Korean Dictionary
How to say "Pet Food" in Korean
“Pet Food” in Korean is 사료 (pronounced "saryo").
사료
saryo
Usage & Context
Pet food (사료) encompasses dry, wet, and specialty nutrition for animals. Korea's premium pet food market has grown significantly as owners treat their pets as family members.
Example Sentence
반려동물에게 좋은 사료를 먹이는 것이 중요하다.
It is important to feed pets good quality pet food.
How to use 사료 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Pet Food” is 사료, romanized as saryo.
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 사료.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'SAH-ryo' — 'sa' is a crisp 'sah', and 'ryo' is a single syllable with a lightly rolled r, like 'ryoh'.
More Example Sentences
Pet owner chatting with a pet store clerk
강아지가 이 사료는 잘 안 먹어요.
My dog doesn't eat this food well.
Sharing product review in an online pet community
연어 사료로 바꾸니까 털이 더 부드러워졌어요.
Since switching to salmon-based pet food, the fur got softer.
Mental note while managing household supplies
사료 떨어지기 전에 미리 주문해 놓아야 해요.
I should order pet food in advance before it runs out.
Cultural Context
사료 in Korean strictly means formulated kibble/dry food for animals, both for pets and livestock — it's NOT used for fresh/home-cooked food, which would be 수제 간식 or 화식. Korean pet owners distinguish carefully between 건식 사료 (dry kibble) and 습식 사료 (wet food), and premium brands like Orijen and Acana are extremely popular. For cats specifically, you'll often see 고양이 사료, and 주식 (main diet) vs 간식 (treats) is an important distinction.
Editorial note
We review entries like 사료 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
사료 다 먹었어요.
The pet food is all gone.
사료 바꿨어요.
I changed the pet food brand.
좋은 사료 추천해 주세요.
Please recommend a good pet food.
Related Expressions
간식
ganshik
snack/treat
건식 사료
geonsik saryo
dry kibble
습식 사료
seupsik saryo
wet food
수제 간식
suje ganshik
homemade treats
More Pet Care & Animals Words
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