By now, we have touched upon the vast diversity of plant-based foods like vegetables, fruit, grains and nuts. 🗒🌱 You may have learned enough Korean to identify the most common animal-based ingredients as well. 🗒🐮 So what’s left? Well, a LOT! 😉 For example, there are hundreds of fungi and many kinds of seaweed (aka “sea vegetables“), which are also edible! Strictly speaking, both belong neither to plants nor to the animal kingdom. Let’s take a look at the remaining “other” lifeforms in this compilation of Korean vocabulary!
As a matter of fact, Korean cuisine features a large number of edible mushrooms as well as seaweed! Some of those you will encounter every day, because typical Korean dishes such as Kimbap, Bibimbap, and almost every soup contain seaweed and/or mushrooms. Whether you like them or not, being able to identify friend or foe will be an advantage in either case! [Btw, if you don’t know how to read Korean yet, here’s a free and easy guide to learning the alphabet!]
Below vocabulary list provides the names of mushrooms and seaweed in Korean language. 🗒🍄🇰🇷🇰🇵 The variety of local and seasonal produce is sheer endless and Korean groceries may appear mysterious or exotic! Thus, exploring new tastes and textures can be a fun culinary adventure. Can you think of something that’s not listed here, yet? ❓ Then let’s learn more about it! ❗️ Comment below or send me a message!
This collection of food-related vocabulary begins with mushrooms and continues with names of seaweed. At the end, there is a section of edibles that are neither fungus nor algae. 👽 Note that some of the organisms are not listed with a proper name in English, yet. You will also notice that certain mushrooms and seaweed are known by names derived from Japanese language. [Regardless, they may be common ingredients in Korea, China and various other Asian cuisines as well.] In order to avoid confusion among the numerous trivial names and English translations, the scientific names are listed in brackets, too.
⚠️ UPDATE: There are now pictures of food items along with the respective Korean name, pronunciation and English translation. Find the slideshows below!👇
Names of mushrooms and seaweed in Korean
plant-based ingredients 식물성 재료 植物性材料 sikmulseong jaeryo
🍄 mushrooms 버섯 🍄🍄
- class of mushrooms – 버섯류 –類 beoseotnyu
- mushroom in general – 버섯 beoseot
- edible mushroom in general – 식용버섯 sigyong beoseot
- 🦪 oyster mushroom – 느타리버섯 neutari beoseot
- ⚫️ black oyster mushroom, most common type of Korean oyster mushroom – 흑느타리버섯 heuk neutari beoseot
- ⚪ white oyster mushroom – 흰느타리버섯 huin neutari beoseot / 하얀느타리버섯 hayan neutari beoseot
- 🟡 yellow oyster mushroom – 노랑느타리버섯 norang neutari beoseot
- 🌳 “poplar tree oyster mushroom” – 미루나무(느타리)버섯 mirunamu (neutari) beoseot
- 🍖 “meaty oyster mushroom” – 고기느타리버섯 gogi neutari beoseot
- (Pleurotus ferulae) – 아위버섯 awi beoseot / 백령느타리버섯 baengnyeong neutari beoseot
- king oyster mushroom, king trumpet mushroom, French horn mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii) – 새송이버섯 saesongi beoseot
- shiitake (Lentinula edodes) – 표고버섯 pyogo beoseot
- high-grade shiitake, “winter mushroom”, Chin. dōnggū 冬菇 – 동고 dong-go
- high-grade shiitake with pattern of flower-like cracks, “flower mushroom”, Chin. huāgū 花菇 – 화고 (표고) hwago (pyogo)
- 🟤 dark-colored shiitake with flower-like cracks – 흑화고 黑花菇 heuk hwago
- ⚪ light-colored shiitake with flower-like cracks – 백화고 白花菇 baek hwago
- variety of shiitake with a stem resembling matsutake – 송화버섯 松花 songhwa beoseot
- variety of shiitake resembling matsutake – 참송이버섯 cham songi beoseot [lit. “oak matsutake“]
- 🌲 matsutake 松茸 / マツタケ, Chin. sōngkǒumó 松口蘑, “pine mushroom” (Tricholoma matsutake) – 송이버섯 松耳 / 松栮 songi beoseot
- ⚪ button mushroom, cremini, portobello (Agaricus bisporus) – 양송이버섯 yangsongi beoseot
- golden needle mushroom, enoki mushroom, Jap. enokitake 榎茸 (Flammulina velutipes) – 팽이버섯 paengi beoseot
- golden enoki mushroom – 황금팽이버섯 hwang-geum paengi-beoseot
- wild enoki mushroom – 갈색팽이버섯 galsaek paengi beoseot / 감나무버섯 gamnamu beoseot / 팽나무버섯 paeng-namu beoseot
- 금이버섯 geumi beoseot
- 🌳 beech mushroom, shimeji mushroom (Hypsizygus tessellatus) – 만가닥버섯 man-gadak beoseot / 백만송이버섯 baengman songi beoseot
- 👂 wood ear mushroom, Chin. mu er – 목이버섯 木耳 mogi beoseot
- ⚫️ black wood ear mushroom, black ear fungus (Auricularia heimuer) – 흑목이버섯 黑木耳 heungmogi beoseot
