떡

떡 U+B5A1, 떡 HANGUL SYLLABLE DDEOG Composition: ㄸ + ㅓ + ㄱ Dubeolsik input: E-j-r ← 떠 [U+B5A0] Hangul Syllables 떢 → [U+B5A2]

Korean

떡 (tteok, “rice-dough cake”).

Etymology 1

First attested in the Worin seokbo (月印釋譜 / 월인석보), 1459, as Middle Korean ᄯᅥᆨ〮 (Yale: sték).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͈ʌ̹k̚]
• Phonetic hangeul: [떡]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	tteok
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	tteog
McCune–Reischauer?	ttŏk
Yale Romanization?	ttek

South Gyeongsang (Busan) pitch accent: 떡의 / 떡에 / 떡까지

Syllables in red take high pitch. This word always takes high pitch and also heightens the next suffixed syllable, unless it is 에.

Noun

떡 • (tteok)

1. Any dough of rice or other cereals, ground before, or mashed after, steaming.
2. Specifically, a steamed cake of glutinous rice, often sweetened.

Synonyms

• 병 (餠, byeong) (rare)

Derived terms

• 떡가래 (tteokgarae)
• 떡가루 (tteokgaru, “rice-cake flour”)
• 떡갈비 (tteokgalbi)
• 떡고물 (tteokgomul)
• 떡국 (tteokguk)
• 떡메 (tteongme)
• 떡밥 (tteokbap)
• 떡방아 (tteokbang-a)
• 떡보 (tteokbo)
• 떡볶이 (tteokbokki)
• 떡살 (tteoksal)
• 떡소 (tteokso)
• 떡시루 (tteoksiru)
• 떡쌀 (tteokssal)
• 떡판 (tteokpan)
• 가래떡 (garaetteok)
• 개떡 (gaetteok)
• 시루떡 (sirutteok)
• 쑥떡 (ssuktteok)
• 찰떡 (chaltteok)
• 떡 먹기 (tteok meokgi, “a piece of cake”)
• 떡치다 (tteokchida)

See also

• tteok on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Etymology 2

Of native Korean origin. Perhaps derived directly from 딱 (ttak).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͈ʌ̹k̚]
• Phonetic hangeul: [떡]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	tteok
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	tteog
McCune–Reischauer?	ttŏk
Yale Romanization?	ttek

Ideophone

떡 • (tteok)

1. (of a gap, of a width) very widely, very broadly

   어깨가 떡 펼쳐져 있다.

   Eokkaega tteok pyeolchyeojyeo itda.

   His shoulders are spread very broadly.

2. (of two things, also metaphoric) very tightly, in a perfectly fitting manner (often negative)

   밥풀이 옷에 떡 붙어 있다.

   Bappuri ose tteok buteo itda.

   Grains of rice are stuck tight to his clothes.

3. while being immobile; (metaphoric) in an adult manner; intransigently (often negative)

   군인들이 떡 버티고 있다.

   Gunindeuri tteok beotigo itda.

   The troops are intransigently blocking the way.

Usage notes

떡 (tteok) is the yin vowel, or dark vowel, form of 딱 (ttak).

In contemporary Korean, the yin vowels refer to /ʌ/, /e/, /u/, and often /i/. In Korean ideophones and sensory words, forms with these vowels have a connotation of darkness, largeness, murkiness, bluntness, old age, or negativeness.