오이
oi[o̞i]
The Korean word for cucumber is 오이 (oi).
오이 is the everyday word for the vegetable, used at the market, in recipes and on menus.
Meaning: edible fruit (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
It is written in Latin letters as oi.
When do people say it?
At a meal you might ask 오이 좀 주세요, meaning please give me some cucumber. To ask someone if they like it, say 오이가 좋아요?
Did you know?
- In Korea, cucumbers are a staple in 'cold soups' like 오이냉국, which are intentionally served chilled and tangy to physically lower the body temperature during the humid summer months.
- The word 오이 was first recorded in the 1466 medical text 구급방언해, appearing in the Middle Korean form 외.
- In Korea, cucumbers are often used in a traditional side dish called 오이무침, where they are thinly sliced and seasoned with chili powder and garlic to be eaten as a salty salad.
Examples in context
- 오이를 주세요.Please pass me the cucumber.
- 오이가 아주 싱싱해요.oiga aju singsimhaeyo.The cucumber is very fresh.
- 저는 오이를 좋아해요.jeoneun oireul joahaeyo.I like cucumbers.
- 마트에서 오이를 샀어요.mateueseo oireul sasseoyo.I bought cucumbers at the mart.
Example conversation
Jihoon and Jieun are preparing a salad together.
- 지훈 Ji-hun지은 씨, 오이 어디 있어요?Jieun ssi, oi eodi isseoyo?Jieun, where is the cucumber?
- 지은 Ji-eun냉장고 안에 있어요.naengjanggo ane isseoyo.It is inside the refrigerator.
- 지훈 Ji-hun오이를 얇게 썰어 주세요.oireul yalge sseoreo juseyo.Please slice the cucumber thinly.
- 지은 Ji-eun네, 제가 할게요.ne, jega halkeyo.Yes, I will do it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cucumber” translations and entries 오이, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 오이, CC BY-SA 4.0.
