떡볶이
Spicy stir-fried rice cakes — Korea's most beloved street food, a chewy red dish made with cylindrical rice cakes in gochujang sauce.
- Meaning: Spicy stir-fried rice cakes — Korea's most beloved street food, a chewy red dish made with cylindrical rice cakes in gochujang sauce.
- Pronunciation: /t͈ʌk.p͈o.k͈i/ (tteokbokki)
- Part of speech: noun
- Formality: Neutral — works in most everyday settings.
- Literal: rice cake (떡) + stir-fry (볶이) compound
What does 떡볶이 mean?
떡볶이 (tteokbokki) is the iconic Korean street food: thick cylindrical rice cakes (가래떡) simmered in a thick, sweet-spicy red sauce of gochujang (red chili paste), gochugaru (chili powder), sugar, and broth — usually with fish cakes (어묵), green onion, and boiled eggs. The name combines 떡 (tteok, "rice cake") + 볶이 (bokki, from 볶다 "to stir-fry"), though modern 떡볶이 is more simmered than stir-fried. It is the snack of Korean childhood, sold from 분식집 (snack shops) on every street corner, and the comfort food of every K-drama heroine going through a breakup. Variations include 라볶이 (라면+떡볶이, with ramen noodles), 치즈 떡볶이 (cheese-topped), and 즉석 떡볶이 (the tabletop simmer-as-you-eat version). K-pop idols have made 떡볶이 internationally recognizable through countless mukbang and food show appearances.
Examples in context
When to use 떡볶이
- Talking about Korean street food / snack culture
- K-drama food scenes
- Cooking blogs and recipe discussions
- Korean travel content — must-try foods
When NOT to use 떡볶이
- Formal restaurant settings — 떡볶이 is street food; fine-dining versions exist but are rare
- When describing royal court 궁중 떡볶이 — that's a different soy-sauce dish despite sharing the name
- When the dish is actually 라볶이 (with ramen) — use the more specific name
Related terms
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Frequently asked questions
What is 떡볶이 (tteokbokki)?
떡볶이 (tteokbokki) is a Korean street food made of thick cylindrical rice cakes (떡) simmered in a sweet-spicy gochujang-based red sauce, usually with fish cakes, eggs, and green onions. It is Korea's most iconic snack and a staple of 분식집 (snack shops).
How is 떡볶이 pronounced?
떡볶이 is pronounced [t͈ʌk.p͈o.k͈i] — "ttok-ppok-kee." Three syllables. All three feature tense consonants (the "tt", "pp", "kk" are sharper and more emphatic than English "t/p/k"). Common Romanizations include "tteokbokki" (Revised) and "ddeokbokki" (older).
Why is 떡볶이 so popular in Korean culture?
떡볶이 is cheap, filling, comforting, and ubiquitous — sold at school-front stalls, 분식집, and convenience stores nationwide. It is the snack of nostalgia for almost every Korean adult, the breakup-food of K-dramas, and a universal social activity for friends after school or work. K-pop and K-drama exposure has made it globally famous.
What is the difference between 떡볶이 and 라볶이?
떡볶이 (tteokbokki) is rice cakes in red sauce. 라볶이 (rabokki) adds ramen noodles to 떡볶이 — combining the two starches into one dish. 라볶이 is essentially a tteokbokki upgrade for hungry students. Both share the same red sauce base.
Further reading
External references for cross-checking the information on this page.
- Tteokbokki — Wikipedia
English-language overview of the dish, history, and regional variants.
- Rabokki — Wikipedia
The ramen + tteokbokki hybrid.
More Korean slang?
Browse the full Korean Slang Dictionary or read the deep-dive: Korean Slang Ultimate Guide.