Level 2

썰다

No base JSON record found for this token.

Meaning and Usage

The Korean verb '썰다' primarily means 'to chop' or 'to slice' food ingredients into small pieces, commonly used in cooking contexts. For example, you might 썰다 vegetables or meat when preparing a meal.

However, '썰다' also has a colloquial meaning related to storytelling. In casual conversation, it can mean 'to tell stories' or 'to chat', especially when sharing entertaining or interesting anecdotes.

Common Collocations

  • '채소를 썰다' (to chop vegetables): used in cooking.
  • '썰을 풀다' (to tell a story): used when narrating or sharing stories.
  • '재미있는 썰' (funny story): refers to amusing anecdotes.

Register and Usage Notes

The chopping meaning is neutral and used in everyday cooking language. The storytelling sense is informal and mostly used in spoken Korean among friends or in casual settings.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse '썰다' with '자르다' (to cut) which is more general. '썰다' implies cutting into smaller pieces, often thin or fine. Also, the storytelling meaning is informal and should not be used in formal writing.

Example Sentences

요리를 할 때 채소를 잘게 썰어야 해요.

Yorireul hal ttae chaesoreul jalge sseoreoya haeyo.

You need to finely chop the vegetables when cooking.

친구들과 오랜만에 만나서 재미있는 이야기를 썰었어요.

Chingudeulgwa oraenman-e mannaseo jaemiinneun iyagireul sseoreosseoyo.

I met my friends after a long time and shared interesting stories.

그는 항상 재미있는 썰을 많이 풀어요.

Geuneun hangsang jaemiinneun sseoreul mani pureoyo.

He always tells a lot of funny stories.