Korean Dictionary
How to say "Ladle" in Korean
“Ladle” in Korean is 국자 (pronounced "gukja").
국자
gukja
Usage & Context
Large spoon for serving soups and broths. Essential for Korean dining. Comes in various sizes.
Example Sentence
국자로 국을 담아요.
I serve soup with a ladle.
How to use 국자 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Ladle” is 국자, romanized as gukja.
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 국자.
Pronunciation Guide
The word "국자" (gukja) is pronounced like "gook" (as in 'cook' but with a 'g' sound) followed by "jah" (like 'jar' without the 'r'). Both syllables are short and crisp, with fairly even stress.
More Example Sentences
Instructing someone in the kitchen.
뜨거운 국은 국자로 조심해서 떠야 해요.
You need to carefully scoop hot soup with a ladle.
Describing a meal with friends.
김치찌개 끓여서 국자로 각자 그릇에 담아 먹었어요.
We cooked kimchi stew and served it into our own bowls with a ladle.
Commenting on a kitchen utensil's quality.
이 국자는 깊어서 국물 뜨기 좋아요.
This ladle is deep, so it's good for scooping broth.
Cultural Context
The "국자" is an indispensable tool in Korean kitchens and dining. Since many Korean meals involve communal soups or stews (찌개, 탕), a ladle is always present on the table for serving. It's common etiquette to use the ladle to serve yourself or others, rather than using your personal spoon directly into the communal pot, ensuring hygiene and shared enjoyment.
Editorial note
We review entries like 국자 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
국자로 국을 뜨다
to scoop soup with a ladle
국자 좀 주세요
Please give me the ladle.
큰 국자
large ladle
Related Expressions
숟가락
sutgarak
spoon
젓가락
jeotgarak
chopsticks
국그릇
gukgeureut
soup bowl
떠먹다
tteomeokda
to scoop and eat
More Cooking Words
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