Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 식사 | siksa | [ɕʰiks͈a̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 끼니 | kkini | [k͈ini] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 밥 | bap | [pa̠p̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 진지 | jinji | [ˈt͡ɕi(ː)ɲd͡ʑi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [t͡ɕiɲd͡ʑi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
honorific |
Korean uses different words for "meal" based on whether you are talking about the necessity of eating, the actual food or the social setting.
What does it mean word for word?
The colloquial term 밥 literally means "cooked rice", but it is used to refer to a meal in general during daily conversation.
Which one should you use?
While 식사 is the standard term for a meal, 밥 is the most common word used in casual, daily speech. 끼니 is used specifically when discussing the regularity or the necessity of eating, such as when discussing skipping a meal. 진지 is a specialized term used only for the meals of elders or people of much higher social status.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
밥 is the colloquial form used in everyday life. 식사 is a polite and standard term suitable for professional settings, such as restaurant announcements or when referring to "meal time" (식사 시간). 진지 is the honorific form and should be used exclusively when speaking to or about elders or people of much higher social status.
How does it change in a sentence?
The polite phrase 식사하셨어요? (Did you have a meal?) is a common way to greet someone, often functioning similarly to "How are you?" in many contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
siksa
Did you know?
- The word 밥 may share a root with 'baby talk' around the world. Linguists suggest it might have originated from sounds like /papa/ or /mama/ that infants use for 'food' in many different languages.
- Asking someone to 'eat 밥 together' is frequently used as a way to suggest hanging out or building a closer relationship, even if the actual food is not the primary goal.
Examples in context
- 밥을 먹다To have a mealThis sentence shows how to use 밥 to mean 'to have a meal'.
- 끼니를 거르다To skip a mealThis sentence demonstrates the use of 끼니 in the context of skipping a meal.
- 저는 식사를 마쳤어요.I've finished my meal.
- 밥 먹었어?Did you eat?
- 점심 시간에 같이 밥 먹자.Let's have lunch together.
- 정말로 죄송해요. 저는 이미 식사를 마쳤어요.I'm really sorry. I've already finished my meal.
- 식사가 매우 만족스러웠어요.siksaga mae-u manjeoksureowosseoyo.The meal was very satisfying.
Example conversation
Minjun and Minji are at a restaurant.
- 민준 Min-jun민지 씨, 식사 맛있게 하세요.Minji ssi, siksa masitge haseyo.Minji, please enjoy your meal.
- 민지 Min-ji고마워요, 민준 씨도 맛있게 드세요.Gomawoyo, Minjun ssi-do masitge deuseyo.Thank you, Minjun, you enjoy your meal too.
- 민준 Min-jun여기 식사가 정말 맛있네요.Yeogi siksaga jeongmal masitneyo.The meal here is really delicious.
- 민지 Min-ji맞아요, 여기 정말 최고예요.Majayo, yeogi jeongmal choigoyeyo.That's right, this place is the best.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “meal” translations and entries 식사, 끼니, 밥, 진지, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 끼니, 밥, 식사, 진지, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
