짜장면
Black bean noodles in Korean is 짜장면.
짜장면 is a very popular Chinese-style Korean dish consisting of thick noodles topped with a savory black bean sauce.
Which one should you use?
While 짜장면 refers to the noodle version, 짜장밥 refers to the same black bean sauce served over rice. In colloquial Korean, one can refer to the dish as 자장 by dropping the '면' at the end.
Did you know?
- In South Korea, 짜장면 is the traditional food of choice for 'Black Day', an unofficial holiday on April 14 where single people eat the dish to console themselves after being ignored on Valentine's Day and White Day.
- For decades, a linguistic battle raged over whether the 'correct' spelling was 자장면 or 짜장면. The government insisted on 자장면, but the public's stubborn preference for 짜장면 eventually forced the National Institute of Korean Language to accept both.
- While based on Chinese 'zhajiangmian', the Korean 짜장면 is distinct because it uses a caramel-based sauce that is much sweeter and darker than the original salty Chinese version.
Examples in context
- 자장면을 주문해 주세요.Please order black bean noodles.
- 오늘 저녁에 짜장면 같이 먹을까요?Shall we have black bean noodles for dinner tonight?
- 내일 데이트에서는 자장면을 먹어요.I'll have black bean noodles on our date tomorrow.
- 짜장면이 정말 맛있어요.jjajangmyeoni jeongmal masisseoyo.The black bean noodles are really delicious.
- 오늘 점심은 짜장면 어때요?oneul jeomsimeun jjajangmyeon eottaeyo?How about black bean noodles for lunch today?
- 저는 짜장면을 제일 좋아해요.jeoneun jjajangmyeoneul jeil joahaeyo.I like black bean noodles the most.
Example conversation
Minjun and Minji are choosing what to eat for lunch.
- 민준 Min-jun민지 씨, 짜장면 먹을래요?Minji ssi, jjajangmyeon meogeullaeyo?Minji, do you want to eat black bean noodles?
- 민지 Min-ji네, 좋아요! 짜장면 먹어요.ne, joayo! jjajangmyeon meogeoyo.Yes, that sounds good! Let's eat black bean noodles.
- 민준 Min-jun근처에 맛있는 중국집이 있어요.geuncheoe masinneun junggukjibi isseoyo.There is a delicious Chinese restaurant nearby.
- 민지 Min-ji민준 씨, 거기로 가요.Minjun ssi, geogiro gayo.Minjun, let's go there.
