Korean Dictionary
How to say "Simmer" in Korean
“Simmer” in Korean is 약불로 끓이다 (pronounced "yakbul-ro kkeulida").
약불로 끓이다
yakbul-ro kkeulida
Usage & Context
Gentle cooking method using low heat. Essential for making stews and braised dishes. Allows flavors to develop slowly and ingredients to become tender.
Example Sentence
국을 약불로 끓여요.
I simmer the soup on low heat.
How to use 약불로 끓이다 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Simmer” is 약불로 끓이다, romanized as yakbul-ro kkeulida.
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 약불로 끓이다.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'yak-bul-ro kkeu-ri-da' — 'yak' like 'yock' (unreleased k), 'bul' like 'bool', 'ro' like 'roh', 'kkeuri' has a tense/doubled 'kk' sound, 'da' short.
More Example Sentences
sharing a cooking tip
찌개를 약불로 끓이면 깊은 맛이 나요.
Simmering stew on low heat brings out a deep flavor.
recipe instruction
30분 정도 약불로 끓여주세요.
Please simmer for about 30 minutes.
recipe instruction
뚜껑을 덮고 약불로 끓이세요.
Cover with a lid and simmer.
Cultural Context
약불로 끓이다 literally means 'to boil with weak fire'. Korean recipes often distinguish 약불 (low heat), 중불 (medium), and 센불 (high heat) very precisely. Korean stews like 김치찌개 and 된장찌개 typically involve a brief hard boil followed by long 약불 simmering to let flavors meld.
Editorial note
We review entries like 약불로 끓이다 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 뭉근히 끓여요.
Gently simmer on low heat.
약불로 오래 끓이세요.
Simmer on low heat for a long time.
푹 끓여주세요.
Simmer thoroughly.
Related Expressions
약불
yakbul
low/weak heat
중불
jungbul
medium heat
센불
senbul
high/strong heat
끓이다
kkeurida
to boil
More Cooking Words
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