Key Facts
- Word: 불고기 (bulgogi)
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: Neutral; refers to thin marinated beef, usually grilled or pan-cooked.
- Senses: bulgogi; marinated grilled beef
Bulgogi in Korean: Meaning and Register
불고기 names a specific dish: thin slices of beef marinated in a sweet, soy-based sauce, then grilled or pan-cooked. English uses the Korean name, bulgogi, or describes it as marinated grilled beef.
The word is made from 불, fire, and 고기, meat, so it reads as "fire meat". That is a handy memory hook, though the dish is defined by the marinade and the thin slicing as much as by the fire.
Its register is neutral. You will see it on menus, in home cooking talk and in casual chat with exactly the same spelling.
Pronunciation
불고기 has three syllables, bul-go-gi, and is read as written. The final ㄹ of 불 is a clear l, and both ㄱ sounds are soft g's because neither starts the word. The headword clip plays the word on its own; each example below has its own clip.
Example Sentences
불고기는 달고 맛있어요.
Bulgogineun dalgo masisseoyo
Bulgogi is sweet and tasty.
불고기는 달고 맛있어요. (Bulgogi is sweet and tasty.) 달고 is a linking form meaning 'is sweet and', so the sentence packs two qualities into one line. It describes the typical flavour of the marinade.
저는 불고기를 좋아해요.
Jeoneun bulgogireul joahaeyo
I like bulgogi.
저는 불고기를 좋아해요. (I like bulgogi.) 좋아해요 means like, and the object particle 를 marks 불고기 as the thing liked. It is a plain statement of taste and a natural way to answer 'what food do you like?'.
불고기 이 인분 주세요.
Bulgogi i inbun juseyo
Two servings of bulgogi, please.
불고기 이 인분 주세요. (Two servings of bulgogi, please.) This is an ordering sentence. 이 인분 is two servings, with the Sino-Korean number 이 in front of 인분, followed by 주세요, please give me.
Collocations
- 불고기를 굽다: to grill bulgogi
- 불고기 이 인분: two servings of bulgogi
- 소불고기: beef bulgogi
- 불고기 백반: bulgogi set meal
불고기를 굽다 means to grill bulgogi, and 소불고기 specifies beef bulgogi, with 소 meaning cow. 불고기 백반 is a set meal built around the dish, with rice and side dishes. The ordering pattern 불고기 이 인분 also appears here as a fixed phrase.
Common Mistake
Wrong: ordering 갈비 when you want thin slices of marinated beef.
Correct: 불고기. 불고기 is thin, sliced, marinated beef; 갈비 is ribs, usually cooked on the bone. Mix them up and a very different plate arrives at the table.
불고기 vs 갈비
| Word | Meaning | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|---|
| 불고기 | bulgogi; marinated grilled beef | Thin slices, no bone |
| 갈비 | ribs | Rib cuts, usually on the bone |
| 삼겹살 | pork belly | Pork rather than beef, usually grilled unmarinated |
| 고기 | meat | The general word; 불고기 is one kind of 고기 |
Three neighbours sit around 불고기. 갈비 is ribs. 삼겹살 is pork belly, so pork rather than beef. 고기 is the general word for meat, and 불고기 is one specific kind of 고기.
Ordering Bulgogi and Checking the Rice
At a restaurant, a customer orders portions and checks whether rice comes with them. The server’s answer belongs to this scene; another restaurant may serve the dish differently.
Customer
불고기 이 인분 주세요.
Bulgogi i inbun juseyo.
Two servings of bulgogi, please.
Server
네, 알겠습니다.
Ne, algetseumnida.
Certainly.
Customer
밥도 나와요?
Bapdo nawayo?
Does rice come with it too?
Server
밥은 따로 주문하셔야 해요.
Babeun ttaro jumunhasyeoya haeyo.
You need to order rice separately.
나와요 literally means “comes out”. In a restaurant, it can describe food being served or included with an order. 따로 means “separately”. The customer’s short question is useful because a price beside 불고기 does not by itself explain whether rice is included.
Reading a Bulgogi Menu
불고기 덮밥 is a rice bowl topped with bulgogi. 덮밥 names the serving format, so the menu is describing a complete rice dish rather than just a portion of meat. 불고기 백반, already listed above, points to a meal with rice and side dishes. The final noun helps you predict what will arrive.
돼지불고기 is pork bulgogi. The word 돼지 identifies pork, just as 소 identifies beef in 소불고기. Read that first part when the type of meat matters to your order. The broad “fire meat” translation cannot tell you which animal or seasoning a particular menu uses.
An item marked 불고기 양념 refers to bulgogi seasoning or marinade. You may see it on a sauce bottle or a package for home cooking. 양념 names the flavoring, so a product with that label is not necessarily a ready-to-eat portion of the dish.
Words to Use with Your Order
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 인분 | serving / portion | Counts portions of food, not the number of diners. |
| 공깃밥 | bowl of rice | A common separate menu item when rice is extra. |
| 반찬 | side dishes | The small accompanying dishes. |
| 양념 | seasoning / marinade | Describes the flavoring used on the meat. |
The Korean dishes lesson places bulgogi beside other menu names. In an order, distinguish portions from people: two diners can request two portions, but 인분 describes the amount ordered, not a guaranteed serving size or restaurant rule.
Quick Self-Test
- Does the literal meaning “fire meat” mean every grilled meat is 불고기?
- Which menu word identifies pork bulgogi?
- In the dialogue, what does 따로 tell you about rice?
Show answers
- No. 불고기 is a dish name, not a general label for grilled meat.
- 돼지불고기; 돼지 means pig.
- It must be ordered separately in this restaurant.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 불고기? 불고기 is thin, marinated beef, usually grilled or pan-cooked. In English the dish is called bulgogi, and the name literally means "fire meat".
Is 불고기 the same as 갈비? No. 불고기 is sliced marinated beef, while 갈비 means ribs, usually served on the bone. Check the word before you order.
How do I order two servings of bulgogi? Say 불고기 이 인분 주세요. 인분 counts portions and takes Sino-Korean numbers, so 이 인분 is two servings.
What does 소불고기 mean? It is beef bulgogi. 소 means cow, and adding it makes clear that the meat is beef, since restaurants also serve versions made with other meats.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean dish words puts 불고기 next to its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z lists every word page.
- Practice: vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next word: cold noodles