Key Facts
- Hangul: 생선; Revised Romanization: saengseon
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean
- Register: Neutral everyday word; refers to fish as food or a fresh fish for sale.
- Hanja: 生鮮 (生 raw/live + 鮮 fresh)
Fish in Korean: What Does 생선 Mean?
생선 has one sense: fish for eating, or a fresh fish for sale. The register is neutral and everyday. Shops, markets and menus use it, so it turns up wherever fish is a product.
How Do You Pronounce 생선?
Two syllables, saeng-seon. The first ends in ng and the second in n, and neither syllable is stressed.
Example Sentences with 생선
저는 생선을 좋아해요.
Jeoneun saengseoneul joahaeyo.
I like fish.
A simple preference sentence. 좋아해요 means "like".
생선이 신선해요.
Saengseoni sinseonhaeyo.
The fish is fresh.
The adjective 신선해요 means "is fresh", and it echoes the 鮮 in the word itself. That makes this the most revealing example for the origin.
오늘 생선을 구워요.
Oneul saengseoneul guwoyo.
I grill fish today.
구워요 means "grill". Grilling is the classic way fish is cooked at home, and the sentence uses 오늘 for "today".
Common Phrases and Collocations
Cooking and shopping dominate the collocations. 생선을 굽다 is grilling fish, 생선구이 is grilled fish, 생선회 is raw fish, and 생선 가게 is a fish shop.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 생선을 굽다 | to grill fish |
| 생선구이 | grilled fish |
| 생선회 | raw fish |
| 생선 가게 | fish shop |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: 물고기를 먹어요 for "I eat fish" at a meal.
Correct: 생선을 먹어요. 물고기 is the living animal, so it sounds odd for food on a plate; use 생선 whenever fish is food.
생선 Compared with Similar Words
물고기 is the fish still in water. 회 is a raw fish dish, so it names a prepared meal while 생선 names the ingredient.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 생선 | fish (as food) | This page's word |
| 물고기 | fish (animal) | 물고기 is a living fish in water; 생선 is fish for eating. |
| 회 | raw fish | A raw fish dish. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
생선 is Sino-Korean: 生鮮 breaks into 生 (raw or live) and 鮮 (fresh). The meaning "fresh fish" is built into the characters.
Buying Fish for Dinner
A customer at a market wants fish to grill. The seller names a type of fish, then confirms how many to prepare.
Customer
구울 생선 있어요?
Guul saengseon isseoyo?
Do you have fish for grilling?
Seller
네, 고등어가 좋아요.
Ne, godeungeoga joayo.
Yes, mackerel is a good choice.
Customer
두 마리 주세요. 손질도 해 주세요.
Du mari juseyo. Sonjildo hae juseyo.
Two, please. Please clean them too.
Seller
네, 손질해 드릴게요.
Ne, sonjilhae deurilgeyo.
Of course. I will clean them for you.
구울 생선 means fish to grill: the intended cooking method comes before the ingredient. 두 마리 counts two whole fish. 손질 asks for cleaning and preparation, so it is a separate request from simply buying the fish. The seller's 드릴게요 makes the offer polite to the customer.
Whole Fish, Fillets and Bones
마리 counts whole fish even when they are being sold as food. The noun 생선 does not switch the counter to 개. A cut portion can instead be described with 조각, “piece”. That distinction helps you understand whether a seller is offering an entire fish or a portion of one.
생선 가시 means fish bones, especially the small bones you remove while eating. 가시 can mean a thorn in another setting, but beside 생선 it refers to the bones. If someone mentions 가시 while serving grilled fish, they are drawing attention to what remains in the flesh rather than naming a different ingredient.
손질하다 means to prepare or clean an ingredient. At a fish stall it can include removing parts before cooking, but the word alone does not specify every step. Tell the seller if you need a particular cut; asking for cleaning does not automatically tell them whether you want the fish whole or in pieces.
What Will You See on a Menu or Package?
생선구이 names grilled fish, while 고등어구이 names grilled mackerel specifically. The species name can replace the general word 생선. Once you recognize 구이 as a grilled dish, you can separate the fish's name from the cooking method in a menu item.
생선조림 is fish simmered in a seasoned sauce. 조림 is a cooking method, not a particular fish. A menu can name the species and then add 조림 in the same way it adds 구이. Choosing between these labels is choosing a preparation, not choosing between fish as an animal and fish as food.
냉동 생선 means frozen fish. Despite the “fresh” character in its origin, 생선 is still used for frozen fish as an ingredient. The word does not guarantee that today's product has never been frozen. 신선한 생선 describes fresh fish; 냉동 separately tells you about freezing.
생선 is also narrower than 해산물, seafood. Shrimp, crab and squid can be seafood without being 생선. If you ask only whether a dish contains 생선, you have not asked about every kind of seafood it might contain.
Fish and Cooking Words to Learn Next
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 고등어 | mackerel | A specific fish named by the seller in the dialogue. |
| 연어 | salmon | Another species name used directly on menus. |
| 가시 | fish bone / thorn | The food context supplies the fish-bone meaning. |
| 조림 | simmered dish | Names a cooking style with seasoned liquid. |
| 해산물 | seafood | A wider category that includes more than fish. |
The ingredient vocabulary lesson groups fish with other foods you buy and prepare. For the animal seen in a tank, compare 물고기 instead.
Quick Self-Test
- Which counter can you use for two whole fish at a stall?
- Does 냉동 생선 mean the fish is alive?
- Is 해산물 limited to fish?
Show answers
- 마리: 두 마리.
- No. It means frozen fish sold as food.
- No. Seafood also includes foods such as shrimp, crab and squid.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "fish" in Korean on a menu?
On a menu or at the market, fish is 생선 (saengseon), as in 생선구이, grilled fish. The living animal is 물고기.
What is grilled fish?
Grilled fish is 생선구이, usually a whole fish grilled and served with rice and side dishes. The verb for grilling it yourself is 굽다, as in 생선을 굽다.
What is a fish shop?
A fish shop is a 생선 가게. 가게 means shop, and you will find 생선 가게 in most traditional markets.
Why is 생선 different from 물고기?
생선 is fish as food, for sale or on the table; 물고기 is the living animal in a river, sea or tank. Using 물고기 for food on a plate sounds odd.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean ingredient words. 생선 appears among other ingredients.
- Index: look up more words near "fish" in Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add fish in Korean to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next in this list: meat.