{"id":79650,"date":"2023-03-28T12:16:26","date_gmt":"2023-03-28T16:16:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/vegetables-in-korean\/"},"modified":"2025-04-02T04:10:17","modified_gmt":"2025-04-02T08:10:17","slug":"vegetables-in-korean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/korean\/vegetables-in-korean\/","title":{"rendered":"50 Most Common Vegetables to Know in Korean"},"content":{"rendered":"

Need some color in your Korean stud<\/a>ies<\/a>? Why not throw in some greens?<\/p>\n

And no, you can\u2019t just avoid them like you (and I) may have done as a kid during dinnertime.<\/p>\n

After all, knowing your Korean vegetables is essential to a healthy language-learning diet!<\/p>\n

In this post, you\u2019ll learn the names of some must-know vegetables in Korean. They\u2019ll be welcome starters or additions to your mental Korean food vocabulary pantry.<\/p>\n

We’ve also included the top Korean special ingredients and Korean vegetable dishes, so you’ll be cooking with Korean ingredients in no time.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc skip=3]
\n<\/p>\n

Common Vegetable Names in Korean<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"crate<\/p>\n

These are the Korean vegetables that you can encounter anywhere. Some of the names are just Korean transliterations of the English names, likely because the vegetable in question wasn\u2019t native to Korea.<\/p>\n

\uc544\ud2f0\ucd08\ud06c \u2014 Artichoke<\/h3>\n

\uc544\uc2a4\ud30c\ub77c\uac70\uc2a4 \u2014 Asparagus<\/h3>\n

\ucf69\ub098\ubb3c \u2014 Bean Sprouts<\/h3>\n

\ud53c\ub9dd \u2014 Bell Pepper<\/h3>\n

\ube0c\ub85c\ucf5c\ub9ac \u2014 Broccoli<\/h3>\n

\uc591\ubc30\ucd94 \u2014 Cabbage<\/h3>\n

\ub2f9\uadfc \u2014 Carrot<\/h3>\n

\ucf5c\ub9ac\ud50c\ub77c\uc6cc \u2014 Cauliflower<\/h3>\n

\uc140\ub7ec\ub9ac \u2014 Celery<\/h3>\n

\uc625\uc218\uc218 \u2014 Corn<\/h3>\n

\uc624\uc774 \u2014 Cucumber<\/h3>\n

\uac00\uc9c0 \u2014 Eggplant<\/h3>\n

\ubd80\ucd94 \u2014 Leek<\/h3>\n

\uc0c1\ucd94 \u2014 Lettuce<\/h3>\n

\uc591\ud30c \u2014 Onion<\/h3>\n

\ubc84\uc12f \u2014 Mushroom<\/h3>\n

\uc644\ub450\ucf69 \u2014 Pea<\/h3>\n

\uace0\ucd94 \u2014 Pepper (spicy)<\/h3>\n

\uac10\uc790 \u2014 Potato<\/h3>\n

\ud638\ubc15 \u2014 Pumpkin<\/h3>\n

\ubb34 \u2014 Radish<\/h3>\n

\uc2dc\uae08\uce58 \u2014 Spinach<\/h3>\n

Unique Vegetables and Greens in Korea<\/b><\/h2>\n

Overall, Korean cuisine really loves utilizing its vegetables. And of course, many Korean dishes get their signature taste and appeal due to the special veggies they use. I sometimes even throw in Korean vegetables to non-Korean dishes, just because I think they would benefit from them.<\/p>\n

There are several Korean vegetables that can be difficult to find in any place other than a Korean-based grocery store or market. They\u2019re well worth the search, however, because they have tastes that can\u2019t be fully replicated by anything else.<\/p>\n

\uae7b\uc78e \u2014 Perilla Leaf<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"perilla<\/p>\n

If you ever sit down for a traditional Korean meal, you\u2019re very likely to see on the table a plate of either raw or seasoned perilla. These bitter leaves are often used as wraps to bundle up rice plus other sides into a neat package you eat in one bite. I personally prefer seasoned perilla paired with some fresh Korean grilled meat\u2014the taste is astounding!<\/p>\n

\uccad\uc591\uace0\ucd94 \u2014 Cheongyang Chili Pepper<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"cheongyang<\/p>\n

