Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 아침 | achim | [a̠t͡ɕʰim] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 아침밥 | achimbap | [a̠t͡ɕʰimba̠p̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 아침 식사 | achim siksa | [a̠t͡ɕʰim ɕʰiks͈a̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 조반 | joban | [ˈt͡ɕo̞(ː)ba̠n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 조식 | josik | [t͡ɕo̞ɕʰik̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The terms in this pack all refer to the first meal of the day. Depending on the context, you might use a word that specifically highlights the morning time, the food itself or a formal dining occasion.
What does it mean word for word?
아침 literally means 'morning'. 아침밥 is a compound of 아침 (morning) and 밥 (cooked rice/meal), specifically referring to the food eaten for breakfast.
Which one should you use?
While 아침 can mean the time of day (morning), in the context of eating, it is used to mean breakfast. 아침밥 specifically emphasizes the actual food eaten, whereas 아침 식사 and 조식 are more formal ways to refer to the meal itself.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
아침 is the most common way to refer to breakfast and can be used on its own to express 'breakfast' in an informal way. For a more polite and complete expression, you can use 아침 식사. In formal settings, such as restaurants, hotels, official schedules or written menus, the term 조식 is used. 조반 is also a specialized form.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'to eat breakfast', you typically use the verb 먹다 (to eat) with 아침 or 아침밥, such as 아침을 먹다 or 아침밥을 먹다. Alternatively, you can use 아침 식사를 하다 to mean 'to have breakfast'.
How do you pronounce it?
achim
Did you know?
- In Korea, asking someone 아침 먹었어? ('Did you eat breakfast?') is often used as a general greeting of care rather than a literal question about food.
- Traditional 아침밥 often consists of the same types of dishes as dinner, such as soup and side dishes, rather than 'breakfast foods' like cereal.
- The term 아침 was recorded in written form as early as 1103 in the 계림유사 using ancient characters.
Examples in context
- 나랑 같이 아침 먹을래?Will you join me for breakfast?This sentence is useful for asking someone to join you for 아침.Tatoeba #8445087 by Eunhee, translation #5352058 by Hybrid
- 그는 아침식사를 하러 내려왔다.He came down to breakfast.This sentence is useful for describing someone coming down to have 아침.Tatoeba #9415589 by HappyMidnight, translation #301587 by CK
- 그녀는 아침 준비를 하고 있어.She is getting breakfast ready.This sentence is useful for describing someone preparing 아침.Tatoeba #13756526 by qlTmalffk, translation #315834 by CC
- 저희 호텔에서는 조식을 제공합니다.We provide breakfast at our hotel.
- 아침식사는 언제부터 가능한가요?From what time is breakfast available?
- 아침밥은 어떻게 준비하셨어요?How did you prepare breakfast?
- 아침 먹었어?Did you have breakfast?
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jihoon and Seoyeon are talking in the kitchen.
- 지훈 Ji-hun서연, 아침 먹었어?Seoyeon, achim meogeosseo?Seoyeon, did you eat breakfast?
- 서연 Seo-yeon아니, 아직 안 먹었어.Ani, ajik an meogeosseo.No, I haven't eaten yet.
- 지훈 Ji-hun내가 아침 만들어 줄까?Naega achim mandureo julkka?Shall I make breakfast for you?
- 서연 Seo-yeon응, 고마워 지훈아.Eung, gomawo Jihoon-a.Yes, thank you Jihoon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “breakfast” translations and entries 아침, 아침밥, 아침 식사, 조반, 조식, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 식사, 아침, 아침 식사, 아침밥, 조반, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
