Korean Dictionary
How to say "Pour" in Korean
“Pour” in Korean is 붓다 (pronounced "butda").
붓다
butda
Usage & Context
Transferring liquid from one container to another. Essential for adding broth, sauce, and oil. Requires control to avoid splashing.
Example Sentence
국물을 붓다.
I pour broth.
How to use 붓다 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Pour” is 붓다, romanized as butda.
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 붓다.
Pronunciation Guide
붓 (but) sounds like 'boot' but with a very short, unreleased 't' sound at the end, almost like 'buh-t'. 다 (da) sounds like 'dah' in 'dah-ling'. Together: 'Boot-dah'. The 't' is not strongly pronounced like in English.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
부어요
bu-eoyo
This is the standard polite form. Note the ㄷ irregular conjugation where ㄷ changes to ㄹ when followed by a vowel.
Casual (반말)
부어
bu-eo
This is the informal form, used with close friends or family.
More Example Sentences
Asking someone to get you a drink.
컵에 물을 부어주세요.
Please pour water into the cup.
Giving instructions for making instant ramen.
라면에 뜨거운 물을 붓고 3분 기다려요.
Pour hot water into the ramen and wait 3 minutes.
Figurative use, describing dedication or effort.
그는 모든 열정을 일에 쏟아부었다.
He poured all his passion into his work.
Cultural Context
붓다 is a very common verb in Korean daily life, especially in cooking and when serving drinks. It's important to remember its ㄷ irregular conjugation, where the 'ㄷ' changes to 'ㄹ' when followed by a vowel (e.g., 붓다 becomes 부어요, not 붓아요). This verb can also mean 'to swell' (e.g., 얼굴이 부었다 - my face is swollen), so context is key to understanding its meaning.
Editorial note
We review entries like 붓다 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
물을 붓다
to pour water
간장을 붓다
to pour soy sauce
기름을 붓다
to pour oil
Related Expressions
따르다
ttareuda
to pour (often for drinks, can be more polite)
쏟다
ssotda
to spill, to pour out (often implies emptying completely or accidentally)
첨가하다
cheomgahada
to add (more general, not just liquids)
담다
damda
to put in, to scoop (antonym in a sense of taking out liquid)
More Cooking Words
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