Key Facts
- Hangul: 김치찌개; Revised Romanization: gimchijjigae
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native
- Register: Neutral; a stew made with kimchi, pork or tuna and tofu.
Kimchi Stew in Korean: What Does 김치찌개 Mean?
김치찌개 means kimchi stew, also called kimchi jjigae. The register is neutral. It is made with well-fermented kimchi plus pork or tuna and tofu, simmered until the broth turns red and sour. The name is a compound of 김치 and 찌개, the word for stew.
How Do You Pronounce 김치찌개?
Romanized gimchijjigae, four syllables: gim-chi-jji-gae. The ㅉ that starts the third syllable is a tense consonant, spelled jj in Revised Romanization.
Example Sentences with 김치찌개
김치찌개를 끓여요.
Gimchijjigaereul kkeuryeoyo
I make kimchi stew.
끓여요 is the verb for boiling or cooking a liquid dish. The ㄹ of 끓 links to the next syllable and the ㅎ is silent, so it is said kkeu-ryeo-yo.
점심에 김치찌개를 먹었어요.
Jeomsime gimchijjigaereul meogeosseoyo
I had kimchi stew for lunch.
점심 is lunch, and 먹었어요 is the past of eating. It reports a meal you have just had.
김치찌개는 밥이랑 잘 어울려요.
Gimchijjigaeneun babirang jal eoullyeoyo
Kimchi stew goes well with rice.
어울려요 means goes well with. 밥 is rice, so the sentence says the stew pairs naturally with it.
Common Phrases and Collocations
Cooking, a set meal, the tuna version and the taste are the four phrases to learn.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 김치찌개를 끓이다 | to cook kimchi stew |
| 김치찌개 백반 | kimchi stew set meal |
| 참치김치찌개 | tuna kimchi stew |
| 김치찌개 맛 | kimchi stew taste |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: calling 김치찌개 a 국 (soup).
Correct: 찌개. A 찌개 has less broth than a 국, tastes saltier and stronger, and is usually shared from one pot at the table, while 국 comes in individual bowls.
김치찌개 Compared with Similar Words
Two related stews and the main ingredient are worth comparing.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 김치찌개 | kimchi stew | Red, sour and spicy from fermented kimchi |
| 된장찌개 | soybean paste stew | Brown and savoury, made with 된장 |
| 김치 | kimchi | The ingredient, not a stew |
| 부대찌개 | army stew | A sausage and ham stew that often includes kimchi |
Where Does the Word Come From?
김치찌개 is a native Korean compound of 김치 and 찌개, with no hanja form.
Ordering Kimchi Stew for Lunch
A diner orders one serving and checks whether rice comes with it. The question matters because a dish name alone does not tell you everything included in a meal.
Diner
김치찌개 하나 주세요.
Gimchijjigae hana juseyo.
One kimchi stew, please.
Server
네. 잠시만 기다려 주세요.
Ne. Jamsiman gidaryeo juseyo.
Certainly. Please wait a moment.
Diner
밥도 나와요?
Bapdo nawayo?
Does it come with rice too?
Server
네. 밥도 같이 나와요.
Ne. Bapdo gachi nawayo.
Yes. Rice comes with it too.
하나 means “one” and works here as a short ordering expression. The server understands one order of the dish. For a larger group, check the menu’s portion information rather than assuming one pot feeds a fixed number of people.
In 밥도 나와요, 도 means “also”. 나와요 literally means “comes out”, but at a restaurant it can mean food is served or included. The diner is asking about the meal arrangement, rather than asking whether the rice physically leaves the kitchen.
Reading Variations on the Menu
참치김치찌개 adds 참치, tuna, to the beginning of the dish name. 돼지고기 김치찌개 specifies pork. These words identify an important ingredient while the ending 김치찌개 still tells you the base dish. Read from the familiar ending back toward the ingredient if the full name looks long.
김치찌개 백반 means a set meal built around kimchi stew, normally with rice and side dishes. The word 백반 helps distinguish a meal arrangement from the stew alone. The exact sides and portion sizes depend on the restaurant, so use the dialogue’s rice question when the menu is unclear.
A tuna label identifies tuna, but does not describe every ingredient in the broth or kimchi. If ingredients matter to you, ask about them separately. A dish name gives a useful starting point rather than a complete recipe.
Cooking and Serving Phrases
김치찌개를 끓이다 means to cook kimchi stew by boiling or simmering it. 끓이다 takes the food as its object. 김치찌개가 끓다 means the stew is boiling. In the second phrase, the stew itself is the subject. The small difference helps you follow cooking instructions.
김치찌개를 데우다 means to warm up kimchi stew. You may hear it when someone is reheating leftovers, rather than starting the dish from scratch. Making a pot, watching it boil, and reheating it are different actions even though English might use “heat” for more than one.
얼큰한 김치찌개 describes stew with a pleasantly hot, spicy kick. 얼큰하다 often describes soups and stews; it is useful in menu descriptions and food conversation. It does not supply an exact heat level, so a diner’s “pleasantly spicy” can still feel hot to someone else.
Where You Will Hear 김치찌개
김치찌개 appears on lunch menus and in home meal planning. In a drama, a question about the dish may concern what is cooking, what someone wants for dinner, or what is left in the refrigerator. Listen to the verb to understand which stage of the meal is being discussed.
The name stays neutral across settings. A server’s polite reply and a family member’s casual dinner suggestion use the same food word. Also, 찌개 can be served individually or shared: the dish category alone does not determine the serving arrangement.
Words beside the Stew Bowl
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 두부 | tofu | A common solid ingredient in the stew. |
| 참치 | tuna | Identifies the tuna version on a menu. |
| 공깃밥 | bowl of plain rice | Useful when rice is ordered separately. |
| 국물 | broth | The liquid part of the stew. |
Use the Korean dishes lesson to compare stew names. 국물 refers to the broth inside a dish, so a 찌개 can have 국물 without being called 국.
Quick Self-Test
- What does 참치 add to the meaning of 참치김치찌개?
- What is the diner asking in 밥도 나와요?
- Does 찌개 always mean a pot shared by several people?
Show answers
- Tuna: it identifies the tuna version.
- Whether rice is included too.
- No. Stews can be served individually or shared.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say kimchi stew in Korean?
Kimchi stew in Korean is 김치찌개 (gimchijjigae). It is one of the most common home and restaurant dishes, usually eaten with a bowl of rice.
What goes in 김치찌개?
The base is well-fermented kimchi, usually with pork or canned tuna and cubes of tofu, simmered in water or stock. The tuna version has its own name, 참치김치찌개.
Is 찌개 the same as 국?
No. 찌개 is a thicker, saltier stew usually shared from one pot, while 국 is a soup with more broth, served in individual bowls.
What is 참치김치찌개?
참치김치찌개 is tuna kimchi stew. 참치 means tuna, and canned tuna replaces the pork, which makes it a quick everyday version.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean dish words groups 김치찌개 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Compare with 김치, the main ingredient.
- Compare with 된장찌개, soybean paste stew.
- Next in the list: pork belly.