Korean Dictionary
How to say "Cup" in Korean
“Cup” in Korean is 컵 (pronounced "keop").
컵
keop
Usage & Context
Larger measurement unit for bulk ingredients. Approximately 240 milliliters. Standard in Western recipes.
Example Sentence
밀가루 한 컵을 넣어요.
I add one cup of flour.
How to use 컵 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Cup” is 컵, romanized as keop.
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 컵.
Pronunciation Guide
컵 (keop) sounds exactly like the English word 'cup'. The 'eo' vowel is pronounced like the 'u' in 'cup' or 'up'. It's a single, clear syllable.
More Example Sentences
Giving a basic instruction for cooking rice.
쌀 두 컵을 씻어서 밥솥에 넣으세요.
Wash two cups of rice and put it in the rice cooker.
Asking for help with an ingredient while cooking.
물 한 컵만 더 넣어줄래?
Can you add just one more cup of water?
Discussing the ingredients required for a recipe.
이 레시피는 우유 한 컵이 필요해요.
This recipe needs one cup of milk.
Cultural Context
'컵' is a direct loanword from English and is widely used for both a drinking cup and a measuring cup. However, it's important to note that a standard Western measuring cup is typically 240ml, while a traditional Korean '쌀컵' (ssalkkeop, rice measuring cup) is usually around 180ml. When following Korean recipes, especially older ones, clarify which '컵' is intended to ensure accurate measurements.
Editorial note
We review entries like 컵 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
한 컵
one cup
컵으로 재다
to measure by cup
물 한 컵
one cup of water
Related Expressions
계량컵
gyeryangkeop
measuring cup
쌀컵
ssalkkeop
rice measuring cup (specific Korean context)
잔
jan
cup/glass (for drinking)
그릇
geureut
bowl/dish (general container)
More Cooking Words
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