Bulgogi
/bʊlˈɡoʊɡi/noun
A Korean dish of thinly sliced, marinated meat grilled or pan-cooked, commonly beef.
Did you know?The Korean word combines bul, meaning “fire,” with gogi, meaning “meat”; unlike many occult-sounding food etymologies, this fiery translation is completely literal.
Etymological Timeline
Before the 20th Century
Korean
불고기
“A compound of 불, “fire,” and 고기, “meat”; grilled or roasted meat.”
Three Kingdoms period
Korean
맥적 (maekjeok)
“An early Korean grilled-meat dish often discussed as a historical predecessor of bulgogi, though not the direct linguistic ancestor of the modern name.”
Joseon period
Korean
너비아니 (neobiani)
“A traditional Korean preparation of sliced, marinated, grilled beef.”
20th Century
Korean
불고기 (bulgogi)
“The modern Korean name for marinated meat cooked over fire or heat.”
20th–21st Century
English
bulgogi
“An English loanword for the Korean grilled-meat dish, especially marinated beef.”