Korean Dictionary
How to say "Seasoning Balance" in Korean
“Seasoning Balance” in Korean is 간 맞추기 (pronounced "Gan Matchugi").
간 맞추기
Gan Matchugi
Usage & Context
간 맞추기 refers to the critical Korean cooking skill of balancing flavors and seasoning. A skilled Korean cook can taste a dish and know exactly what adjustment is needed. This skill is considered the difference between a good cook and a great one in Korean culinary culture.
Example Sentence
요리할 때 간 맞추기가 제일 어려워요.
Balancing the seasoning is the hardest part when cooking.
How to use 간 맞추기 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Seasoning Balance” is 간 맞추기, romanized as Gan Matchugi.
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 간 맞추기.
Pronunciation Guide
간 (Gan) sounds like 'gahn' in 'gone' but with a slightly softer 'g'. 맞추기 (Matchugi) sounds like 'Maht-choo-gee'. Put it together as 'Gahn Maht-choo-gee' with fairly even stress.
More Example Sentences
A cook struggling to perfect a dish.
이 국은 간 맞추기가 좀 어렵네.
This soup is a bit difficult to get the seasoning right.
Praising a parent's cooking ability.
엄마는 간 맞추는 솜씨가 최고야.
Mom's skill at balancing seasoning is the best.
Giving cooking tips for a popular Korean stew.
김치찌개는 간 맞추는 게 정말 중요해요.
For Kimchi Jjigae, getting the seasoning balance right is really important.
Cultural Context
'간 맞추기' is considered one of the most crucial and subtle skills in Korean cooking. It's not just about adding salt, but about harmonizing all the flavors – savory, spicy, sweet, sour – to achieve a perfect balance. A cook's ability to '간을 보다' (taste for seasoning) and make precise adjustments is often seen as the hallmark of true culinary mastery. In K-dramas or reality cooking shows, you'll often see characters tasting a dish and confidently declaring, '간이 딱 맞네!' (The seasoning is just right!).
Editorial note
We review entries like 간 맞추기 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
간이 딱 맞다
The seasoning is just right
간을 잘 맞추다
To season well
간이 안 맞다
The seasoning is off / not right
Related Expressions
간을 보다
ganeul boda
To taste for seasoning
싱겁다
singgeopda
To be bland/under-seasoned
짜다
jjada
To be salty/over-seasoned
맛을 내다
maseul naeda
To bring out the flavor / season (verb)
More Cooking Words
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