Korean Dictionary
How to say "High Heat" in Korean
“High Heat” in Korean is 센불 (pronounced "senbul").
센불
senbul
Usage & Context
Intense heat setting for quick cooking. Essential for stir-frying and searing. Requires careful attention to prevent burning.
Example Sentence
센불로 볶아요.
I stir-fry on high heat.
How to use 센불 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “High Heat” is 센불, romanized as senbul.
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 센불.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounce '센' (sen) like the beginning of 'send' but without the 'd' sound, with the 'e' as in 'bed'. '불' (bul) sounds like 'bool' in 'pool' but starting with a 'b'. Combine them as 'sen-bool', with fairly even stress.
More Example Sentences
Grilling meat or vegetables.
센불에 빨리 구워야 타지 않아요.
You need to grill it quickly on high heat so it doesn't burn.
Following a recipe's cooking instructions.
물이 끓으면 센불에서 중불로 줄여주세요.
When the water boils, reduce from high heat to medium heat.
Discussing a specific cooking technique.
이 요리는 센불에서 재빨리 볶는 게 중요해요.
For this dish, it's important to stir-fry quickly on high heat.
Cultural Context
In Korean cooking, understanding heat levels is crucial, especially for dishes like stir-fries (볶음, bokkeum) or pan-fried items (전, jeon). '센불' is often used for initial searing or quick cooking to lock in flavors and textures, common in dishes like Japchae or various meat stir-fries. Many Korean recipes will explicitly state '센불' or '중불' (medium heat) or '약불' (low heat). Mastering these terms is key to following Korean recipes accurately.
Editorial note
We review entries like 센불 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
센불로 볶다
stir-fry on high heat
센불에 끓이다
boil on high heat
센불에 재빨리
quickly on high heat
Related Expressions
중불
jungbul
medium heat
약불
yakbul
low heat
화력
hwaryeok
heat power/intensity
강한 불
ganghan bul
strong fire (synonym)
More Cooking Words
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