Korean Dictionary
How to say "New Year rice cake soup tradition" in Korean
“New Year rice cake soup tradition” in Korean is 떡국 (pronounced "Tteokguk").
떡국
Tteokguk
Usage & Context
A traditional Korean soup eaten on Lunar New Year (설날). Made with sliced oval-shaped rice cakes in a clear or beef broth. There is a saying that eating 떡국 makes you a year older. The white color symbolizes purity and a fresh start for the new year. Often garnished with egg strips and seaweed.
Example Sentence
설날 아침에는 반드시 떡국을 먹어야 한 살 더 먹는다고 해요.
They say you must eat tteokguk on Lunar New Year morning to become a year older.
How to use 떡국 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “New Year rice cake soup tradition” is 떡국, romanized as Tteokguk.
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 떡국.
Pronunciation Guide
떡 (tteok) is a tense 'tteo' sound, like "tuh-ok" with a sharp 't' and the 'o' in "ton." 국 (guk) sounds like "gook" in "cook" but with a 'g'. The 'k' sound at the end of 떡 blends into the 'g' of 국. Say it as "Tteok-guk."
More Example Sentences
Describing a family tradition during Seollal.
설날 아침에 가족들과 함께 떡국을 먹었어요.
I ate tteokguk with my family on Lunar New Year morning.
Expressing a personal preference for how to eat tteokguk.
떡국에 만두도 넣어서 만둣국처럼 먹는 걸 좋아해요.
I like to add dumplings to tteokguk and eat it like mandu-guk (dumpling soup).
Nostalgically recalling a beloved family dish.
할머니가 끓여주신 떡국은 언제나 최고예요.
The tteokguk my grandmother makes is always the best.
Cultural Context
Tteokguk (떡국) is a traditional Korean rice cake soup, a quintessential dish eaten on Seollal (Lunar New Year's Day). It's believed that eating tteokguk on this day makes you a year older, symbolizing a fresh start and good fortune. The white, oval-shaped rice cakes (가래떡, garaetteok) represent purity and longevity. Tteokguk is typically made with a clear beef or anchovy broth and garnished with various ingredients like egg strips (지단, jidan), seaweed (김, gim), and sometimes meat, making it a visually appealing and culturally significant meal.
Editorial note
We review entries like 떡국 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
떡국 먹었어요?
Did you eat tteokguk? (Implying 'Are you a year older?')
설날에는 떡국이지!
It's tteokguk on Seollal!
맛있는 떡국
delicious tteokguk
Related Expressions
설날
Seollal
Lunar New Year's Day
떡
tteok
rice cake
만둣국
mandu-guk
dumpling soup (often eaten with tteokguk)
한 살 더 먹다
han sal deo meokda
to get one year older (literally 'eat one more year')
More Culture Words
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