Key Facts
- Hangul: 삼겹살; Revised Romanization: samgyeopsal; pronounced [sam-gyeop-ssal]
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: mixed, hanja 三 (three) + 겹살 (native: layer + flesh)
- Register: Neutral; refers to grilled pork belly slices.
Pork Belly in Korean: What Does 삼겹살 Mean?
삼겹살 means pork belly and is also the name of the grilled dish itself, samgyeopsal. It is a neutral noun that refers to the thick, layered slices cooked at the table.
How Do You Pronounce 삼겹살?
Say it [sam-gyeop-ssal]. After the final ㅂ of 겹, the ㅅ that starts the last syllable becomes tense, a doubled ss, so the spelling looks softer than the sound.
Example Sentences with 삼겹살
삼겹살 이 인분 주세요.
Samgyeopsal i inbun juseyo
Two servings of pork belly, please.
이 인분 is two servings, the way you order at a grill restaurant. 주세요 makes it a polite request.
오늘 저녁에 삼겹살을 먹어요.
Oneul jeonyeoge samgyeopsareul meogeoyo
We're having pork belly this evening.
삼겹살을 takes the object marker, and 먹어요 is the verb eat. 저녁에 places the meal this evening.
삼겹살은 상추에 싸서 먹어요.
Samgyeopsareun sangchue ssaseo meogeoyo
Pork belly is eaten wrapped in lettuce.
삼겹살은 is the topic, and 상추에 싸서 describes wrapping it in lettuce before eating, which is how the meat is normally served.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 삼겹살을 굽다 | to grill pork belly |
| 삼겹살 이 인분 | two servings of pork belly |
| 삼겹살집 | pork belly restaurant |
| 삼겹살에 소주 | pork belly with soju |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: 삼결살.
Correct: 삼겹살. The second syllable is 겹 (gyeop), "layer", referring to the layers of meat and fat, and it ends in ㅂ, not ㄹ.
삼겹살 Compared with Related Words
Other grill-menu words help you place 삼겹살.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 삼겹살 | pork belly | The layered belly cut, usually grilled plain |
| 갈비 | ribs | Rib cuts, often marinated; beef or pork |
| 목살 | pork neck | A leaner cut from the neck, grilled the same way |
| 쌈 | wrap; leaf wrap | Not a cut: the lettuce wrap around the grilled meat |
삼겹살 is the layered belly cut. 목살 is pork neck, a different cut from the same animal, 갈비 is ribs, and 쌈 is the leaf wrap that goes around whichever meat you grill.
Where Does the Word Come From?
The word is mixed. 삼 is Sino-Korean 三, "three", and 겹살 is native: 겹 means layer and 살 means flesh. Together they describe the three-layered look of the cut.
Cultural Note
Grilling pork belly at the table, wrapped in lettuce with garlic and ssamjang, is a very common social meal, often with soju.
Ordering at a Grill Restaurant
A diner orders pork belly for the table. The server asks about rice, which is a separate part of this order.
Diner
삼겹살 이 인분 주세요.
Samgyeopsal i inbun juseyo.
Two servings of pork belly, please.
Server
공깃밥도 드릴까요?
Gonggitbapdo deurilkkayo?
Would you like bowls of rice too?
Diner
네, 두 개 주세요.
Ne, du gae juseyo.
Yes, two, please.
Server
네, 알겠습니다.
Ne, algesseumnida.
Certainly.
인분 counts the meat portions, so the first line uses the Sino-Korean number 이. The rice order uses 두 개, “two items”, with the native Korean counter form 두. The two numbers both mean two, but they belong to different counting patterns. The server’s 도 means “also”, introducing rice in addition to the meat.
Reading 삼겹살 on a Menu
삼겹살 names the cut even before it is cooked. At a butcher’s counter it refers to raw pork belly; at a restaurant it can identify the meal you are ordering. The setting supplies the difference. The name alone does not mean that the meat has already been grilled or that it comes with a particular sauce.
생삼겹살 is a common menu label for fresh, rather than frozen, pork belly. 냉동 삼겹살 specifies frozen pork belly. Both contain the same central cut name. These labels describe the meat’s condition, rather than changing it into a different cut such as 목살.
A menu may show a weight beside one serving. Read that weight before comparing two portion prices: 인분 is a restaurant portion, not a fixed number of slices. If the menu gives a minimum order, that is a separate condition from the meaning of 이 인분. The phrase itself simply means two servings.
What Do the Common Combinations Mean?
삼겹살집 literally combines pork belly with 집, “house”. Its everyday meaning is a restaurant specializing in pork belly, rather than a private house containing pork. This restaurant use of 집 is the extra meaning to remember.
삼겹살에 소주 pairs pork belly with soju. Here 에 connects foods and drinks enjoyed together; it does not mean that soju is necessarily poured into the meat. The phrase names a meal combination. Ordering pork belly does not automatically order a drink.
삼겹살을 굽다 means grilling the meat, while 상추에 싸서 먹다 describes wrapping it in lettuce and eating it. They are separate actions. The lettuce-wrap sentence in the examples explains one common way of eating the grilled slices, rather than a required part of the definition of 삼겹살.
Words for the Rest of the Table
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 상추 | lettuce | A leaf commonly used for a meat wrap. |
| 쌈장 | dipping paste for wraps | Adds seasoning to a wrap; distinct from the meat. |
| 마늘 | garlic | A familiar accompaniment at a grill table. |
| 공깃밥 | bowl of cooked rice | The item offered by the server in the dialogue. |
| 인분 | serving for one person | The portion counter used for the meat order. |
The Korean dishes lesson teaches other dish names you may see alongside 삼겹살. Knowing the accompaniments helps you understand a server’s follow-up question after you have already chosen the meat.
Quick Self-Test
- Which number form goes with 인분 for two servings?
- Does 삼겹살집 mean someone’s private home?
- Does 삼겹살 name only cooked meat?
Show answers
- 이: 삼겹살 이 인분.
- No. It means a pork belly restaurant.
- No. It names the raw cut as well as the grilled meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "pork belly" in Korean?
Pork belly in Korean is 삼겹살, romanized samgyeopsal and pronounced [sam-gyeop-ssal]. The same word names the raw cut and the grilled meal.
How do you order two servings?
Say 삼겹살 이 인분 주세요. 인분 counts portions with Sino-Korean numbers, and grill restaurants often expect an order of at least two servings.
What is a pork belly restaurant called?
It is a 삼겹살집. 집 here means a shop or restaurant, so the name simply says "pork belly place".
Is 삼겹살 a cut or a dish?
Both. It is the cut of pork belly and the grilled meal made from it; 삼겹살을 굽다 means to grill it, usually at the table.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean dish words groups 삼겹살 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Compare 삼겹살 with 갈비, the rib cut.
- Next in the dishes list is the word for ramyeon.