Korean Dictionary
How to say "Low Heat" in Korean
“Low Heat” in Korean is 약불 (pronounced "yakbul").
약불
yakbul
Usage & Context
Gentle heat setting for slow cooking. Essential for simmering and braising. Prevents burning and allows flavors to develop.
Example Sentence
약불로 끓여요.
I cook on low heat.
How to use 약불 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Low Heat” is 약불, romanized as yakbul.
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 약불.
Pronunciation Guide
For 약불 (yak-bul), '약' is like 'yahk' in "yak" (the animal), with the final 'ㄱ' being a soft, unreleased 'k' sound. '불' is like 'bool' in "pool" but with a 'b.'
More Example Sentences
A cooking tip for enhancing flavor.
카레는 약불에서 오래 끓여야 더 깊은 맛이 나요.
Curry needs to be simmered on low heat for a long time to get a deeper flavor.
A cooking tip for achieving a specific texture.
계란찜은 약불에서 천천히 익혀야 부드러워요.
Steamed egg needs to be cooked slowly on low heat to be soft.
An instruction for sauce preparation.
소스가 졸아들 때까지 약불로 계속 끓여주세요.
Keep simmering on low heat until the sauce thickens.
Cultural Context
'약불' is a crucial concept in Korean cooking, especially for dishes that require slow simmering or gentle cooking, like various stews (찌개), braised dishes (조림), or making traditional teas. It's about patience and allowing flavors to meld without burning. Many traditional Korean recipes emphasize the importance of '불 조절' (heat control), with '약불' being key for achieving a delicate texture or rich, deep flavor.
Editorial note
We review entries like 약불 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
약불로 끓이다
To simmer on low heat
약불에 졸이다
To reduce on low heat
약불로 데우다
To warm up on low heat
Related Expressions
중불
jungbul
Medium heat
강불
gangbul
High heat
약한 불
yakhan bul
Weak fire/heat (descriptive phrase)
은근한 불
eungeunhan bul
Gentle/subtle heat (similar to low heat, often for simmering)
More Cooking Words
Master Korean with AI-Powered Learning
Practice Low Heat and 10,000+ words with native pronunciation and AI conversation.
