What Does 삼겹살 (Samgyeopsal) Mean in Korean?
After this page, you can recognize 삼겹살 (Samgyeopsal) when you hear or read it, and use it naturally in conversation.
10-Second Answer
삼겹살 (samgyeopsal) is grilled pork belly, one of Korea's most popular foods — literally "three-layer flesh," referring to the alternating layers of meat and fat. It's cooked at the table on a grill and eaten wrapped in lettuce with garlic, ssamjang (sauce), and rice — a social, hands-on meal built for sharing.
Quick Examples
오늘 삼겹살 먹으러 갈까?
oneul samgyeopsal meogeureo galkka?
Want to go get samgyeopsal today?
삼겹살에 소주 한잔!
samgyeopsal-e soju hanjan!
Samgyeopsal with a shot of soju!
One of Korea's most classic food-drink pairings — see 치맥 for its beer/chicken cousin.
How the Meal Actually Works
- Raw pork belly slices grill directly on a tabletop grill, often turned by staff or the most senior/eager person at the table
- Cut into bite-sized pieces with scissors (a normal, expected kitchen tool at Korean BBQ)
- Wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaf (상추/깻잎) with garlic, sauce (쌈장), and sometimes rice — this wrap is called 쌈
- Shared communally, cooked and eaten gradually over a long, social meal — not a quick individual plate
Why It's a Social Dish
Because everyone shares the same grill and takes turns wrapping and eating, samgyeopsal is a classic 회식 (company dinner) and friend-group meal — the shared cooking process itself is part of the social bonding, tying directly into the group-first, shared-plate dining culture covered on the etiquette page.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Trying to eat it plain like Western bacon
The full experience is the wrap — lettuce, garlic, sauce, and often rice together, not the meat alone.
Mistake #2 — Flipping the meat constantly
Let each side cook properly before flipping — over-flipping is a classic tell of an inexperienced griller at the table.
Mini Quiz
1. What does 삼겹살 literally mean?
2. What is 쌈?
3. Why is samgyeopsal considered a social dish?
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
Samgyeopsal's constant companion — Korea's signature spirit and the etiquette around it.
Will you remember this tomorrow?
Add it to your review queue — the daily session brings it back before you forget.
Start today's study →Last updated: 2026-08-10 · Written and reviewed by a native Korean speaker.