Korean Dictionary
How to say "Birthday Cake" in Korean
“Birthday Cake” in Korean is 생일 케이크 (pronounced "saengil keiku").
생일 케이크
saengil keiku
Usage & Context
생일 케이크 is a central part of modern Korean birthday celebrations especially for children. Korean 생일 케이크 are typically purchased at bakeries like Paris Baguette and Tous Les Jours and are often elaborately decorated. The candle-blowing and cake-cutting ritual followed by the birthday song (생일 축하합니다) is universal across Korean age groups.
Example Sentence
생일 케이크의 초를 불어 소원을 빌었어요.
I blew out the birthday cake candles and made a wish.
How to use 생일 케이크 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Birthday Cake” is 생일 케이크, romanized as saengil keiku.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 생일 케이크.
Pronunciation Guide
'Saeng' sounds like 'sang' in 'sang a song'. 'Il' sounds like 'eel'. 'Kei' is pronounced like 'kay' in 'kayak'. 'Ku' sounds like 'koo' in 'cuckoo'. The phrase flows with a slight pause between 'saengil' and 'keiku'.
More Example Sentences
Preparing for a friend's birthday celebration.
친구 생일 파티에 가져갈 생일 케이크를 샀어요.
I bought a birthday cake to take to my friend's birthday party.
Decorating a birthday cake before the celebration.
생일 케이크 위에 예쁜 초를 꽂았어요.
I put pretty candles on top of the birthday cake.
Asking someone about their favorite type of birthday cake.
어떤 생일 케이크를 가장 좋아하세요?
What kind of birthday cake do you like the most?
Cultural Context
생일 케이크 (saengil keiku) is an essential part of modern Korean birthday celebrations, much like in Western cultures. It's common to buy elaborately decorated cakes from popular bakeries like Paris Baguette or Tous Les Jours. The ritual involves lighting candles (often matching the person's age), singing '생일 축하합니다' (Happy Birthday to You), making a wish, and blowing out the candles. While traditional Korean birthdays (like 돌잔치 for a baby's first birthday) have unique foods, the birthday cake has become universally adopted across all age groups.
Editorial note
We review entries like 생일 케이크 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
생일 케이크 사다
to buy a birthday cake
생일 케이크 자르다
to cut a birthday cake
생일 케이크 불다
to blow out birthday cake candles
Related Expressions
생일 선물
saengil seonmul
birthday gift
생일 파티
saengil pati
birthday party
촛불
chotbul
candlelight, candles
축하
chukha
celebration, congratulations
More Holidays & Festivals Words
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