Korean food names explained — what 비빔밥 (bibimbap) and 불고기 really mean

You are looking at a menu on the wall with no pictures. Many names end in 밥, 면 or 찌개. This is not random. It is a simple system.

What are the basic parts?

Look at the last syllable, and you know the type of dish. Does it end in 밥? It is a rice dish. Does it end in 면? It is a noodle dish.

Read the menu

Rice dishes

• 비빔밥 [비빔빱] (bibimbap) — 비비다 (bibida) — "to mix" — + 밥. "Mixed rice." Mix everything together before you eat.
• 김밥 [김빱] (gimbap) — 김 + 밥. Rice and other food rolled in seaweed, then cut into pieces.
• 국밥 [국빱] (gukbap) — 국 + 밥. Soup with rice in it, or with rice on the side.

Meat dishes

• 불고기 (bulgogi) — 불 (bul) — "fire" — + 고기. "Fire meat": thin pieces of meat in a sweet sauce, usually beef, cooked over heat.
• 삼겹살 [삼겹쌀] (samgyeopsal) — 삼 (three) + 겹 (layer) + 살 (flesh). "Three-layer meat." The name comes from the lines of fat and meat in pork belly.

Noodles and rice cakes

• 냉면 (naengmyeon) — 냉 (cold) + 면. Cold noodles, very popular in summer, often in a very cold soup.
• 라면 (ramyeon) — it comes from the same word as Japanese ramen. In Korea, it usually means instant noodles from a packet.
• 잡채 (japchae) — 잡 (mixed) + 채 (vegetables). Today it is stir-fried glass noodles with vegetables. But the name only says "mixed vegetables".
• 떡볶이 [떡뽀끼] (tteokbokki) — 떡 + 볶다 [복따] (bokda) — "to stir-fry" — + 이 (an ending that makes a noun). "Stir-fried rice cakes", usually in a sweet and spicy red sauce.

Street snacks and drinks

• 호떡 (hotteok) — 호 + 떡. A pancake cooked in a pan, with sweet brown sugar syrup inside. 호 is often explained as an old word for foreign lands in the north. So the name may mean "a snack from abroad".
• 붕어빵 (bungeoppang) — 붕어 (a kind of river fish, like a carp) + 빵 (bread). It only has the shape of a fish. Inside, there is usually sweet red bean paste.
• 치맥 (chimaek) — 치킨 (fried chicken) + 맥주 (beer). A very popular pair.
• 막걸리 [막껄리] (makgeolli) — people usually explain it as 막 (roughly, just now) + 거르다 (to filter). A milky rice wine that is filtered only roughly, so it looks cloudy.
• 소주 (soju) — from Chinese characters that mean "burned alcohol". This refers to how it is made, by heating (distilling).

Do the names tell the truth?

• Yes, exactly: 냉면, 불고기, 김밥
• Almost: 삼겹살 (you can see three layers)
• Surprise: 잡채 (it is mostly noodles), 붕어빵 (there is no fish)

Easy mistakes: soup or stew?

국, 찌개 and 탕 all mean "food with liquid". The difference between them is not always clear. Here is a simple guide:

• 김치찌개 (kimchi-jjigae) — kimchi stew, a classic meal at home.
• 순두부찌개 (sundubu-jjigae) — 순두부 is soft, fresh tofu that is not pressed into blocks. The stew usually comes to the table still boiling.

How to talk about the taste

Koreans often ask 맛이 어때요? [마시 어때요?] (masi eottaeyo?) — "How does it taste?" These words help you answer.

싱겁다 has no exact English word. You say it when food needs more salt or more taste. Here is how it sounds at home:

• Friend: 맛이 어때? ("How is it?")
• You: 맛있어! 근데 좀 싱거워. ("It's good! But it needs a little salt.")

Of course, the best answer is usually 맛있어요! [마시써요!] (masisseoyo) — "It's delicious!"

Quick check

1. What does 냉 in 냉면 mean? → Cold
2. What does 삼겹살 mean word for word? → Three-layer meat
3. Your soup needs more salt. You say → 좀 싱거워요.