마늘
maneul[ma̠nɯɭ]
Garlic in Korean is 마늘 (maneul). If unsure, use 마늘. Wiktionary also lists 대산 (daesan) and 갈릭 (gallik).
Meaning: plant (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 마늘 | maneul | [ma̠nɯɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 대산 | daesan | [ˈtɛ(ː)sʰa̠n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ˈte̞(ː)sʰa̠n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 갈릭 | gallik |
The term is used to refer to the garlic plant. In a culinary context, you will often see it combined with other words to describe specific preparations, such as 다진 마늘 (minced garlic), 마늘소스 (garlic sauce) or 구운 마늘 (roasted garlic).
Which one should you use?
마늘 is the standard, native Korean word used for the staple ingredient in traditional Korean cooking. In contrast, 갈릭 is a loanword, a transliteration of the English word 'garlic', which is commonly used in modern culinary contexts, such as on menus or when referring to specific Western-style ingredients.
How do you pronounce it?
maneul
Did you know?
- In the Korean foundation myth, the woman Ungnyeo became human after eating only 마늘 and mugwort for 100 days in a cave.
- Koreans use so much 마늘 that it is often considered a vegetable base rather than a seasoning or aromatic like in Western cooking.
- In Korea, 마늘 is frequently used in traditional folk beliefs to ward off evil spirits and vampires, similar to Western traditions.
Examples in context
- 마늘은 한국 요리에서 중요한 재료입니다.Garlic is an essential ingredient in Korean cuisine.
- 다음에 다진 마늘을 추가하면 맛이 향상될 거예요.Adding minced garlic next will enhance the taste.
- 마늘 소스를 만드는 방법을 알려주세요.Please tell me how to make garlic sauce.
- 마늘을 많이 넣었어요.maneureul mani neoeosseoyo.I put a lot of garlic in.
- 이 요리에는 마늘이 필요해요.i yorieneun maneuri piryohaeyo.This recipe needs garlic.
Example conversation
Seoyeon and Jihun are cooking together in the kitchen.
- 서연 Seo-yeon지훈 씨, 마늘 있어요?Jihun ssi, maneul isseoyo?Jihun, do you have any garlic?
- 지훈 Ji-hun네, 여기 마늘 있어요.ne, yeogi maneul isseoyo.Yes, here is the garlic.
- 서연 Seo-yeon감사해요. 마늘을 다져 주세요.gamsahaeyo. maneureul dajyeo juseyo.Thank you. Please mince the garlic.
- 지훈 Ji-hun알겠어요. 바로 할게요.algesseoyo. baro halgeyo.I got it. I'll do it right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “garlic” translations and entries 마늘, 대산, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
