Korean Dictionary
How to say "Tteokbokki" in Korean
“Tteokbokki” in Korean is 떡볶이 (pronounced "Tteokbokki").
떡볶이
Tteokbokki
Usage & Context
A popular Korean street food made from rice cakes (tteok) cooked in spicy-sweet gochujang sauce. One of the most beloved Korean snack foods, especially among students. Available at 분식집 (snack shops) everywhere in Korea.
Example Sentence
방과 후에 친구들이랑 떡볶이 먹으러 갔어요.
After school, I went to eat tteokbokki with friends.
How to use 떡볶이 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Tteokbokki” is 떡볶이, romanized as Tteokbokki.
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 떡볶이.
Pronunciation Guide
The first syllable, '떡' (tteok), is a tense 't' sound, similar to 'duck' but with more tension in the throat. '볶' (bok) sounds like 'bock' in 'bock beer'. '이' (ki) is pronounced like 'key'. The double consonants (ㄲ) indicate a strong, tense sound.
More Example Sentences
Describing tteokbokki's flavor profile and popularity.
매콤달콤한 떡볶이는 한국인들이 가장 좋아하는 간식이에요.
Spicy and sweet tteokbokki is Koreans' favorite snack.
Suggesting a casual outing to eat tteokbokki.
오늘 저녁에 친구들이랑 떡볶이 먹으러 갈까?
Shall we go eat tteokbokki with friends this evening?
Giving a tip for enjoying tteokbokki with a popular topping.
떡볶이에 치즈를 추가하면 더 맛있어요!
If you add cheese to tteokbokki, it's even more delicious!
Cultural Context
Tteokbokki is the quintessential Korean street food, beloved by people of all ages, especially students. You'll find it everywhere from street vendors (포장마차, pojangmacha) to dedicated snack shops (분식집, bunsikjip). It's often enjoyed with other snacks like튀김 (twigim, fried items) and 순대 (sundae, blood sausage). There are many variations, including cheese tteokbokki, seafood tteokbokki, and rabokki (ramen + tteokbokki).
Editorial note
We review entries like 떡볶이 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
떡볶이 먹으러 가자
Let's go eat tteokbokki.
매운 떡볶이
Spicy tteokbokki
떡볶이 1인분 주세요
Please give me one serving of tteokbokki.
Related Expressions
어묵
Eomuk
Fish cakes (often served with tteokbokki)
순대
Sundae
Korean blood sausage (often eaten with tteokbokki)
튀김
Twigim
Fried snacks (often eaten with tteokbokki)
분식집
Bunsikjip
Snack shop (where tteokbokki is sold)
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