Key Facts
- Hangul: 소주; Revised Romanization: soju
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean
- Register: Neutral; refers to Korea's most common distilled/diluted spirit.
Soju in Korean: What Does 소주 Mean?
소주 has one sense, the spirit itself. Traditional 소주 is distilled, while most bottles sold today are diluted, mass-market versions. Because it is the default bottle on a restaurant table, the word shows up in food scenes constantly, from ordering to toasting.
How Do You Pronounce It?
Two syllables, so-ju. The ㅅ is a soft s and the ㅈ between vowels is voiced, close to the j in "jump". Keep both syllables short and even.
Example Sentences with 소주
소주 한 병 주세요.
Soju han byeong juseyo
Please give me a bottle of soju.
한 병 means "one bottle", and 주세요 is the polite request. This is the whole ordering sentence.
저는 소주를 잘 못 마셔요.
Jeoneun sojureul jal mot masyeoyo
I cannot drink soju well.
못 before the verb means "cannot". 잘 못 마셔요 is a soft way to say you do not drink it well.
삼겹살에는 소주가 잘 어울려요.
Samgyeopsareneun sojuga jal eoullyeoyo
Soju goes well with pork belly.
어울려요 means "goes well with". Pork belly and soju is a classic pairing, and the sentence says so.
Common Phrases and Collocations
소맥 is the interesting entry: soju mixed with beer, a casual blend of 소주 and 맥주.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 소주를 마시다 | to drink soju |
| 소주 한 병 | a bottle of soju |
| 소주잔 | soju glass |
| 소맥 | soju mixed with beer |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners carry the eating verb over from food.
Casual only: 소주를 먹어요. You will hear it in relaxed talk.
Correct: 소주를 마셔요. Soju is a drink, and 마시다 is right in every register.
소주 Compared with Similar Words
Three words sit near 소주. 맥주 is beer, 막걸리 is makgeolli, and 술 is alcohol in general. 소주 is one specific spirit; 술 is the umbrella word for all of them.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 소주 | soju | This page's word |
| 맥주 | beer | beer |
| 막걸리 | makgeolli | makgeolli |
| 술 | alcohol | alcohol in general |
Where Does the Word Come From?
소주 is Sino-Korean, written 燒酒: 燒 "burn" plus 酒 "alcohol". "Burned alcohol" refers to distilling, the heating process used to make the traditional drink.
Cultural Note
Two drinking customs go with 소주: it is usual to pour for others rather than for yourself, and younger people turn their head away when drinking in front of elders.
Ordering Drinks with a Coworker
Two coworkers are choosing drinks at dinner. One orders soju; the other chooses a nonalcoholic drink.
Jisu
소주 한 병 시킬까요?
Soju han byeong sikilkkayo?
Shall we order a bottle of soju?
Alex
저는 술을 안 마셔요.
Jeoneun sureul an masyeoyo.
I don’t drink alcohol.
Jisu
그럼 뭐 마실래요?
Geureom mwo masillaeyo?
Then what would you like to drink?
Alex
저는 물 주세요.
Jeoneun mul juseyo.
Water for me, please.
술 covers alcohol in general, so Alex’s answer includes soju, beer and other alcoholic drinks. 안 마셔요 says “do not drink”. Compare the earlier 잘 못 마셔요, which describes difficulty drinking soju and can suggest low tolerance rather than complete abstinence.
Bottles, Glasses and a Round of Drinks
소주 한 병 is one bottle of soju; 소주 한 잔 is one glass. 병 counts bottles and 잔 counts glasses or servings in a glass. The difference changes an order substantially. In a restaurant that sells soju by the bottle, asking for a glass may require clarification rather than automatically producing a single serving.
소주잔 names the small glass used for soju. It names an object, so it can be empty. 소주 한 잔 names a quantity of the drink. That distinction helps when a server brings glasses first and the bottle afterward: the glass itself is not an extra drink order.
한잔하다 means to have a drink, often alcohol, and can work as a casual invitation. Its social meaning is broader than a promise to drink exactly one glass. By contrast, a numbered order with 잔 is a concrete quantity. Listen for whether the speaker is inviting someone out or telling a server what to bring.
Where Will You Hear or See 소주?
Restaurant drinks menus often list 소주 beside 맥주. 술 is the broad category, and 소주 is one kind within it. A brand name may appear where an English learner expects the generic drink name, so a server may ask which one you want after hearing 소주 한 병.
In dramas and everyday conversation, 소주 can appear in invitations, dinner plans and accounts of a previous evening. A mention of the drink does not itself tell you whether a scene is celebratory or serious. The invitation, refusal or surrounding conversation supplies that meaning.
소맥 is casual shorthand formed from 소주 and 맥주. Use it for the mixture, not as a formal umbrella term for Korean alcohol. The ordinary polite ordering frame still works with a casual drink name; the politeness comes from how the request is phrased.
Drink Words for the Same Table
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 술 | alcohol / alcoholic drinks | Includes soju, beer and makgeolli. |
| 맥주 | beer | Supplies the 맥 in 소맥. |
| 잔 | glass / cup | Counts servings rather than bottles. |
| 물 | water | A simple alternative when choosing a drink. |
The drinks vocabulary lesson covers alcoholic and nonalcoholic choices together. Pair each drink name with the quantity you want, rather than assuming every drink uses the bottle counter 병.
Quick Self-Test
- Which is a bottle: 한 병 or 한 잔?
- Can 소주잔 refer to an empty object?
- What does 저는 술을 안 마셔요 say?
Show answers
- 한 병. 한 잔 is one glass or cup.
- Yes. It names the glass used for soju.
- I do not drink alcohol, rather than only refusing soju.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "soju" in Korean?
Say 소주 (soju).
Which verb goes with 소주?
Use the drinking verb, as in 소주를 마셔요. The eating verb is heard casually, but 마시다 is the safe choice.
What is 소맥?
It is soju mixed with beer.
How do you ask for a bottle?
Say 소주 한 병 주세요.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: the drink words page groups 소주 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 소주 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Compare with the page for beer.
- Compare with the page for makgeolli.
- The general word is on the page for alcohol.