Key Facts
- Hangul: 컵; Revised Romanization: keop
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: loanword
- Register: Neutral everyday loanword.
Cup in Korean: What Does 컵 Mean?
컵 means a cup or glass as an object you drink from. It is an English loanword, neutral and used all day long at home and in cafes.
How Do You Pronounce 컵?
One syllable ending in the sound p, keop. In standard speech the final ㅂ is not released, so the syllable stops closed. When a vowel follows, as in 컵에, the sound moves across to start the next syllable.
Example Sentences with 컵
컵에 물을 따라요.
keobe mureul ttarayo.
I pour water into the cup.
Pouring. 컵에 names the cup as the destination with 에, and 따라요 is the verb for pouring a drink.
컵이 깨졌어요.
keobi kkaejyeosseoyo.
The cup broke.
Something broke. 깨졌어요 is the past tense for breaking or shattering, with 컵이 as its subject.
컵 하나 주세요.
keop hana juseyo.
Please give me a cup.
A request. 하나 is the native-Korean number one, and 주세요 asks for it.
Collocations
Compounds do most of the work. 종이컵 is a paper cup, 유리컵 is a glass cup, 컵라면 is cup noodles, and 컵에 따르다 is to pour into a cup.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 컵에 따르다 | to pour into a cup |
| 종이컵 | paper cup |
| 유리컵 | glass cup |
| 컵라면 | cup noodles |
The Mistake to Avoid
English counts drinks as cups, so learners count with 컵 when ordering.
- Wrong: 컵 as the counter for drinks
- Right: 잔, as in 커피 한 잔 (one cup of coffee)
잔 counts servings of a drink, while 컵 names the container itself.
컵 Compared with Similar Words
The key contrast is container against drink counter, plus the handled mug.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 컵 | cup | This page's word |
| 잔 | cup/glass (drink counter) | Counter for drinks: 커피 한 잔. |
| 머그컵 | mug | A mug with a handle. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
컵 is a loanword from English "cup", respelled in Hangul.
Getting a Cup at the Office Kitchen
A visitor wants water in an office kitchen. A colleague points out the cups, then asks whether the visitor would like something to drink.
Visitor
컵이 어디에 있어요?
Keobi eodie isseoyo?
Where are the cups?
Colleague
선반 위에 있어요.
Seonban wie isseoyo.
They’re on the shelf.
Visitor
이 컵 써도 돼요?
I keop sseodo dwaeyo?
May I use this cup?
Colleague
네. 물 한 잔 드릴까요?
Ne. Mul han jan deurilkkayo?
Yes. Would you like a glass of water?
The visitor asks for 컵, the physical container. The colleague offers 물 한 잔, a serving of water. The contrast happens naturally in one scene: you can locate a 컵, use that 컵, and pour a drink into it. 잔 counts what someone is offering to drink.
Asking for an Empty Cup or a Drink
컵 하나 주세요 asks for one cup as an object. It is useful when you already have a bottle of water or want to share a drink. 물 한 잔 주세요 asks for a glass of water. In the second request, the water is part of what you are asking for.
컵 두 개 means two physical cups. 커피 두 잔 means two servings of coffee. A shop selling tableware counts the cups themselves with 개, while a cafe order normally counts the drinks with 잔. The number forms 한 and 두 appear before these counters rather than 하나 and 둘.
컵 can also express a cupful as a measure in a recipe, as in 물 한 컵. That phrase measures water by the cup. It differs from ordering a serving with 물 한 잔. For cooking, follow the recipe's stated measuring standard rather than assuming any drinking cup has the right capacity.
What Kind of 컵 Is It?
종이컵 means a paper cup: 종이 is paper, and 컵 names the container. 유리컵 means a glass drinking vessel, with 유리 identifying the material. 머그컵 is a mug. These are ordinary compound words you can use when asking for a particular kind of container.
일회용 컵 means a disposable cup. The phrase describes intended use rather than material, so the cup may be paper or plastic. 개인 컵 means a personal cup, a phrase you may see when a cafe discusses customers bringing their own cups. Read the rest of the notice for the store's specific instructions.
컵라면 names instant noodles packaged in a cup-shaped container. The 컵 part describes the packaging, so it does not refer to a cup used for drinking. In a convenience store, the full word directs you to a food product rather than the tableware shelf.
Where Will You Hear 컵 at Home and in Cafes?
At a self-service water station, someone asking where the 컵 are wants the containers before filling one. A sign may direct customers to return used cups. 반납 means returning something, so 컵 반납 identifies a cup-return instruction or area.
At home, 컵을 씻다 means washing a cup. 컵을 깨뜨리다 means breaking a cup, with the person causing the break as the subject. Compare the existing example 컵이 깨졌어요, “The cup broke”. That sentence describes what happened to the cup without saying who caused it.
The distinction matters when reporting an accident. 컵이 깨졌어요 gives the result. 제가 컵을 깨뜨렸어요 adds “I” as the person responsible. Both are useful, but the second gives information that the first leaves open.
Nearby Words in the Kitchen
| Korean | Meaning | What it names |
|---|---|---|
| 물병 | water bottle | A bottle for holding or carrying water. |
| 접시 | plate | A flat dish for food. |
| 그릇 | bowl; dish | A food container rather than specifically a drinking cup. |
| 잔 | cup; glass; drink counter | Also counts servings, as in 물 한 잔. |
The kitchen vocabulary lesson teaches the wider tableware set. These names help when you need a plate, bowl or bottle rather than whichever container happens to be nearby.
Quick Self-Test
- How do you ask for an empty cup?
- Which is the usual cafe order: 커피 두 개 or 커피 두 잔?
- Does 컵이 깨졌어요 tell you who broke the cup?
Show answers
- 컵 하나 주세요.
- 커피 두 잔 counts two servings of coffee.
- No. It reports that the cup broke; it does not name the person responsible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 컵 come from English?
Yes, it is an English loanword.
How do I order a coffee by the cup?
Count it with 잔, as in 커피 한 잔, not with 컵.
What is 종이컵?
A paper cup.
What is a mug called?
It is 머그컵, a mug with a handle.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: the kitchen words page groups 컵 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- The kitchen list continues with the word for plate.