Key Facts
- Hangul: 음식; Revised Romanization: eumsik
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean
- Register: Neutral; general word for prepared food, a bit more formal than 먹을 것.
- Hanja: 飮食 (飮 drink + 食 eat)
Food in Korean: What Does 음식 Mean?
음식 has two senses: food, and dish or cuisine. The register is neutral, a bit more formal than the casual way to say "something to eat". You will see it on restaurant signs and in phrases about national cooking.
How Do You Pronounce 음식?
Two syllables, eum-sik. The final ㄱ is unreleased at the end of the word, but before a vowel it links across as a g: 음식을 is eum-si-geul.
Example Sentences with 음식
한국 음식을 좋아해요.
Hanguk eumsigeul joahaeyo.
I like Korean food.
The phrase 한국 음식 means Korean food, with 한국 as Korea. 좋아해요 says the speaker likes it.
이 음식은 맛있어요.
I eumsigeun masisseoyo.
This food is delicious.
Here 이 means "this". 맛있어요 is a common compliment that means it tastes good.
매운 음식을 못 먹어요.
Maeun eumsigeul mot meogeoyo.
I can't eat spicy food.
The negative 못 먹어요 says "cannot eat". It is useful for talking about spice tolerance.
Common Phrases and Collocations
음식 as a head noun builds many compounds: 한국 음식 (Korean food), 음식을 만들다 (make food), 음식점 (restaurant) and 음식물 쓰레기 (food waste).
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 한국 음식 | Korean food |
| 음식을 만들다 | to make food |
| 음식점 | restaurant |
| 음식물 쓰레기 | food waste |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: 음식 for a meal as an event, such as breakfast or "having a meal" with someone.
Correct: 밥 or 식사 for the meal; 음식 is the food itself.
음식 Compared with Similar Words
밥 means cooked rice and also a meal, while 요리 stresses the act of cooking or a finished dish. 음식 is the broad umbrella over both.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 음식 | food | This page's word |
| 밥 | cooked rice / meal | 밥 also means a meal; 음식 is food in general. |
| 요리 | cooking / dish | 요리 stresses the act of cooking or a prepared dish. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
음식 is Sino-Korean, from 飮食: 飮 (drink) and 食 (eat). "Drinking and eating" together gave the idea of food in general.
At a Restaurant: Asking for a Recommendation
A diner wants to try Korean food but has trouble with spicy dishes. The server checks that preference before recommending something.
Diner
한국 음식을 먹고 싶어요.
Hanguk eumsigeul meokgo sipeoyo.
I want to eat Korean food.
Server
매운 음식도 괜찮아요?
Maeun eumsikdo gwaenchanayo?
Is spicy food okay too?
Diner
아니요. 매운 음식은 못 먹어요.
Aniyo. Maeun eumsigeun mot meogeoyo.
No. I can’t eat spicy food.
Server
그럼 불고기는 어때요?
Geureom bulgogineun eottaeyo?
Then how about bulgogi?
음식도 adds “food too”, while 음식은 makes spicy food the topic of the answer. The diner is talking about an inability or limitation with 못 먹어요. This sentence describes spice tolerance; it does not identify an allergy. The final line offers a particular dish, so the conversation moves from a broad category to a menu choice.
Useful Food Descriptions beyond “Delicious”
매운 음식 is spicy food, 짠 음식 is salty food, and 단 음식 is sweet food. Each description comes before 음식. These combinations help you talk about a whole category: a preference for sweet food is broader than liking one particular dessert. The noun stays the same as the description changes.
음식을 남기다 means to leave food uneaten. The leftover food is 남은 음식. At home, this can lead to a conversation about saving the rest for later. The phrase 음식물 쓰레기 names food waste, which you may see on a disposal container. Leftovers and waste describe different situations: food left after a meal may still be something you plan to eat.
음식을 주문하다 means to order food. In a restaurant conversation, you can often name the dish directly once you have chosen it. 음식 remains useful when the choice is still broad, as in discussing which food to order for a group with different tastes.
Where Will You Hear or Read 음식?
Cooking videos use 음식 when introducing what someone is making. A title such as 한국 음식 can cover many dishes rather than one recipe. Food descriptions also use 나라 names: 중국 음식 is Chinese food and 일본 음식 is Japanese food. Keep a space between the country name and 음식.
A notice reading 음식 반입 금지 means that bringing food in is prohibited. 반입 refers to bringing something into a place, and 금지 means prohibition. The sign concerns food brought from outside. This is a useful reading phrase for venues where you might be carrying a snack in your bag.
At home, 밥 먹었어요? asks whether someone has eaten a meal. 음식 focuses attention on what is eaten, so it is especially useful for preferences, taste and preparation. For a meal invitation, recognizing that difference keeps you from translating the English word “food” into every Korean sentence about eating.
Related Words for a Meal Conversation
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 식사 | meal / dining | Refers to eating a meal, often in more polite or formal wording. |
| 반찬 | side dish | Names dishes served alongside rice. |
| 재료 | ingredient | Refers to what goes into a dish. |
| 메뉴 | menu / menu item | Helps you discuss the choices a restaurant offers. |
Use the Korean dishes lesson to move from 음식 to individual dishes. The restaurant vocabulary lesson adds the words needed to order them.
Quick Self-Test
- Which is broader: 한국 음식 or the name of one Korean dish?
- What does 음식 반입 금지 tell you?
- Which word refers to ingredients: 재료 or 반찬?
Show answers
- 한국 음식 is the broader category, Korean food.
- Bringing food into the place is prohibited.
- 재료 means ingredients; 반찬 means side dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "food" in Korean?
Food in Korean is 음식 (eumsik), the general word for prepared food, from a single dish to a whole national cuisine, as in 한국 음식, Korean food.
How do you say "Korean food"?
Say 한국 음식, with a space between the two words, as in 한국 음식을 좋아해요, "I like Korean food."
How do you say "restaurant"?
One common word is 음식점, literally "food shop". You will see it on signs and in directions.
Is 음식 the same as 밥?
No. 밥 means cooked rice or a meal, while 음식 is food in general. You eat 밥 as a meal; 음식 describes what is on the table.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean dish words. 음식 is the umbrella word over the dishes there.
- Index: look up more words near "food" in Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: the word for food fits into the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Compare with the page for rice.
- Also compare with the page for cooking.