Gimbap
/ˈɡɪm.bæp/noun
A Korean dish of seasoned rice and other fillings rolled in dried seaweed and sliced into pieces.
Did you know?The name is a modern compound of native Korean words, while the dish’s familiar rolled form was influenced by the Japanese-era spread of makizushi, making its history culturally layered rather than simply ancient.
Etymological Timeline
Middle Korean period
Korean
김 (gim/kim)
“Seaweed, especially edible laver; the older history of this word is uncertain.”
Middle Korean period
Korean
밥 (pap/bap)
“Cooked rice or a meal; a native Korean food term.”
20th Century
Korean
김밥 (gimbap)
“A compound meaning seaweed-wrapped rice, referring to the rolled dish.”
Late 20th Century
English
kimbap/gimbap
“English transliterations used for the Korean rice-and-seaweed roll.”
Modern English
English
gimbap
“The increasingly standardized Revised Romanization form used in English-language food writing.”