Ssamjang
/ˈsɑːm.dʒɑːŋ/noun
A thick Korean condiment made from fermented soybean paste, chili paste, sesame oil, and other seasonings, commonly eaten with wrapped foods.
Did you know?The “jang” in ssamjang belongs to Korea’s ancient fermented-sauce tradition and is written with 醬, a Chinese character historically associated with preserved, fermented pastes.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient China
Old Chinese
醬 (*tsang-s)
“Fermented meat or fish paste; later, fermented sauces and pastes”
Early Korean usage
Sino-Korean
장 (醬)
“Fermented sauce or paste, including foundational soybean-based condiments”
Middle Korean period
Korean
쌈
“A wrap or leafy covering used to enclose food; related to the Korean verb meaning “to wrap””
20th Century
Korean
쌈장
“A seasoned sauce or paste served with ssam, especially lettuce or perilla wraps”
Modern English
English
ssamjang
“An English loanword for the Korean fermented dipping paste”