citron Tea |
인삼차 | ginseng tea |
녹차 | green tea |
매실차 | asian Apricot Tea |
보리차 | roasted barley tea |
옥수수차 | roasted corn tea |
술 | alcohol |
맥주 | beer |
칵테일 | cocktail |
막걸리 | rice wine |
소주 | traditional Korean vodka |
양주 | western liquors |
와인 | wine |
Meat #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
베이컨 | bacon |
소고기 | beef |
닭가슴살 | Chicken breast |
닭고기 | chicken (meat) |
양고기 | lamb/mutton |
고기 | meat |
돼지 고기 | pork |
갈비 | rib |
등심 | sirloin |
안심 | tenderloin |
Seafood #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
전복 | abalone |
조개 | clam |
게 | crab |
가재 | crayfish |
장어 | eel |
생선 | fish (cooked for eating) |
물고기 | live fish in the ocean |
랍스터 | lobster |
고등어 | mackerel |
홍합 | mussels |
낙지, 문어 | octopus |
굴 | oyster |
새우 | prawn, shrimp |
회 | raw fish, sashimi |
연어 | salmon |
파 | scallion |
해산물 | seafood |
오징어 | squid, cuttlefish |
참치 | tuna |
Nuts #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
도토리 | acorn |
아몬드 | almond |
밤 | chestnut |
땅콩 | peanut |
호두 | walnut |
Misc #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
버터 | butter |
달걀/계란 | egg |
치즈 | cheese |
박력분 | cake/pastry flour |
고추 | chili pepper, chili |
식용유 | cooking oil |
부스러기 | crumbs |
흰자 | egg white |
노른자 | egg yolk |
어목 | fishcake |
생크림 | fresh cream |
버섯 | mushroom |
면 | noodle |
깻잎 | perilla leaf |
떡 | rice cake |
수프, 국, 탕 | soup |
떡볶이 | spicy rice cake |
보리 | barley |
밀 | wheat |
설탕 | sugar |
Cooking & Ingredients #
Ingredients, Spices #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
양념 | spices, seasonings |
올리브오일/ 올리브유 | olive oil |
중력분 | all-purpose flour |
강력분 | bread flour |
밀가루 | flour |
성분 | ingredient, component |
재료 | ingredients, material |
쌀 | uncooked rice |
식초 | vinegar |
파프리카 | capsicum, pepper |
고수 | cilantro |
후추 | black pepper |
Sauces & Seasonings #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
꿀 | honey |
케첩 | ketchup |
마요네즈 | mayonnaise |
겨자 | mustard |
고추장 | red pepper paste |
고추가루 | red pepper powder |
소금 | salt |
참기름 | sesame oil |
된장 | soybean paste |
간장 | soy sauce |
Utensils, Dishes, & Cups #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
사발 | bowl |
젓가락 | chopsticks |
조리용 소쿠리 | colander |
컵 | cup |
디저트 포크 | dessert fork |
포크 | fork |
얼음통 | ice bucket |
얼음집게 | ice tongs |
칼 | knife, chef’s knife |
얕은 냄비 | pan |
접시 | plate |
평평한접시 | plate |
밥그릇 | rice bowl |
샐러드 포크 | salad fork |
받침접시 | saucer |
숟가락 | spoon |
수저 | spoon and chopsticks |
수저통 | spoon bag |
맥주잔 | stein |
식기류 | tableware |
정찬용 식기 | tableware/ dinner set |
Kitchen Tools & Related #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
그램 | a gram |
앞치마 | apron |
톱칼 | bandsaw |
깡통따개 | can opener |
구멍뚫린 조미료통 | caster |
타래 송곳 | corkscrew |
식기실 | cupboard |
도마 | cutting (chopping) board |
후라이팬, 프라이팬 | frying pan |
유리 | glass |
쥬서기 | juicer |
주전자 | kettle |
식칼 | kitchen knife (cleaver, butcher knife) |
행주 | kitchen towel |
주걱 | ladle |
레몬즙기 | lemon squeezer |
계량컵 | measuring cup |
큰접시 | platter |
냄비 | pot |
밥솥 | rice cooker |
밀대 | rolling pin |
고무장갑 | rubber gloves |
소스냄비 | sauce pan |
저울 | scale |
국자 | soup ladle |
뒤집개 | spatula |
수세미 | steel wool / scrubbing pad |
체 | strainer |
계량 | weighing, measuring |
교반기 | whisk, egg beater |
Appliances & Rooms #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
믹서기 | blender |
식기세척기 | dishwasher |
냉동고 | freezer |
냉장고 | fridge |
가스렌지 | gas stove |
그릴 | grill |
부엌, 주방 | kitchen |
전자 레인지 | microwave |
오븐 | oven |
식기 | pantry |
커피끓이개 | percolator |
토스터 | toaster |
Cooking Verbs #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
잘게 썰다 | cut into small pieces |
