생선회
saengseonhoe[sʰɛŋsʰʌ̹nβwe̞]
Sashimi in Korean is 생선회 (saengseonhoe). Wiktionary also lists 사시미 (sasimi).
Meaning: dish of slices of raw fish or meat (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 생선회 | saengseonhoe | [sʰɛŋsʰʌ̹nβwe̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [sʰɛŋsʰʌ̹nɦø̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 사시미 | sasimi | [sʰa̠ɕʰimi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term refers to a dish of slices of raw fish or meat.
Which one should you use?
생선회 is the native Korean word for raw fish, whereas 사시미 is a loanword from Japanese. You may also see the shortened form 회 used on menus or in conversation to refer to sashimi.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While 생선회 is the proper Korean term, the Japanese loanword 사시미 is very commonly used in casual dining and restaurant settings in Korea.
How do you pronounce it?
saengseonhoe
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, 회 might be served as 물회, where the raw fish is submerged in a cold, spicy slushy broth rather than being served on a plate.
- In Korea, 회 is often served with 초고추장, a pungent mixture of gochujang and vinegar. This differs from the Japanese custom of using soy sauce and wasabi.
- Some traditional Korean raw fish dishes are prepared as 육회, which is raw sliced beef. This uses the same 회 root but replaces the fish with meat.
Examples in context
- 뉴욕에서 유명한 회집을 추천해 주세요.Please recommend a famous sashimi restaurant in New York.
- 오늘 저녁에 사시미를 먹으러 갈 거야.I'm going to have sashimi for dinner tonight.
- 생선회가 정말 신선해요.saengseonhoega jeongmal sinseonhaeyo.The sashimi is really fresh.
- 우리는 저녁으로 생선회를 먹었어요.urineun jeonyeogeuro saengseonhoereul meogeosseoyo.We ate sashimi for dinner.
- 이 식당은 생선회가 아주 맛있어요.i sikdang-eun saengseonhoega aju masisseoyo.The sashimi is very delicious at this restaurant.
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Ji-hoon are deciding what to eat at a seafood restaurant.
- 지은 Ji-eun지훈 씨, 여기서 생선회 주문할까요?Ji-hun ssi, yeogiseo saengseonhoe jumun-halkkayo?Ji-hoon, shall we order sashimi here?
- 지훈 Ji-hun네, 좋아요. 생선회가 아주 맛있어 보이네요.Ne, joayo. Saengseonhoega aju masisseo boineyo.Yes, sounds good. The sashimi looks very delicious.
- 지은 Ji-eun그럼 생선회 한 접시 주세요.Geureom saengseonhoe han jeopsi juseyo.Then, please give us one plate of sashimi.
- 지훈 Ji-hun제가 물을 가져올게요.Jega mureul gajyeoolgeyo.I will go get some water.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sashimi” translations and entries 생선회, 사시미, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
