🍲 How to Read Korean Menus – Beginner Level (TOPIK 1–2)

How to Read Korean Menus | Beginner Korean Guide (TOPIK 1–2)

ν•œκ΅­ 전톡 μ‹œμž₯의 길거리 μŒμ‹μ„ μš”λ¦¬ν•˜λŠ” μ‚¬λžŒ 이미지


Confused by Korean menus when dining out?
This guide will teach you how to read Korean menus using Hangul, understand common food vocabulary, and order confidently at restaurants in Korea.


πŸ“š Table of Contents



🍽 Menu Basics: Why Learn Hangul?

Most Korean menus are written in Hangul, sometimes without English translations. Knowing basic Korean alphabet reading skills helps you identify dishes and avoid surprises. Recognizing words like “볢음” (bokkeum, stir-fried) or “찌개” (jjigae, stew) makes ordering easier and more fun.



πŸ“– Essential Menu Vocabulary

  • λ°₯ (bap) – rice / meal
  • κ΅­ (guk) – soup
  • 찌개 (jjigae) – stew
  • 볢음 (bokkeum) – stir-fried
  • ꡬ이 (gui) – grilled
  • κΉ€μΉ˜ (kimchi) – fermented vegetables
  • λΉ„λΉ”λ°₯ (bibimbap) – mixed rice with vegetables


πŸ’¬ Example Menu Items and Meanings

  • κΉ€μΉ˜μ°Œκ°œ – Kim-chi-jji-gae – Kimchi stew
  • 뢈고기 – Bul-go-gi – Marinated grilled beef
  • λΉ„λΉ”λ°₯ – Bi-bim-bap – Mixed rice with vegetables and sauce
  • 된μž₯κ΅­ – Dwen-jang-guk – Soybean paste soup
  • μ‚Όκ²Ήμ‚΄ – Sam-gyeop-sal – Grilled pork belly

πŸ’‘ Note: Many dishes have cooking styles in their names (찌개, 볢음, ꡬ이). Recognizing these helps you guess what the dish is even if you don’t know every word. Try: Can you identify if “κΉ€μΉ˜λ³ΆμŒλ°₯” is fried rice or stew?



πŸ—£ Practice Dialogue: Ordering Food

A: λ©”λ‰΄νŒ μ’€ μ£Όμ„Έμš”. – Men-yu-pan jom ju-se-yo. – Please give me the menu.
B: μ—¬κΈ° μžˆμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. – Yeo-gi it-seum-ni-da. – Here you go.
A: κΉ€μΉ˜μ°Œκ°œ ν•˜λ‚˜ μ£Όμ„Έμš”. – Kim-chi-jji-gae ha-na ju-se-yo. – One kimchi stew, please.
B: λ„€, μž μ‹œλ§Œ κΈ°λ‹€λ € μ£Όμ„Έμš”. – Ne, jam-si-man gi-da-ryeo ju-se-yo. – Yes, please wait a moment.

🧩 Quick Check: Which polite request word appeared twice? How would you order two dishes instead of one?



🌏 Did You Know? Cultural Tips

Many Korean restaurants provide free side dishes called “반찬 (banchan)” like kimchi and pickled radish. They are refillable and included in the meal price. When reading a menu, don’t be surprised if these are not listed—they come automatically!



πŸ“¦ Final Thoughts

Learning how to read Korean menus is a fun way to practice Hangul and discover new foods. Start by recognizing common cooking terms and practice reading them aloud. Soon, you’ll feel confident ordering like a local.

I hope that while reading various posts on my blog, you’ll learn Korean and grow to love Korea. As a Korean, I sincerely wish for that. Please come back anytime to discover new expressions and cultural insights!



πŸŽ“ Want to practice reading real menus with a teacher? Book a 1:1 Korean class on italki and learn to order food like a local!


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κ°€μž₯ 많이 λ³Έ κΈ€

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