Korean Food Names: Pronunciation and Ingredients Cheat Sheet

Opening a Korean menu for the first time can feel like reading a puzzle. The good news is that Korean food names follow patterns, and once you spot them, a whole menu starts to make sense. This cheat sheet gives you the Hangul, an easy way to say each name, and the main ingredients of the dishes foreign visitors meet most often.

A Korean table spread with several side dishes and a stew
A typical Korean meal comes with many small dishes, so knowing the names helps.
Photo: Laid table in Seoul, South Korea by Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service (Jeon Han), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How Korean food names work: the endings that tell you everything

Many Korean dish names are built like Lego. One part tells you the main ingredient, and the ending tells you how it is cooked or what type of dish it is. Learn the endings and you can guess a lot before the plate arrives.

  • -bap (밥): rice or a rice dish, like bibimbap or kimbap.
  • -guk (국) / -tang (탕): soup. Guk is usually lighter, and tang is often heartier.
  • -jjigae (찌개): a bubbling stew, saltier and thicker than soup, usually shared from one pot.
  • -myeon (면): noodles.
  • -jeon (전): a pan-fried pancake or fritter.
  • -gui (구이): grilled food.
  • -bokkeum (볶음): stir-fried food.
  • -jjim (찜): steamed or braised food.

So when you see dwaeji-gui, you know it is grilled pork. When you see kimchi-jeon, you know it is a kimchi pancake. Most Koreans read menus exactly this way, without thinking about it.

Korean food names list: pronunciation and main ingredients

Here is a quick table of the dishes you will see on almost every menu. The "say it like" column is a rough English-friendly guide, not perfect Korean. Koreans will understand you, and they are usually delighted that you tried.

DishHangulSay it likeMain ingredientsUsually spicy?
Bibimbap비빔밥bee-beem-bahpRice, seasoned vegetables, egg, gochujangYou control it
Kimchi-jjigae김치찌개kim-chee jjee-gaeAged kimchi, pork, tofu, scallionYes
Japchae잡채jahp-chaeSweet potato noodles, vegetables, soy sauce, sesame oilNo
Bulgogi불고기bool-go-geeThinly sliced beef marinated in soy sauce and sugarNo
Samgyeopsal삼겹살sam-gyuhp-salPork belly, grilled at the tableNo
Galbi갈비gal-beeRibs, often marinatedNo
Tteokbokki떡볶이dduk-bo-keeRice cakes, gochujang sauce, fish cakesYes
Kimbap김밥gim-bahpRice and fillings rolled in seaweedNo
Mandu만두mahn-dooDumplings filled with meat, tofu or vegetablesNo
Sundubu-jjigae순두부찌개soon-doo-boo jjee-gaeSoft tofu, egg, chili, often seafood or porkOften
Doenjang-jjigae된장찌개dwen-jahng jjee-gaeFermented soybean paste, tofu, vegetablesMild
Samgyetang삼계탕sam-gye-tahngWhole young chicken, ginseng, rice, jujubeNo

Three dishes to learn first

Bibimbap (비빔밥)

Bibimbap (비빔밥, "bee-beem-bahp") literally means "mixed rice." You get a bowl of rice topped with separate piles of seasoned vegetables called namul (나물), usually with egg and sometimes beef. You add gochujang (고추장, chili paste), then stir everything together before eating.

A bowl of bibimbap with rice, vegetables, egg and gochujang
Bibimbap is rice topped with seasoned vegetables, egg and chili paste, mixed together before eating.
Photo: Dolsot Bibimbap - Stone Bowl Bibimbap - Kimchi and Bab (543866063) by Alpha from Melbourne, Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

That mixing is the point, so do not feel shy about it. If you are worried about heat, add only a little paste at first and taste as you go.

Kimchi-jjigae (김치찌개)

Kimchi-jjigae (김치찌개, "kim-chee jjee-gae") is a stew built on well-fermented kimchi, with pork and tofu simmering in a red, tangy broth. It is everyday home food in Korea, the kind of dish people order at a small neighborhood restaurant on a normal weekday. It is usually served bubbling hot with a bowl of plain rice on the side.

