Key Facts
- Korean: 새우, Revised Romanization saeu
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: neutral everyday word
- Covers: shrimp and prawn
Shrimp in Korean: What Does 새우 Mean?
새우 means shrimp or prawn. Korean uses one word for both, and size is shown by context or by a dish name rather than a separate noun.
How Do You Pronounce 새우?
새우 has two syllables, [sae-u]. The first vowel is like the "e" in "bed", and the second is a rounded "oo".
Example Sentences with 새우
새우를 좋아해요.
Saeureul joahaeyo.
I like shrimp.
새우를 is the object, and 좋아해요 means "like".
새우가 커요.
Saeuga keoyo.
The shrimp is big.
커요 means "is big". Korean adjectives work like verbs, so no separate "is" is needed.
새우튀김을 먹어요.
Saeutwigimeul meogeoyo.
I eat fried shrimp.
새우튀김 is one compound noun: 새우 plus 튀김, "fried food".
Common Phrases with 새우
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 새우튀김 | fried shrimp |
| 새우 알레르기 | shrimp allergy |
| 새우를 굽다 | to grill shrimp |
새우 알레르기 is worth memorizing if you react to shellfish. 굽다 is the general verb for grilling and also covers barbecue.
A Common Mistake with 새우
- Wrong: shortening 새우 to 새 when ordering.
- Correct: 새우, both syllables.
새 alone means bird. Learners also mix up 새우 with the verb 세우다, "to stand something up", because ㅐ and ㅔ sound almost the same today. The seafood word is spelled with ㅐ.
새우 Compared with Other Seafood
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 새우 | shrimp | This page's word |
| 오징어 | squid | Different seafood |
| 게 | crab | Different seafood |
These three often appear together in seafood pancakes and stews.
Ordering Fried Shrimp at a Restaurant
A customer checks the contents of a fried-food platter before ordering a shrimp-only dish. The exchange uses polite endings suitable for speaking to restaurant staff.
Customer
여기에 새우도 들어가요?
Yeogie saeudo deureogayo?
Does this have shrimp in it too?
Server
네. 새우하고 오징어가 들어가요.
Ne. Saeuhago ojingeoga deureogayo.
Yes. It has shrimp and squid.
Customer
새우튀김만 주문할 수 있어요?
Saeutwigimman jumunhal su isseoyo?
Can I order just the fried shrimp?
Server
네. 가능해요.
Ne. Ganeunghaeyo.
Yes, you can.
새우도 means “shrimp too”, while 새우튀김만 means “only fried shrimp”. The small particles 도 and 만 change the scope of the question. 들어가요 literally means “goes in”; in a food question it asks whether an ingredient is included. The customer does not need to see whole shrimp for this question to make sense.
How Do Shrimp Dish Names Work?
새우볶음밥 is shrimp fried rice. The last part, 볶음밥, identifies the dish, while 새우 tells you the featured ingredient. Compare 새우튀김, where 튀김 identifies fried food. Reading the end of a menu name helps you distinguish rice from a fried snack even when both contain shrimp.
새우젓 is salted, fermented small shrimp, used as a seasoning or condiment. It is different from a serving of fresh shrimp. You can encounter the word in recipes and ingredient lists, so recognizing only the larger visible shrimp on a menu leaves a gap in your food vocabulary.
냉동 새우 means frozen shrimp, and 껍질을 벗기다 means to peel or remove the shell in this context. These phrases help with shopping and cooking. 냉동 describes storage condition; it does not name a different species or tell you whether the shrimp has already been cooked.
Where Will You See 새우 beyond a Seafood Menu?
On packaged foods, 새우 can appear in the ingredient list even when the product name highlights something else. In a recipe, it may be followed by preparation instructions, such as removing the shell. A market label may instead give a weight or describe whether the shrimp is frozen.
In restaurant talk, 새우가 들어가요 asks about inclusion, while 새우를 좋아해요 states a preference. The first is useful when choosing a dish; the second tells someone what you enjoy eating. The different particles reflect the different sentences, rather than changing the meaning of 새우 itself.
The word 새우 does not mark singular or plural on its own. 새우가 커요 can describe one large shrimp or the size of shrimp in a batch. To count individual shrimp, use 마리: 새우 세 마리 means three shrimp. A whole prepared dish is ordered by its serving, so the animal count and the dish order answer different questions.
Ingredients and Preparation Words Nearby
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 해산물 | seafood | A broader category that includes 새우. |
| 껍질 | shell / skin / peel | For shrimp, this refers to the shell. |
| 냉동 | freezing / frozen storage | Often appears before a seafood product name. |
| 볶음밥 | fried rice | Learn it to recognize 새우볶음밥. |
| 새우젓 | salted fermented shrimp | A seasoning, rather than a plain shrimp dish. |
The food ingredients lesson places shrimp among other cooking ingredients. Pairing ingredient names with preparation words helps you read a recipe as well as recognize the name of the seafood.
Quick Self-Test
- What kind of dish is 새우볶음밥?
- Does 새우젓 mean fresh shrimp?
- What does 새우 세 마리 count?
Show answers
- Shrimp fried rice.
- No. It is salted, fermented small shrimp.
- Three individual shrimp.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Say Shrimp in Korean?
Say 새우 (saeu). It is the everyday native word for both shrimp and prawns; Korean does not split them by size the way some English speakers do. On menus it often appears inside dish names such as 새우튀김, fried shrimp.
How Do You Say Shrimp Allergy in Korean?
Say 새우 알레르기. Show or say it to restaurant staff before ordering. Shrimp is a common hidden ingredient in Korean broths and fermented sauces, so it is worth asking about even when no shrimp is visible on the plate.
Is 새우 Related to 새, Bird?
No. 새우 is a separate two-syllable word, and 새 alone means bird. Their shared first syllable is a coincidence. If you drop the 우 when ordering, you are asking for a bird, so always say both syllables of 새우.
What Other Seafood Words Go with 새우?
Two common neighbors are 오징어, squid, and 게, crab. All three are native Korean words and appear on seafood menus, in pancakes and in stews. Learn them together so you can read a seafood list or explain an allergy accurately.
Related Words and Next Steps
- Browse the food ingredients vocabulary for more seafood.
- Find more single words like shrimp in the Korean words A to Z index.
- Review shrimp (새우) with the vocabulary flashcard decks.