요리
yori[joɾi]
The Korean word for cooking is 요리 (yori).
요리 is the standard term for one's ability to prepare food or for the concept of cookery.
Meaning: one's ability to prepare food, cookery (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 요리 is the standard term, 조리 refers specifically to the technical or professional preparation of food.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use this word in different parts of speech, you can add suffixes. To mean 'to cook', you add the verb '하다' (to do) to the noun to create the verb 요리하다. To refer to a person who cooks, such as a cook or chef, you add the suffix '-사' (-sa) to create the noun 요리사.
How do you pronounce it?
yori
Did you know?
- Because 요리 is a Sino-Korean word, it shares a written historical connection with the Japanese word 'ryōri', even though the modern usage and pronunciation have evolved separately.
- When describing someone's 'cooking ability', Koreans often focus on the concept of 'taste' or 'flavor' (맛, mat) rather than the abstract concept of 'skill' (실력, sillyeok).
- The concept of 'cooking' in Korean is often tied to the specific way heat is applied, with different words used for boiling, frying, or steaming that are much more specific than the English word 'cooking'.
Examples in context
- 요리 좋아해?Do you like cooking?This sentence is useful for asking if someone enjoys cooking using 요리.Tatoeba #5383157 by rainbow4us, translation #953202 by CK
- 나는 요리를 잘한다.I'm good at cooking.This sentence is useful for stating your ability to cook using 요리.Tatoeba #11105916 by intertime, translation #1728865 by mookeee
- 그리고, 마샤는 내가 요리를 잘 한다고 말해주네.And ^Marsha says I am good at cooking!This sentence is useful for reporting what someone said about your cooking ability using 요리.
- 그녀는 맛있는 요리를 합니다.She cooks delicious food.
- 식당에서 주방 조리사들은 음식을 맛있게 만듭니다.The cooks in the restaurant kitchen prepare food deliciously.
- 오늘 저녁에 뭐 요리할까?What should we cook for dinner tonight?
- 요리하기를 좋아하는 사람들에게 좋은 소식이 있어요.I have good news for those who enjoy cooking.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Hyeon-u are talking about their hobbies.
- 지은 Ji-eun현우 씨는 요리에 관심이 많아요?Hyeon-u ssi-neun yori-e gwansim-i man-ayo?Hyeon-u, are you very interested in cooking?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo네, 제 취미는 요리예요.ne, je chwimi-neun yori-yeyo.Yes, my hobby is cooking.
- 지은 Ji-eun정말요? 요리 배우는 거 어려워요?Jeongmal-yo? yori bae-uneun geo eoryeowo-yo?Really? Is learning cooking difficult?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo처음에는 힘들지만 재미있어요.Cheoeum-e-neun himdeul-jiman jaemi-isseoyo.It's hard at first, but it's fun.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 요리, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 요리, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