얇게 썰다 | cut into thin slices |
굽다 | roast, grill, barbecue, bake, toast |
양념하다 | season, add flavor |
간을하다 | to add salt |
바르다 | to baste or apply |
데치다 | to blanch, parboil |
삶다 | to boil |
끓이다 | to boil |
물을 꿇이다 | to boil water |
요리하다 | to cook * |
조리하다 | to cook * |
익히다 | to cook thoroughly (all the way through) |
식히다 | to cool down |
깨다 | to crack |
썰다 | to cut, chop (up), slice (up), dice (up), cube |
자르다 | to cut, slice |
채우다 | to fill |
뒤집다 | to flip over |
튀기다 | to fry |
갈다 | to grind |
데우다 | to heat up |
반죽하다 | to knead |
반족(하다) | (to make) batter or dough |
재우다 | to marinate, lay down and marinate |
으깨다 | to mash |
녹다 | to melt |
다지다 | to mince |
섞다 | to mix and blend |
무치다 | to mix, season, stir |
비비다 | to mix, twist, rub |
부치다 | to pan fry (cook in a shallow pan with just a bit of oil) |
깍다 | to peel with a knife, shave |
껍질을 까다 | to peel with ones hands (like an orange) |
붓다, 따르다 | to pour |
넣다 | to put in, add |
놓다 | to put on |
조리다 | to reduce (boil until there is little water left in a sauce) |
(기름에) 볶다 | to saute, fry (in oil) |
뿌리다 | to spray or sprinkle |
부리다 | to sprinkle |
찌다 | to steam |
볶다 | to stir fry |
젓다 | to stir (liquid) |
맛을 보다, 맛보다 | to taste |
건을 보다 | to taste (to see if food is too salty / bland) |
손질하다 | to trim (meats) |
다듬다 | to trim (vegetables, like cut the ends of spring onion) |
계량하다 | to weigh, measure |
Adjectives #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
썩다 (past tense) | to be rotten |
짭짤하다 | to be a little salty |
끓다 | to boil/be boiling |
쓰다 | to be bitter |
싱겁다 | to be bland |
차갑다 | to be cold |
얼큰하다 | to be cold (used for broth) |
뜨거워지다 | to become hot |
기름지다 | to be fatty, greasy, or oily |
구수하다 | to be fermented and stinky |
신선하다 | to be fresh |
볶이다 | to be fried, roasted, parbroiled |
새럽다 | to be new and fresh |
고소하다 | to be nutty |
느끼하다 | to be oily and greasy |
말랑하다 | to be soft, tender, and ripe |
부드럽다 | to be soft to the touch |
시큼하다 | to be sour |
달콤하다 | to be sweet |
상하다 | to go bad, spoil, sour, rotten, become stale |
Taste/Smell/Feeling Words #
Nouns (Nominalized) #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
맛 | taste |
떫은 맛 | puckery taste |
쓴 맛 | bitter taste |
짠 맛 | salty taste |
신 맛 | sour taste |
얼큰한 맛 | spicy, hot taste |
매운 맛 | spicy taste |
단 맛 | sweet taste |
Adjectives #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
떫다 | bitter, sour, rough-tasting |
새콤하다 | to be a bit sour and fresh |
얼큰하다 | to be a bit spicy enough to feel tingly in one’s mouth |
쓰다 | to be bitter (coffee) |
씁쓸하다 | to be bitterish, a bit bitter (dark chocolate) |
쌉쌀하다 | to be bitterish, slightly bitter |
싱겁다 | to be bland, flat, not salty enough |
진짜 맛있다 | to be delicious |
구수하다 | to be earthy-smelling / tasting (된장찌개) |
비리다 | to be fishy, smell fishy |
맵다 | to be hot, spicy |
담백하다 | to be light, clean, plain |
맛없다 | to be not good (literally: lacking taste) |
매콤하다 | to be pleasantly hot, spicy (떡볶이) |
달짝지근하다 | to be rather sweet, sweetish |
시원하다, 개운하다 | to be refreshing |
짭조름하다 | to be salty (good feeling) |
짭잘하다 | to be savory, salty (pringles) |
시큼하다 | to be somewhat sour, tart, acidic |
시다 | to be sour, tart, acidic, vinegary |
달다 | to be sweet |
상큼하다 | to be sweet and cool, refreshing (lemonade / orange juice) |
달콤하다 | to be sweet (chocolate) |
달달하다 | to be sweet (sugared water, etc) |
칼칼하다 | to be thirsty, dry, parched |
느끼하다 | to be too fatty, greasy, oily, rich, nauseating |
짜다 | to be too salty |
고소하다 | to have a nutty flavor (smell or taste of roasted sesame newly-baked bread) |
맛있다 | to taste good, be tasty (literally: to have taste) |
