Miyeokguk
/mi.jʌk̚.k͈uk̚/noun
A Korean soup made primarily with miyeok, or edible seaweed, often served on birthdays and after childbirth.
Did you know?Miyeokguk is traditionally eaten on birthdays because Korean mothers commonly consume it after childbirth, linking the dish with birth, maternal care, and remembrance.
Etymological Timeline
Middle Korean period
Middle Korean
미역 (miyek)
“Edible seaweed; the marine plant now called miyeok in Modern Korean.”
Middle Korean period
Middle Korean
국 (kuk)
“Soup or broth.”
Joseon period
Korean
미역국
“A compound meaning seaweed soup, appearing in the culinary vocabulary of premodern Korea.”
20th Century
Korean
미역국 (miyeokguk)
“Seaweed soup, especially associated with postpartum nourishment and birthday customs.”
Modern English
English
miyeokguk
“A Korean seaweed soup; an established English loanword used in writing about Korean food and culture.”
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