솜사탕
somsatang[sʰo̞msʰa̠tʰa̠ŋ]
The English phrase 'cotton candy' is 솜사탕 (somsatang) in Korean.
솜사탕 is used to refer to the spun sugar confectionery known as cotton candy.
Meaning: spun sugar confectionery (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
somsatang
Did you know?
- The word 사탕 for 'candy' comes from the Chinese characters for 'sand' and 'sugar', reflecting how sugar was originally delivered as coarse crystals.
- You will often see 솜사탕 sold in elaborate animal shapes, such as bears or rabbits, which is a popular trend in Korean street food markets.
- Because 솜사탕 evokes such a soft, fluffy image, it is sometimes used as a metaphor in Korean songs or poems to describe soft clouds or hair.
Examples in context
- Let's go to the theme park and get some 솜사탕!Let's go to the theme park and get some cotton candy!
- 솜사탕이 정말 달콤해요.somsatang-i jeongmal dalcomhaeyo.The cotton candy is really sweet.
- 축제에서 솜사탕을 샀어요.chukje-eseo somsatang-eul sasseoyo.I bought cotton candy at the festival.
- 솜사탕은 구름처럼 부드러워요.somsatang-eun gureum-cheoreom budeureowoyo.Cotton candy is soft like a cloud.
Example conversation
A young man and woman are walking through an amusement park.
- 지훈 Ji-hun민지 씨, 솜사탕 먹을래요?Minji ssi, somsatang meogeullaeyo?Minji, do you want to eat some cotton candy?
- 민지 Min-ji네, 좋아요! 정말 맛있겠어요.Ne, joayo! Jeongmal masitgesseoyo.Yes, I'd love to! It looks delicious.
- 지훈 Ji-hun여기 솜사탕이 아주 커요.Yeogi somsatang-i aju keoyo.The cotton candy here is very big.
- 민지 Min-ji지훈 씨, 정말 달콤하네요!Jihun ssi, jeongmal dalcomhaneyo!Jihun, it is so sweet!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cotton candy” translations and entries 솜사탕, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 솜사탕, CC BY-SA 4.0.
