Key Facts
- Hangul: 고추장; Revised Romanization: gochujang
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: mixed (native and Sino-Korean)
- Register: Neutral everyday word.
Chili Paste in Korean: What Does 고추장 Mean?
고추장 means chili paste or red pepper paste, a neutral everyday word. It is made from chili powder, glutinous rice and fermented soybeans, and it is usually mixed into sauces and dishes rather than eaten on its own.
How Do You Pronounce 고추장?
Say go-chu-jang, with a clear final ng. When 이 or 을 follows, the ng stays at the end of 장 and the vowel starts the next syllable, so 고추장이 is go-chu-jang-i.
Example Sentences with 고추장
고추장이 매워요.
Gochujangi maewoyo.
The chili paste is spicy.
매워요 means spicy. The subject marker 이 attaches to 고추장 because the word ends in a consonant.
고추장을 조금 넣어요.
Gochujangeul jogeum neoeoyo.
I add a little chili paste.
조금 means a little. 넣어요 is the verb for putting something in.
비빔밥에 고추장을 넣어요.
Bibimbabe gochujangeul neoeoyo.
I put chili paste in the bibimbap.
비빔밥에 gives the dish, and 고추장을 is the object being added.
Phrases Built on 고추장
Cooking and condiment phrases show the paste in use.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 고추장을 넣다 | to add chili paste |
| 고추장 불고기 | gochujang bulgogi |
| 초고추장 | vinegared chili sauce |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: 고추장 for the chili pepper itself.
Correct: 고추 for the pepper; 고추장 is the fermented paste made with it.
고추장 Compared with Similar Words
된장 is a brown, fermented soybean paste that is not spicy. 고춧가루 is dry chili powder, not a paste.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 고추장 | chili paste | Red, thick and spicy-sweet |
| 된장 | soybean paste | Brown, fermented bean paste that is not spicy |
| 고춧가루 | chili powder | Dry powder, not a paste |
Where Does 고추장 Come From?
고추장 is a mixed word: 고추 (chili pepper) is native Korean, and 장 is Sino-Korean 醬, "fermented sauce or paste", the same 장 as in 된장.
Asking for Paste on the Side
A customer is ordering bibimbap and wants to control how much paste goes into the bowl.
Customer
고추장은 따로 주세요.
Gochujangeun ttaro juseyo.
Please serve the gochujang separately.
Server
네. 매운 거 잘 드세요?
Ne. Maeun geo jal deuseyo?
Certainly. Can you handle spicy food?
Customer
아니요. 조금만 먹어요.
Aniyo. Jogeumman meogeoyo.
No. I only eat a little.
Server
그럼 조금씩 넣으세요.
Geureom jogeumssik neoeuseyo.
Then add it a little at a time.
따로 means separately. The customer wants the condiment beside the food, rather than already mixed in. 조금만 means only a little, while 조금씩 means a little at a time. The server's suggestion describes repeated small additions, which is useful when mixing a bowl of bibimbap.
The 은 in 고추장은 singles out the paste: the rest of the meal can arrive normally. The request ends with 주세요, so it works with restaurant staff. The noun 고추장 itself has no special polite version; the ending carries the politeness.
What Do 고추장 Phrases Tell You on a Menu?
고추장 불고기 names bulgogi seasoned with gochujang. Here 고추장 describes the seasoning, rather than an extra tub of paste served beside the meat. If you expect a soy-sauce marinade, this wording tells you to expect a different flavor.
고추장 양념 means gochujang seasoning or sauce. 양념 is a broader word for seasonings and seasoning mixtures. The phrase tells you the paste is part of the mixture; it does not promise that the finished sauce contains only gochujang. A recipe may add other ingredients.
고추장찌개 is a stew seasoned with gochujang. The final part, 찌개, names the dish type. Compare that with 초고추장: 초 points to vinegar, so the result is a tangy dipping sauce rather than a stew. These are literal food combinations, not figurative idioms.
Where Will You See 고추장?
Look for 고추장 on supermarket tubs, recipe ingredient lists and condiment containers. A recipe heading may use the word to name a flavor, while an ingredient list uses it to identify what to add. The surrounding word tells you whether you are buying paste or ordering a dish made with it.
At a bibimbap restaurant, the paste may arrive in a separate container or already be added. 고추장은 따로 주세요 is useful before the bowl is prepared. Once everything is mixed, asking for less paste cannot remove what is already in the food.
A red sauce is not automatically plain 고추장. 초고추장 and 쌈장 are prepared condiments with their own names. When following a recipe, match the written ingredient rather than choosing only by color. That avoids replacing a thick seasoning paste with a sauce meant for dipping.
Nearby Condiment Words
| Korean | Meaning | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| 양념 | seasoning / seasoning mixture | Describes the flavoring added to meat, vegetables or a sauce. |
| 간장 | soy sauce | A liquid condiment, useful when comparing marinade flavors. |
| 쌈장 | dipping paste for wraps | Often served with leafy wraps; it is a prepared condiment. |
| 식초 | vinegar | Helps you understand the sour element in 초고추장. |
The Korean ingredient vocabulary lesson puts these condiments beside other cooking essentials. Learn the ingredient name together with the dish name: a menu's 고추장 불고기 and a shopping list's 고추장 lead to different purchases.
Quick Self-Test
- Which request asks for the paste separately?
- Does 고추장 불고기 name plain paste or a seasoned meat dish?
- Which related word means vinegar?
Show answers
- 고추장은 따로 주세요.
- A seasoned meat dish; 고추장 identifies its seasoning.
- 식초.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say chili paste in Korean?
Chili paste in Korean is 고추장 (gochujang), the red, fermented paste used in bibimbap, tteokbokki and many stews.
What is the difference between 고추 and 고추장?
고추 is the chili pepper itself. 고추장 is the fermented paste made with it; the 장 at the end means a fermented sauce or paste.
Is 된장 the same as 고추장?
No. 된장 is brown soybean paste and is not spicy, while 고추장 is red, spicy and slightly sweet.
What is 초고추장?
초고추장 is vinegared chili sauce: 고추장 mixed with vinegar and sugar, served as a dip for raw fish and blanched vegetables.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean ingredient words places 고추장 among its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Compare with 고추, the chili pepper itself.