Key Facts
- Hangul: 참기름; Revised Romanization: chamgireum
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: Neutral everyday word.
Sesame Oil in Korean: What Does 참기름 Mean?
참기름 is oil pressed from sesame seeds, used as a finishing flavour more than as a frying oil. It is a compound: the first part comes from 참깨 (sesame) and the second part is the general word for oil. People talk about its smell more than its taste, because the roasted scent is the point of using it.
How Do You Pronounce 참기름?
Three syllables: cham-gi-reum. Start with an aspirated ch, a strong puff of air. The m of 참 closes the lips, and then ㄱ begins the next syllable as a soft g. The last syllable has ㅡ, spread lips and no rounding, and ends on m. The ㄹ in the middle is a quick tongue tap.
Example Sentences with 참기름
참기름을 넣어요.
Chamgireumeul neoeoyo.
I add sesame oil.
The simplest cooking line. 넣어요 means to put something in, and the object particle 을 follows 참기름.
참기름 냄새가 좋아요.
Chamgireum naemsaega joayo.
The smell of sesame oil is nice.
An opinion about aroma. 냄새 is smell, and 가 marks it as the subject of 좋아요.
나물에 참기름을 조금 넣어요.
Namure chamgireumeul jogeum neoeoyo.
I add a little sesame oil to the seasoned vegetables.
나물 is seasoned vegetables, and 에 shows where the oil goes. 조금 keeps the amount small, which is typical for this strong oil.
Phrases and Collocations with 참기름
Cooks pair the oil with a verb for adding it, a word for its smell and a counter for bottles.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 참기름을 넣다 | to add sesame oil |
| 참기름 냄새 | sesame oil smell |
| 참기름 한 병 | a bottle of sesame oil |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 참기름 for perilla oil
Correct: ✓ 들기름 for perilla oil
Why: 참기름 comes from sesame, and the 참 echoes 참깨. 들기름 is pressed from perilla seeds and has a different, earthier flavour. A recipe that asks for one will taste wrong with the other.
참기름 Compared with Similar Words
Two other oils appear in Korean kitchens. One looks similar on the shelf and the other is the plain cooking oil.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 들기름 | perilla oil | Another Korean oil, made from perilla seeds. |
| 식용유 | cooking oil | Plain neutral oil for frying and general cooking. |
Where Does 참기름 Come From?
참기름 is a native Korean compound, so no hanja is involved. Its first part is related to 참깨, the sesame seed, which is why the sesame link is easy to remember. Sesame oil is a key flavour in dishes like bibimbap and seasoned vegetables.
Making Bibimbap Together
Two housemates have rice and vegetables ready. One asks what to add before mixing the bowl.
Mina
참기름은 얼마나 넣어요?
Chamgireumeun eolmana neoeoyo?
How much sesame oil do I add?
Jisu
조금만 넣으세요.
Jogeumman neoeuseyo.
Just add a little.
Mina
이건 들기름 아니에요?
Igeon deulgireum anieyo?
Isn’t this perilla oil?
Jisu
맞아요. 참기름은 옆에 있어요.
Majayo. Chamgireumeun yeope isseoyo.
That’s right. The sesame oil is next to it.
얼마나 asks about the amount, while 조금만 means “only a little”. The speakers check the bottle before pouring because the two oil names share 기름. Reading the whole label helps more than recognising only the final two syllables.
Reading Recipe Instructions with 참기름
참기름을 두르다 means to drizzle sesame oil over something. The verb draws attention to spreading a little oil over a surface. 참기름을 넣다 is broader: it simply means to add it. In a recipe, the surrounding ingredients tell you whether the oil goes into a bowl, a sauce or a pan.
참기름으로 무치다 means to season and mix with sesame oil, often by tossing vegetables together. Here 으로 marks the ingredient used for seasoning. Compare 참기름을 넣다: 을 marks the oil as the thing you add. The same oil can take a different particle because the action is described differently.
참기름 한 큰술 means one tablespoon of sesame oil. 큰술 is the recipe measure; 작은술 is a teaspoon. A bottle count such as 한 병 tells you how much to buy, while a spoon measure tells you how much to use in that dish. Keep the measuring word when reading a recipe aloud.
고소한 참기름 describes sesame oil with a nutty, savoury aroma. 고소하다 is especially useful with roasted seeds and nuts. It does not mean sweet, and it is more specific than simply saying the smell is good. You may see this description on a bottle or hear it while someone mixes a meal.
Where You Will See the Word
In a supermarket, 참기름 names the oil and 참깨 names the seeds. Both can be used in the same dish, but a shopping list with 참깨 is asking for seeds. The ending 기름 is your clue that the item is oil.
In cooking videos, listen for when the cook mentions 참기름. A final drizzle and an ingredient mixed into a seasoning sauce have different roles even though both use the same noun. A recipe’s sequence gives you information that a simple ingredient list leaves out.
At a restaurant, 참기름 들어가요? asks “Does it contain sesame oil?” This is a question about what is in the food. 참기름 주세요 asks for sesame oil to be brought to you. The first checks the ingredients; the second requests a condiment. Both are ordinary polite conversation.
Ingredients to Recognise beside It
| Korean | Meaning | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 참깨 | sesame seeds | The seed itself, rather than the pressed oil. |
| 들깨 | perilla seeds | The source of 들기름. |
| 간장 | soy sauce | Often appears beside oils in seasoning mixtures. |
| 소금 | salt | A seasoning measured separately from the oil. |
The cooking ingredients lesson teaches the wider pantry set. Notice the endings when comparing labels: 깨 points you toward seeds, while 기름 points you toward oil.
Quick Self-Test
- Which word names sesame seeds: 참깨 or 들깨?
- What does 참기름 한 큰술 measure?
- Which phrase asks whether food contains sesame oil: 참기름 들어가요? or 참기름 주세요?
Show answers
- 참깨. 들깨 means perilla seeds.
- One tablespoon of sesame oil.
- 참기름 들어가요? The other phrase requests some sesame oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say sesame oil in Korean?
Say 참기름 (chamgireum). It is a native Korean noun.
Which seeds is 참기름 made from?
Sesame seeds. The word echoes 참깨, the sesame seed.
Is 참기름 the same as 들기름?
No. 들기름 is perilla oil. They are separate oils with different flavours.
How do you say you add a little sesame oil?
Say 참기름을 조금 넣어요. 조금 means a little.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: cooking ingredients vocabulary places it among other cooking ingredients.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add it to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next in the list: the page for soft tofu.