A pot of kimchi-jjigae with tofu and pork
Kimchi-jjigae is a red, tangy stew made with aged kimchi, pork and tofu.
Photo: Gimchi-jjigae 1 by travel oriented, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The sour, spicy flavor comes from the kimchi itself, which is why older kimchi is often saved for stews.

Japchae (잡채)

Japchae (잡채, "jahp-chae") is a stir-fried noodle dish made with chewy, translucent noodles from sweet potato starch, mixed with vegetables and seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil. It is savory-sweet and not spicy, which makes it a safe first order. In Korea it is also a common dish for holidays and family celebrations.

A plate of japchae glass noodles with vegetables
Japchae uses chewy sweet potato noodles stir-fried with vegetables and sesame oil.
Photo: Korean.food-Chapchae-01 by ayustety (a flickr user), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Korean food names for noodles

Noodles show up in many forms, and the name usually gives away the type. A few you will see often:

  • Naengmyeon (냉면, "nang-myeon"): thin, chewy noodles served in an icy broth or with a spicy sauce.
  • Jajangmyeon (짜장면, "jja-jahng-myeon"): wheat noodles in a thick black bean sauce, a Korean-Chinese favorite.
  • Kalguksu (칼국수, "kal-gook-soo"): knife-cut wheat noodles in a warm broth.
  • Ramyeon (라면, "rah-myeon"): instant noodles, a huge part of daily eating in Korea.
  • Japchae (잡채): the sweet potato noodle dish above, often called "glass noodles" in English.

If you want a noodle dish with no heat, look for kalguksu or jajangmyeon. Both are usually mild.

Korean food names for sweet treats

Korean desserts are less sugary than many Western ones, and many are street snacks or traditional sweets. Here are the names to know:

  • Hotteok (호떡, "ho-ttuk"): a fried pancake with a molten brown sugar and cinnamon filling, often with nuts. It is a classic winter street snack.
  • Bungeoppang (붕어빵, "boong-uh-ppang"): a fish-shaped pastry usually filled with sweet red bean paste.
  • Bingsu (빙수, "bing-soo"): shaved ice with toppings like red beans, fruit or condensed milk.
  • Yakgwa (약과, "yak-gwa"): a traditional honey cookie, dense and sweet.
  • Tteok (떡, "ddUk"): the general word for rice cakes, which come in many sweet and savory forms.
Hotteok pancakes with a sweet brown sugar filling
Hotteok is a popular Korean street snack filled with brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts.
Photo: Hotteokfilling by keizie / 정희 강 from Seoul, Korea, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Pronunciation tips that actually help

You do not need perfect Korean to order. A few small habits will get you far.

  • Double letters like "jj" and "kk" are tense. Say them a little sharper and firmer, not longer.
  • "eo" sounds like the "u" in "fun." That is why bungeoppang is not said with a long "o."
  • Romanization varies. You may see kimbap, gimbap, or gimbab on different menus. They are the same thing.
  • Point and say the number. Many restaurants have photo menus, so pointing while saying the dish name works well.

Korean food names for pets

Some of the related searches are people looking for pet names inspired by Korean food. Short, cute words work best for cats and dogs. Popular ideas include Kimchi, Mandu (dumpling), Tteok (rice cake), Bibim (mixed), and Hodu (호두, walnut). These are fun, but think of them as names only. Many real Korean dishes contain garlic, onion, salt and chili, which are not safe for dogs or cats, so check with a vet before sharing any human food.

FAQ

How do you pronounce Korean food names correctly?

Break them into syllables and say each one evenly, like bee-beem-bahp or gim-bahp. Korean has no heavy stress on one syllable, so keep your rhythm flat and smooth. Tense sounds like "jj" are the main thing to practice.

Which Korean dishes are not spicy for first-time diners?

Bulgogi, galbi, japchae, kimbap, mandu and samgyetang are usually not spicy. Bibimbap can be mild if you go easy on the gochujang. Stews and tteokbokki are more likely to be hot.

Can dogs or cats eat Korean food?

It is best not to share it. Many Korean dishes use garlic, onion, chili and a lot of salt, which are harmful to pets. If you want to treat a pet, ask a vet about safe plain ingredients instead.

Sources

Part of our weekly series — see K-Culture This Week (Oct 23–29, 2026) for the rest of the week's Korean culture news.

Last updated: October 30, 2026

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