바나나우유
banana uyu
To say banana milk in Korean, use 바나나우유 (banana uyu), a milk drink flavored with banana.
In Korea, 바나나우유 often refers to one famous banana flavored milk sold in a small, round plastic bottle, which has become a cultural staple. To order it, you can say 바나나 우유 주세요, meaning please give me banana milk.
What does it mean word for word?
바나나우유 combines the loanword 바나나 (banana) with 우유 (uyu), the native Korean word for milk.
Which one should you use?
You may also see 바나나 맛 우유, which spells out banana flavored milk, as in 바나나 맛 우유 한 잔 주세요 (please give me a glass of banana milk).
How do you pronounce it?
Say banana uyu with even stress. uyu sounds like oo plus you.
When do people say it?
Among friends you might hear 혹시 바나나 우유 좀 마실래?, meaning would you like some banana milk and a reply like 그래, 바나나 우유 좋아, meaning sure, I like banana milk.
Did you know?
- The iconic shape of the 바나나우유 bottle is often described as a '뚱바' ('ttung-ba'), which is a slang abbreviation for 'fat banana'.
- Banana milk is often used in Korean dramas as a gesture of comfort or a way to cheer up a friend or romantic partner.
- While English speakers use 'milk' to refer to the liquid, in Korean, the term 우유 specifically refers to cow's milk, distinguishing it from plant-based alternatives like soy milk.
Examples in context
- 바나나우유는 정말 달콤해요.ba-na-na-u-yu-neun jeong-mal dal-kom-hae-yo.Banana milk is really sweet.
- 지은 씨, 바나나우유 마실래요?ji-eun ssi, ba-na-na-u-yu ma-sil-lae-yo?Jieun, do you want to drink some banana milk?
Example conversation
Dohyun and Jieun are at a cafe.
- 도현 Do-hyeon지은 씨, 뭐 마실래요?ji-eun ssi, mwo ma-sil-lae-yo?Jieun, what do you want to drink?
- 지은 Ji-eun저는 바나나우유가 마시고 싶어요.jeo-neun ba-na-na-u-yu-ga ma-si-go sip-eo-yo.I want to drink banana milk.
- 도현 Do-hyeon좋아요, 그럼 바나나우유로 할게요.jo-a-yo, geu-reom ba-na-na-u-yu-ro hal-ge-yo.Okay, then I will get the banana milk.
- 지은 Ji-eun고마워요, 도현 씨.go-ma-wo-yo, do-hyeon ssi.Thank you, Dohyun.
