Korean · Food & Drink
"Rice" in Korean: 밥 / 쌀
밥 / 쌀bap / ssal
Note: 밥: cooked rice or a meal; 쌀: uncooked rice.
Rice in Korean is 밥 (bap) when cooked and 쌀 (ssal) when uncooked. 밥 can also mean a meal, so 밥 먹었어요? often asks whether you have eaten.
A simple sentence
밥 주세요.bap juseyo.
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How to pronounce 밥 / 쌀
Say it
bahp / ssahl
/pap/, /s͈al/
밥 ends with a closed p sound without a strong puff of air. 쌀 begins with a tense ss sound, stronger than an ordinary English s.
"Rice" in Korean: quick reference
| Korean | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| 밥bap | cooked rice / meal Use at the table. | Use at the table. |
| 쌀ssal | uncooked rice Use for rice sold before cooking. | Use for rice sold before cooking. |
| 밥 한 공기bap han gonggi | a bowl of cooked rice 공기 counts bowls of rice here. | 공기 counts bowls of rice here. |
How to use 밥 / 쌀 in real life
- 1A simple sentence
밥 주세요.
bap juseyo.
Rice, please.
At a meal, 밥 normally refers to cooked rice.
- 2An everyday situation
밥 먹었어요?
bap meogeosseoyo?
Have you eaten?
밥 can stand for a whole meal.
- 3A useful question
쌀을 사요.
ssareul sayo.
I buy rice.
쌀 is the rice you buy uncooked.
Mistakes English speakers make with 밥 / 쌀
Incorrect: 쌀 주세요.
Correct: 밥 주세요.
At a restaurant, ask for cooked rice with 밥, rather than uncooked 쌀.
Incorrect: 밥를 먹어요.
Correct: 밥을 먹어요.
A consonant-final noun takes the object particle 을.
Good to know
밥 먹었어요? is also a caring everyday question, especially among acquaintances. It is not always an invitation to arrange a meal immediately.
Read this practice conversation aloud
Order rice with your meal
Partner
밥도 드릴까요?
bapdo deurilkkayo?
Would you also like rice?
You
네, 밥 한 공기 주세요.
ne, bap han gonggi juseyo.
Yes, a bowl of rice, please.
Partner
다른 음식도 필요하세요?
dareun eumsikdo piryohaseyo?
Do you need any other food?
You
아니요, 괜찮아요.
aniyo, gwaenchanayo.
No, that is fine.
This is a sample dialogue for reading aloud. Try both parts, then replace a detail with one from your own life.
Explore ChatPal"Rice" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Rice" in Korean
What is the difference between bap and ssal?
밥 is cooked rice or a meal. 쌀 is the uncooked grain.
Does bap always mean rice?
No. In phrases like 밥 먹었어요?, 밥 may mean a meal rather than rice specifically.
How do I order one bowl?
밥 한 공기 주세요 asks for one bowl of cooked rice.
Is ssal pronounced like sal?
The initial ㅆ is a tense consonant. The romanization ss signals that distinction, which English respelling only approximates.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
