Key Facts
- Hangul: 무; Revised Romanization: mu
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: Neutral; refers to the thick Korean white radish used in soups and kimchi.
Radish in Korean: What Does 무 Mean?
무 is the thick white Korean radish, the kind that goes into soups and kimchi. It is a native Korean word, neutral in tone, and works in any setting. Do not picture a small red salad radish; the word points to something large, crisp and mild.
How Do You Pronounce 무?
One short syllable, said like the English word "moo" without the long drawl. The sound is steady from start to end, so there is nothing to glide or tense.
Example Sentences with 무
무를 썰어요.
Mureul sseoreoyo.
I slice the radish.
The verb 썰어요 means to slice. 를 marks 무 as the thing being sliced, so this is a natural kitchen sentence.
국에 무를 넣었어요.
Guge mureul neoeosseoyo.
I put radish in the soup.
Radish simmered in soup is a staple of Korean home cooking. 국에 puts the radish into the soup, and 넣었어요 is the past tense of put in.
무는 시원한 맛이 나요.
Muneun siwonhan masi nayo.
Radish has a refreshing taste.
무는 시원한 맛이 나요 describes the flavour. 시원한 means refreshing and clean, which is how Koreans talk about a good radish broth.
Common Phrases and Collocations
Counting and cutting verbs sit beside 무 most often. The list also includes two side dishes made from it.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 무를 썰다 | to slice a radish |
| 무 한 개 | one radish |
| 깍두기 | cubed radish kimchi |
| 무생채 | shredded seasoned radish |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: picturing 무 as a small red salad radish.
Correct: 무 is a large, thick white radish with crisp, mild flesh. In a recipe it is cut into cubes for 깍두기 or shredded for 무생채, so the amounts only make sense for the big white kind.
무 Compared with Similar Words
Three foods often appear on the same table as 무.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 무 | radish | A large white root with mild, crisp flesh |
| 당근 | carrot | An orange, sweeter root; not a kind of 무 |
| 배추 | napa cabbage | A leafy cabbage that partners 무 in kimchi |
| 깍두기 | cubed radish kimchi | A dish made from 무, not the raw vegetable |
Background on 무
무 is a native Korean word with no hanja form.
At the Vegetable Stall: Buying Radish
A customer wants one radish for soup. The seller asks about the dish before suggesting a size. 무 is neutral in both speakers’ lines; the polite endings make the exchange suitable for shopping.
Customer
무 한 개 주세요.
Mu han gae juseyo.
One radish, please.
Seller
국에 넣으실 거예요?
Guge neoeusil geoyeyo?
Are you going to put it in soup?
Customer
네, 국에 넣을 거예요.
Ne, guge neoeul geoyeyo.
Yes, I am going to put it in soup.
Seller
그럼 이 작은 무가 좋겠어요.
Geureom i jageun muga jokesseoyo.
Then this small radish should be a good choice.
한 개 counts one whole radish. 작은 means small: here it compares the sizes of the radishes on sale. The seller’s 넣으실 includes respect for the customer, while the customer uses 넣을 about their own cooking. Neither speaker changes the noun 무 to make it more polite.
Read 무 in Recipes and Side-Dish Names
무 반 개 means half a radish. 반 means half, so this is an amount, not a different vegetable. Compare it with 무 한 개, one whole radish. A recipe that asks for half still expects the Korean cooking radish described above.
무를 썰다 is a general instruction to slice or cut radish. The dish tells you more about the shape: 깍두기 uses cubes, while 무생채 uses thin strips. A recipe’s cutting instructions matter because the word 무 alone says nothing about the size of the pieces.
단무지 is pickled radish, often the yellow slices served with noodles or strips inside gimbap. 치킨무 is the pickled radish commonly served in cubes with fried chicken. Both names point to prepared accompaniments. Ordering or buying either one is different from asking for a raw 무 at a vegetable stall.
What Does “Refreshing” Mean for Radish Soup?
In the example 무는 시원한 맛이 나요, 시원한 describes the refreshing flavor. It does not tell you that the food is served cold. Someone can describe a hot radish broth this way because the comment concerns its clean taste. Use the temperature of the dish, rather than this word alone, to decide whether it is hot or chilled.
Useful Kitchen Words beside 무
| Korean | Meaning | A useful connection |
|---|---|---|
| 채소 | vegetable | The category you may see above a produce display. |
| 국 | soup | The dish named in the second example. |
| 단무지 | pickled radish | Look for it among prepared side dishes. |
| 반찬 | side dish | 깍두기 and 무생채 can be served as 반찬. |
The vegetable vocabulary lesson helps you read ingredient lists alongside 무. On a menu, look at the whole dish name: the raw ingredient and a finished radish side dish are different things to order.
Quick Self-Test
- What does 무 반 개 mean in a recipe?
- Does 시원한 맛 guarantee that a soup is cold?
- Which is a prepared pickled food: 무 or 단무지?
Show answers
- Half a radish. 반 gives the amount.
- No. It can describe the refreshing flavor of a hot broth.
- 단무지 is prepared pickled radish; 무 names the vegetable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say radish in Korean?
Radish in Korean is 무 (mu). It means the large white Korean radish, not the small red one. 무 goes into clear soups and into kimchi, especially 깍두기.
What is 깍두기?
깍두기 is cubed radish kimchi: 무 cut into cubes, seasoned with chili and left to ferment. It is one of the most common kinds of kimchi served with soups.
Is 무 the same as 당근?
No. 당근 is carrot and 무 is radish. Both are root vegetables, but 당근 is orange and sweet, while 무 is white, juicy and mild.
How do you count radishes?
Use the general counter 개: 무 한 개 is one radish. Because a Korean radish is large, recipes often call for only part of one.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean vegetable words groups 무 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z lists every single-word page.
- Practice: add radish in Korean to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next in the list: spinach.
- Compare with carrot and napa cabbage.