Korean Dictionary
How to say "Soak" in Korean
“Soak” in Korean is 불리다 (pronounced "bullida").
불리다
bullida
Usage & Context
Submerging food in liquid for extended time. Softens dried ingredients and removes impurities. Essential for beans, mushrooms, and noodles.
Example Sentence
콩을 불려요.
I soak beans.
How to use 불리다 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Soak” is 불리다, romanized as bullida.
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 불리다.
Pronunciation Guide
For '불리다' (bullida), 'bul' sounds like 'bull', 'li' like 'lee', and 'da' like 'dah'. The double 'l' (ㄹㄹ) creates a strong 'l' sound, almost like a brief pause before the second 'l'.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
불려요
bullyeoyo
This is the common polite form used in daily conversation.
Casual (반말)
불려
bullyeo
Used with close friends or people younger than you.
More Example Sentences
Giving instructions for preparing dried ingredients.
마른 표고버섯은 요리하기 전에 물에 불려야 해요.
Dried shiitake mushrooms need to be soaked in water before cooking.
Sharing a cooking tip for better rice texture.
쌀을 불리면 밥이 더 부드러워져요.
If you soak the rice, the cooked rice becomes softer.
Explaining the importance of proper preparation for beans.
팥을 충분히 불리지 않으면 잘 안 익어요.
If you don't soak red beans enough, they won't cook well.
Cultural Context
'불리다' is a fundamental step in preparing many traditional Korean dishes, especially those involving dried ingredients like mushrooms, beans (e.g., for patbingsu or tteok), or even rice. Soaking helps rehydrate, soften, and sometimes remove impurities, making ingredients easier to cook and digest. It's a common sight in Korean kitchens to see various ingredients soaking in bowls of water.
Editorial note
We review entries like 불리다 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
쌀을 불리다
to soak rice
콩을 불리다
to soak beans
미역을 불리다
to soak dried seaweed
Related Expressions
담그다
damgeuda
to soak/immerse (often for pickling or making kimchi)
잠그다
jamgeuda
to immerse/submerge (less common for food prep, more general)
물에 담가두다
mur-e damgadu-da
to leave something soaking in water
부드럽다
budeureopda
to be soft (result of soaking)
More Cooking Words
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