피클
pikeul
The English word 'pickle' can be translated into Korean as 피클 (pikeul) or 절임.
Meaning: preserved cucumber (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 피클 | pikeul |
| 절임 | jeorim |
피클 is a loanword used to refer specifically to Western-style pickled cucumbers, such as those found in salads or served with pasta. In contrast, 절임 is a much broader noun that refers to any type of pickled or preserved food, including any vegetable kept in brine or vinegar.
Which one should you use?
피클 (pikeul) is the specific loanword for Western-style pickles, while 절임 (jeorim) is a general term for preserved or pickled foods. To specify a cucumber pickle, you can combine the word for cucumber, 오이, with the loanword to form 오이 피클.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you use 피클 as a direct object in a sentence, you add the object marker 을 to form 피클을.
How do you pronounce it?
pikeul
Did you know?
- Because 피클 is a loanword, it is often used in trendy cafes or fusion restaurants to make a dish sound more 'modern' or 'global' compared to using 절임.
- While 피클 refers to Western pickles, most Koreans associate the concept of 'pickled vegetables' with 김치, which uses a completely different fermentation process involving chili and garlic.
- In Korean cuisine, 'pickled' vegetables are often served as 반찬 (banchan), small side dishes that are shared among everyone at the table rather than being a single serving.
Examples in context
- 장아찌는 한국 음식 문화에서 중요한 역할을 합니다.Pickles play an important role in Korean food culture.
- 피클 좋아해?Do you like pickles?
- 나는 피클을 좋아해.I like pickles.
- 피클을 좀 더 주세요.pikeureul jom deo juseyo.Please give me some more pickles.
- 이 피클은 정말 아삭해요.i pikeureun jeongmal asak-haeyo.This pickle is really crunchy.
Example conversation
Minji and Dohyeon are eating pizza at home.
- 민지 Min-ji도현 씨, 피클 좀 더 줄까요?Dohyeon-ssi, pikeul jom deo julkkayo?Dohyeon, should I give you more pickles?
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 피클이 필요해요.ne, pikeuri piryohaeyo.Yes, I need some pickles.
- 민지 Min-ji여기 피클 더 가져왔어요.yeogi pikeul deo gajyeowasseoyo.Here, I brought more pickles.
- 도현 Do-hyeon고마워요, 민지 씨.gomawoyo, Minji-ssi.Thank you, Minji.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pickle” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