You can never be too sure with these green peppers. With one bite, you may enjoy a sharp but deliciously tolerable level of spiciness\u2026or you may be gulping down water with tears streaming down your eyes (as is usually the case with me, with my pitiful inability to handle spicy foods). It\u2019s a gamble that\u2019s worth braving, because they can provide a fresh kick to any dish.<\/p>\n

\uc560\ud638\ubc15 \u2014 Korean Zucchini<\/h3>\n

\"korean<\/p>\n

It may look like a run-of-the-mill zucchini, but the Korean \uc560\ud638\ubc15 is a notably different specimen. It has a juicy texture and softer flesh, and its flavor is rather subtle. The \uc560\ud638\ubc15 is typically eaten fried or seasoned. My favorite use of this vegetable is when it\u2019s incorporated into Korean stews known as \ucc0c\uac1c , in which they become wonderfully tender as they soak up the broth.<\/p>\n

\ucd1d\uac01\ubb34 \u2014 Chonggak Radish<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"chonggak<\/p>\n

This radish\u2019s name translates to \u201cbachelor radish.\u201d That\u2019s because its shape resembles the long hairstyle of unmarried Korean men in ye olden days. The vegetable is commonly made into kimchi, with its body left mostly intact. If you love the standard lettuce type kimchi, I suggest you try the radish variant as well\u2014it has a delicious, thick crunchiness that just can\u2019t be beat.<\/p>\n

\uace0\uad6c\ub9c8 \u2014 Sweet Potato<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"sweet<\/p>\n

Sweet potatoes have a special place in my heart\u2014Korean ones especially so. Yellow-fleshed and covered in a ruddy skin, Korean sweet potatoes have a more earthy taste than Western yams. They\u2019re often classified into two types: \ubc24\uace0\uad6c\ub9c8 , which is chestnut-like in taste and drier in texture, and \ubb3c\uace0\uad6c\ub9c8 , which is softer and more watery. In Korea, they\u2019re a popular snack that\u2019s often eaten fire-roasted or steamed.<\/p>\n

\ucf69\ub098\ubb3c \u2014 Soybean Sprout<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"soybean<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a joke to say soybean sprouts are used practically all the time in Korean cuisine and are just universally loved by Korean cooks\u2014I literally see them poking out of any meal (Korean-based or not) my mother makes. They can be incorporated into all kinds of dishes, whether vegetarian or not, to provide them with a nutritious crunch. They\u2019re also boiled or seasoned and eaten as a side.<\/p>\n

\uc219\uc8fc\ub098\ubb3c \u2014 Mung Bean Sprout<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"mung<\/p>\n

Mung bean sprouts are quite similar to soybean sprouts, though they have smaller yellow heads and are a little shorter overall. They also tend to be more watery. You can find mung bean sprouts used as a topping in many Korean dishes. Mung beans themselves are also used to create a tasty fried pancake<\/a> known as \ube48\ub300\ub5a1 .<\/p>\n

\ub2ec\ub798 \u2014 Korean Wild Chive<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"korean<\/p>\n

This spring green consists of a long leaf and a small bulb. It may not look like much, but the Korean wild chive has a notable onion-y taste that can be a refreshing addition to whatever you cook. Like many other Korean greens, it can be seasoned and eaten by itself, though I prefer to eat it as a topping for meats or stew.<\/p>\n

\ucde8\ub098\ubb3c \u2014 Aster Scaber\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"korean<\/p>\n

Appreciated for its abundance of vitamins, this bitter herb is often seasoned and eaten as a side or atop rice. Its strong taste makes it pair well with a variety of foods. It can also be dried out and rehydrated for later use, a trait that makes the aster scaber a popular food item during the winter season.<\/p>\n

\uc465 \u2014 Mugwort<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"mugwort\"<\/p>\n

In food, mugwort can be eaten in its original form or in powder form (such as in the case of mugwort-flavored \ub5a1 rice cake<\/a>, which I highly recommend you try). But the plant isn\u2019t just used for Korean cuisine\u2014it\u2019s also used in some skincare products due to its purported antibacterial and cleansing properties.<\/p>\n

If you watch K-dramas or Korean cooking vlogs, you\u2019ll see many of these vegetables pop up! To practice the vocabulary with the added help of language learning tools, you can watch related Korean videos on FluentU<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n

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You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

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