Key Facts
- Hangul: 고기구이; Revised Romanization: gogigui
- Syllables: 4
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean (고기 + 구이)
- Register: Descriptive/generic term; in everyday speech people name the specific dish.
Korean BBQ in Korean: What Does 고기구이 Mean?
The senses are grilled meat and a general description of Korean barbecue. The register is descriptive and generic. It works as a category label, for example in a restaurant sign, but at the table people prefer to name the dish. A group of friends is far more likely to say 삼겹살 or 갈비 than the category. At a barbecue restaurant, diners grill the meat at the table and wrap it in lettuce.
How Do You Pronounce 고기구이?
Four syllables, go-gi-gu-i. The first two syllables are go and gi. The third, gu, has a plain g, and the last, i, is a single short vowel. RR writes gogigui, which hides the break between gu and i, so say each part separately. Particles attach directly: 고기구이를 is go-gi-gu-i-reul.
Example Sentences with 고기구이
고기구이를 먹어요.
Gogiguireul meogeoyo.
I eat grilled meat.
The simplest sentence. 먹어요 means eat, so the speaker says they eat grilled meat.
저녁에 고기구이 식당에 가요.
Jeonyeoge gogigui sikdange gayo.
We go to a grilled meat restaurant this evening.
The compound 고기구이 식당 means grilled meat restaurant. 저녁에 gives the time, and 가요 means go.
고기구이를 좋아하지만 너무 비싸요.
Gogiguireul joahajiman neomu bissayo.
I like grilled meat, but it is too expensive.
A contrast sentence. 좋아하지만 means I like it but, and 비싸요 means expensive, so the speaker likes it but finds it costly.
Common Phrases and Collocations
The collocations include a verb for grilling meat, the shop word and two cuts that people name instead.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 고기구이 집 | grilled meat restaurant |
| 고기를 굽다 | to grill meat |
| 삼겹살 | pork belly |
| 갈비 | ribs |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 고기구이 as your order at a barbecue restaurant.
Correct: ✓ The name of the cut, such as 삼겹살 or 갈비.
Why: Learners use 고기구이 to ask for Korean barbecue. Koreans usually name the cut, such as 삼겹살 or 갈비, so the category word sounds like a description and not an order.
고기구이 Compared with Similar Words
Three dishes show what people actually order instead of the category.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 고기구이 | grilled meat; Korean barbecue (generic description) | The word on this page. |
| 삼겹살 | pork belly | The most common thing people grill; Koreans usually name the cut. |
| 갈비 | ribs | Another typical barbecue order, often beef short ribs. |
| 불고기 | bulgogi | Marinated sliced beef, not the same as unmarinated grilled cuts. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
고기구이 is a native Korean compound: 고기, meat, plus 구이, a grilled dish, from the verb 굽다. It has no hanja form.
At a Barbecue Restaurant: Choosing the Meat
Two friends are reading a menu. They move from the broad idea of grilled meat to a specific cut and a serving quantity.
Mina
여기서 뭐 먹을까요?
Yeogiseo mwo meogeulkkayo?
What shall we eat here?
Jun
삼겹살 어때요?
Samgyeopsal eottaeyo?
How about pork belly?
Mina
좋아요. 몇 인분 시킬까요?
Joayo. Myeot inbun sikilkkayo?
Sounds good. How many servings shall we order?
Jun
우선 이 인분 시켜요.
Useon i inbun sikyeoyo.
Let’s order two servings first.
The friends do not need to say 고기구이 once they are choosing from the menu. 삼겹살 tells the restaurant which meat they want. 인분 means a serving for one person; 이 인분 means two servings. This is an ordering quantity, while the menu may separately show the weight of each serving.
Where Will You See 고기구이?
고기구이 suits a food category, a travel description or an explanation of how meat is prepared. The 구이 part points to grilling or roasting. The word itself does not specify pork, beef, a particular marinade or whether the food is cooked by the diner or the staff.
In conversation about dinner, 고기 먹으러 가자 means “Let’s go eat meat”. In a suitable setting, friends understand it as a suggestion to go out for a meat meal, often barbecue. The ending 가자 is casual, so it fits friends who already speak casually together. It is less suitable as a first invitation to someone you address politely.
You may also hear 고깃집, the everyday word for a meat restaurant. The written ㅅ belongs to this compound. Recognizing it helps when a friend names the place rather than the food. The broad category 고기구이 remains useful when explaining Korean food to someone unfamiliar with the dishes.
Read the Rest of the Menu Label
양념 means seasoning or marinade. In 양념갈비, it tells you the ribs are seasoned or marinated. 갈비 alone names ribs and does not tell you the animal or the preparation. Look for 돼지, pork, or 소, beef, elsewhere in the dish name or menu description.
The cooking verb 고기를 굽다 means to grill meat. 고기구이 names the food; 고기를 굽다 names the action. This distinction matters when someone asks who is cooking at the table. Knowing the food word alone will not tell you who is handling the grill.
Useful Words around the Grill
| Korean | Meaning | What it identifies |
|---|---|---|
| 불판 | grill plate | The surface on which the meat cooks. |
| 집게 | tongs | The tool used to pick up or turn meat. |
| 상추 | lettuce | A leaf used for wrapping a bite. |
| 쌈 | leaf wrap | A wrapped mouthful, often containing meat. |
| 반찬 | side dishes | The small dishes served with the meal. |
쌈 names the wrap as a whole; 상추 names one possible leaf. 반찬 covers the side dishes, which are separate from the meat order. These distinctions help you understand requests around a shared table. The Korean BBQ vocabulary lesson brings the food, equipment and ordering words together.
Quick Self-Test
- Which is more useful for choosing a cut: 고기구이 or 삼겹살?
- What does 이 인분 specify?
- Does 갈비 alone tell you whether the ribs are pork or beef?
Show answers
- 삼겹살 names the specific cut, pork belly.
- Two servings.
- No. Look for the animal in the menu description.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "Korean barbecue" in Korean?
As a general description it is 고기구이 (gogigui). In everyday speech people name the dish.
What do Koreans actually order?
They say 삼겹살 for pork belly or 갈비 for ribs.
How do you say "grilled meat restaurant"?
Say 고기구이 식당.
How do you say "to grill meat"?
Say 고기를 굽다.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean BBQ vocabulary groups 고기구이 with related words.
- Index: look up more words near "korean bbq" in Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 고기구이 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Compare with the page for pork belly, the cut people usually name.
- Compare with the page for ribs, another common order.
- Compare with the page for bulgogi, the marinated dish.