Korean Dictionary
How to say "Songpyeon (Half-Moon Rice Cake)" in Korean
“Songpyeon (Half-Moon Rice Cake)” in Korean is 송편 (pronounced "songpyeon").
송편
songpyeon
Usage & Context
송편 is a traditional Korean rice cake made with rice flour and stuffed with sesame seeds, red beans, or chestnuts. Making 송편 together as a family on the eve of 추석 is a beloved Korean tradition. According to Korean tradition making beautiful 송편 means you will have beautiful children.
Example Sentence
가족과 함께 추석 송편을 빚었어요.
I made songpyeon with my family for Chuseok.
How to use 송편 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Songpyeon (Half-Moon Rice Cake)” is 송편, romanized as songpyeon.
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 송편.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'song-pyeon' — 'song' rhymes with 'song' (musical), 'pyeon' like 'pyun' (one syllable, close to 'pea-un' said quickly).
More Example Sentences
family tradition
추석 때 할머니랑 송편을 빚었어요.
I made songpyeon with grandma during Chuseok.
explaining to a foreigner
송편은 깨나 콩을 넣어 만들어요.
Songpyeon is made with sesame or bean fillings.
modernization comment
요즘은 떡집에서 사먹는 사람이 많아요.
Many people just buy songpyeon from rice cake shops these days.
Cultural Context
송편 is the signature dish of 추석 (Korean Thanksgiving/Chuseok), shaped like a half-moon and steamed over pine needles (솔잎) — which is where the name comes from (松: pine). Tradition says making beautiful 송편 means you'll have beautiful children. Common fillings include sesame (깨), red beans (팥), and chestnuts (밤). In modern Korea, many buy 송편 from 떡집 (rice cake shops) rather than making them at home.
Editorial note
We review entries like 송편 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
송편 드세요.
Have some songpyeon.
송편 빚어봤어요?
Have you made songpyeon before?
송편이 참 예쁘네요.
The songpyeon is very pretty.
Related Expressions
추석
chuseok
Korean Thanksgiving
떡
tteok
rice cake
솔잎
solip
pine needles
떡집
tteokjip
rice cake shop
More Holidays & Festivals Words
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