Eating, Going Out, & Related #
Nouns #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
입맛 | appetite |
계산서 | bill or check |
대리 운전 | designated driving |
음주 | drinking |
술자리 | drinking party/event, banquet |
음주운전 | drunk driving |
포장마차 | food cart with seating |
차림표, 메뉴 | menu |
해장 | something to relieve a hangover (food or drink) |
배달하다 | to deliver |
Verbs #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
건배 | cheers, a toast |
음주(하다) | drinking, to have a drink. |
씹다 | to chew |
나눠서 내다 | to divide the check (3+ people) |
장을 보다 | to do grocery shopping |
마시다 | to drink |
먹다 | to eat (can be used drinks like 소주 as well) |
들다 | to eat (honorific) |
드시다 | to eat (honorific) |
식사하다 | to have a meal |
예약하다 | to make a reservation |
따다 | to open (a bottle, etc) |
주문하다 | to order food |
붓다 | to pour |
따르다 | to pour |
(저녁을) 굶다 | to skip a meal, to starve |
반반 씩 내다 | to split in half / go dutch (2 people) |
맛을 보다 | to taste |
건을 보다 | to taste (to see if food is too salty / bland) |
Adjectives #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
알딸딸하다 | slang for being buzzed or tipsy |
아깝다 | to be a waste (used when there are leftovers) |
배 부르다 | to be full |
배고프다 | to be hungry |
목이 마르다 | to be thirsty |
얼큰하다 | to be tipsy, drunk |
(~에) 취하다 | to get drunk |
Counter Words #
Counter | Items Counted |
---|---|
조각 | a slice (pizza/pie), a piece (of something) |
병 | bottles |
그릇, 볼 | bowls |
장, 컵 | cups |
통 | plastic bottles |
인분 | servings, portions |
Nutrition & Related Words #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
칼슘 | calcium |
열량 | calorie |
탄수화물 | carbohydrate |
콜레스테롤 | cholesterol |
영양사 | dietician |
지방 | fat |
식이섬유 | fibers, dietary fibers |
철분 | iron |
영양소 | nutrient |
영양 | nutrition |
영양성분 | nutritional ingredients |
영양제 | nutritional supplements |
영양가 | nutritional value |
단백질 | protein |
포화지방 | saturated fat |
나트륨 | sodium |
당/당류 | sugars |
불포화지방 | unsaturated fat |
비타민 | vitamin |
Korean Food Names #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
김치 | Kimchi, made by salting vegetables such as napa cabbages, white radishes, etc., and seasoning and fermenting them. |
겉절이 | Fresh Kimchi |
깍두기 | Kimchi made of salt-pickled radish chopped in small cubes mixed with seasonings such as red pepper powder, etc. |
나박김치 | Chilled 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. |
배추김치 | Kimchi made with napa cabbages. |
백김치 | White Kimchi, made without chili pepper. |
보쌈김치 | Wrapped Kimchi, made by seasoning radishes, vegetables, etc., sliced in fixed sizes, and wrapping them with a large napa cabbage leaf. |
오이소박이 | Cucumber 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. |
두부김치 | Tofu with Stir-Fried Kimchi |
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
밥 | Cooked White Rice |
콩밥 | Rice with beans |
김밥 | Dried Seaweed Rolls, made by rolling rice and various other ingredients in dried laver seaweed and cutting them into bite-size slices. |
김치볶음밥 | Kimchi fried rice, made by stir-frying chopped kimchi, meat, vegetables, etc., with rice. |
돌솥비빔밥 | Stone Pot Bibimbap. Bibimbap served in a sizziling-hot earthenware bowl. |
불고기덮밥 | Bulgogi with Rice |
비빔밥 | Rice topped with sliced meat, mushrooms, eggs, seasoned vegetables, some seasonings, etc., of which all the ingredients are stirred before eating. |
산채비빔밥 | Mountain Vegetable Bibimbap |
쌈밥 | Leaf wraps and rice, eaten after wrapping rice, several side dishes, and ssamjang, condiments, on a leaf of lettuce, sesame, etc. |
영양돌솥밥 | Nutritious Stone Pot Rice |
오징어덮밥 | Spicy Sautéed Squid with Rice |
콩나물국밥 | Bean Sprout Soup with Rice |