- ⚪ white wood ear mushroom, white ear fungus (white variety of Auricularia heimuer) – 백목이버섯 白木耳 baengmogi beoseot / 흰목이버섯 huin mogi beoseot
- ⚪ snow fungus, snow ear, silver ear fungus, white jelly mushroom, white cloud ear (Tremella fuciformis) – 은이버섯 银耳 euni beoseot / 꽃송이버섯 kkotsongi beoseot
- 🦁 lion’s mane mushroom, monkey head mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) – 노루궁뎅이버섯 noru gungdengi beoseot (literally: “Siberian roe deer tail mushroom”)
- 🐓 hen-of-the-woods, ram’s head, sheep’s head, Jap. maitake 舞茸 (Grifola frondosa) – 잎새버섯 ipsae beoseot
- 🐓 chicken-of-the-woods, crab-of-the-woods, sulphur polypore, sulphur shelf (Laetiporus sulphureus) – 덕다리버섯 deokdari beoseot
- 🐛 caterpillar fungus, Chin. jīn chóngcǎo 金虫草 or chóngcǎo huā 虫草花 (Ophiocordyceps sinensis / Cordyceps militaris) – 동충하초 冬蟲夏草 dongchung hacho
- 🦔 shingled hedgehog, scaly hedgehog (Sarcodon imbricatus) – 능이버섯 能耳 neungi beoseot / 능혈버섯 neunghyeol beoseot / 노루털버섯 noruteol beoseot / 웅이 熊茸 ungi
- (Ramaria) – 싸리버섯 ssari beoseot
- 👑 emperor mushroom, Korean breed of mushroom – 황제버섯 hwangje beoseot
- 🥚 Caesar’s mushroom (Amanita caesarea) – 민달걀버섯 mindalgyal beoseot [lit. “egg mushroom”]
- straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) – 풀버섯 pul beoseot / 총각버섯 chonggak beoseot
- 여름향버섯
- 까치버섯
- 차신고버섯
- 🌰 chestnut mushroom (Pholiota adiposa) – 검은비늘버섯 geomeun bineul beoseot
- 🎍 bamboo mushroom, bamboo pith, long net stinkhorn, crinoline stinkhorn, bridal veil, veiled lady (Phallus indusiatus) – 망태버섯 mangtae beoseot / 비단우산버섯 bidan usan beoseot
- almond mushroom, mushroom of the sun, God’s mushroom (Agaricus blazei / Agaricus subrufescens) – 아가리쿠스 버섯 agarikuseu beoseot
- porcini, penny bun (Boletus edulis) – 그물버섯 geumul beoseot / 포치니버섯 pochini beoseot
- morel mushroom, hickory chick (Morchella) – 곰보버섯 gombo beoseot
- 🥔 truffle – 송로 松露 songno / 트러플 teureopeul
- lingzhi mushroom, Jap. reishi (Ganoderma lingzhi) – 영지버섯 靈芝 yeongji beoseot [👉medicinal use, and symbol in art]
- mesima, black hoof mushroom, Jap. meshimakobu, Chin. song gen (Phellinus linteus) – 상황버섯 桑黃 sanghwang beoseot / 목질진흙버섯 mokjil jinheuk beoseot [👉medicinal use]
- chaga (Inonotus obliquus) – 차가버섯 chaga beoseot [👉medicinal use]
- 🦃 turkey tail mushroom (Trametes versicolor) – 운지버섯 unji beoseot [👉medicinal use]
⚠️ For quick learning and easy remembering: Here’s a slideshow illustrating the vocabulary! 👇 More images will be added soon!
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🌊 seaweed 해초 🎣🌿
- class of seaweed – 해초류 海草類 haecho-ryu
- 🌿 seaweed in general – 해초 海草 haecho / 해조 海藻 haejo
- 🔴 sea laver, Jap. nori, type of red algae (Pyropia / Porphyra) – 김 gim [👉 sushi, Kimbap 김밥]
- 🟤 sea mustard, Jap. wakame, type of brown algae (Undaria) – 미역 miyeok
- 🟤 kelp, Jap. kombu, type of brown algae (Laminaria / Saccharina) – 다시마 dasima [👉 soup stock]
- 🟤 Jap. hijiki, type of brown algae (Sargassum fusiforme) – 톳 tot
- 🟤 species of brown algae Ecklonia stolonifera – 곰피 gompi / 쇠미역 soe-miyeok
- 🟢 species of green algae (Ulva) – 파래 parae
- 🟢 species of green algae Ulva prolifera – 감태 gamtae / 가시파래 gasiparae
- 🟢 species of green algae Capsosiphon fulvescens – 매생이 maesaengi
- 🟢 species of green algae Codium fragile – 청각 cheonggak
- 🟢 latok, lato, sea grapes, Jap. umi-budō (海ぶどう), type of green algae (Caulerpa lentillifera) – 바다포도 bada podo
- 🔴 species of red algae (Gloiopeltis tenax? / Gloiopeltis furcata?) – 세모가사리 細毛 semogasari
- 🔴 species of red algae – 불등가사리 buldeung-gasari
- 🔴 species of red algae (Gellidium amansii) – 우뭇가사리 umutgasari
- agar, gelling agent made from Umutgasari – 한천 hancheon
- 🦠 Chlorella (single-celled green algae) – 클로렐라 keullorella
⚠️ For quick learning and easy remembering: Here’s a slideshow illustrating the vocabulary! 👇 More images will be added soon!
👽 miscellaneous 기타 🦄👾
- 🪨 rock tripe, manna lichen, Jap. iwatake 岩茸 (Umbilicaria esculenta) – 석이버섯 石耳 seogi-beoseot
- 🦠 spirulina, cyanobacteria Arthrospira platensis – 스피룰리나 seupirullina / 스피루리나 seupirurina
⚠️ For quick learning and easy remembering: Here’s a slideshow illustrating the vocabulary! 👇 More images will be added soon!
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✍️ Work is still in progress! This list will be expanded gradually! ✍️
❓ Didn’t find the word/sentence you need?
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📝 Any questions, comments, vocabulary suggestions and language feedback are welcome! 🤗
♣️Sesame Sprinkles♣️ 