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
볶음 | Stir-fried dish |
낙지볶음 | Stir-Fried Octopus |
오징어볶음 | Stir-Fried Squid |
제육볶음 | Stir-Fried Pork |
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
죽 | Porridge |
잣죽 | Pine Nut Porridge |
전복죽 | Rice Porridge with Abalone |
호박죽 | Pumpkin Porridge |
흑임자죽 | Black Sesame and Rice Porridge |
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
찌개 | Korean 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. |
김치찌개 | Kimchi Stew |
된장찌개 | Soybean Paste Stew |
부대찌개 | Spicy Sausage Stew |
순두부찌개 | Spicy Soft Tofu Stew |
청국장찌개 | Rich Soybean Paste Stew |
해물순두부찌개 | Seafood Soft Tofu Stew |
|Word |Meaning| |—|—|| |탕 |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|
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
국 | Soup |
떡국 | Sliced Rice Cake Soup |
미역국 | Seaweed Soup |
된장국 | Soybean Paste Soup |
떡만둣국 | Rice cake and Mandu Soup |
만둣국 | Mandu Soup |
북엇국 | Dried Pollock Soup |
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
전골 | Hot Pot, food made by putting meat, mushroom, seafood, seasoning, |
etc., in a stew pot, adding broth, and boiling it. | |
곱창전골 | Spicy Beef Tripe Hot Pot |
국수전골 | Noodles Hot Pot |
두부전골 | Tofu Hot Pot |
만두전골 | Mandu Hot Pot |
불낙전골 | Bulgogi and Octopus Hot Pot |
신선로 | Royal Hot Pot |
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
찜 / 조림 | Steamed, Braised dish |
아귀찜 | Spicy Angler Fish with Soybean Sprouts |
해물찜 | Braised Seafood |
갈비찜 | Braised Short Ribs |
찜닭 | Braised Chili Chicken |
갈치조림 | Braised Cutlassfish |
고등어조림 | Braised Mackerel |
두부조림 | Braised Pan-Fried Tofu |
은대구조림 | Braised Cod |
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
국수 / 면 | 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. |
냉면 | Cold noodles |
물냉면 | Chilled Buckwheat Noodle Soup |
비빔냉면 | Spicy Mixed Buckwheat Noodles |
자장면 | Black bean noodles |
잡채 | sweet potato noodles |
신라면 | Shin Ramen |
비빔국수 | Spicy Mixed Noodles |
수제비 | Sujebi (Korean Style Pasta Soup) |
잔치국수 | Banquet Noodles |
쟁반국수 | Jumbo Sized Buckwheat Noodles |
칼국수 | Noodle Soup |
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
고기 | Meat |
삼겹살 | pork 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. |
갈비 | Ribs |
불고기 | Bulgogi |
오삼고기 | Combination of 오징어 and 삼겹살 meat |
닭발 | Chicken feet |
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
물고기 | fish |
조기 | yellow corvina (popular in Korea - the fish is fried whole) |
고등어 | mackerel (also fried whole) |
참치 | tuna |
멸치 | anchovy (popular side dish) |
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
구이 | Grilled |
곱창구이 | Grilled Beef Tripe |
더덕구이 | Grilled Deodeok |
돼지갈비구이 | Grilled Spareribs |
생선구이 | Grilled Fish |
소갈비구이 | Grilled Beef Ribs |
오리구이 | Grilled Duck |
황태구이 | Seasoned and Grilled Dried Pollock |
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
-채 | Platter |
잡채 | Noodles with Sautéed Vegetables |
탕평채 | Mung Bean Jelly Mixed with Vegetables and Beef |
해파리냉채 | Jellyfish Platter |
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
만두 | dumpling |
만두소 | dumpling filling/stuffing |
만두피 | dumpling skin |
군만두 | fried dumpling |
물만두 | boiled dumpling |
찐만두 | steamed dumpling |
Other Food #
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
순대 | Korean blood sausage, made by steaming seasoned sweet potato, noodles, tofu, glutinous rice, etc. which are stuffed into a pig’s intestine |
샌드위치 | sandwich |
감자 튀김 | french fries, chips |
도넛 | doughnut |
피자 | pizza |
두부 | tofu |
파스타 | pasta |
라면 | instant noodles (ramen) |
쿠키 | cookie |
비스킷 | biscuit |
케이크 | cake |
아이스크림 | ice cream |