How Do You Like Your Eggs? Learn Korean Egg Terms

Hello! How do you like your eggs?

Some people love soft-boiled eggs with runny yolks, while others prefer firm, fully cooked eggs. Today, let’s learn how Koreans describe eggs according to how they are cooked.

1. 반숙란 (Bansuk-ran)

A 반숙란 usually has a soft or runny yolk, although the exact texture can vary depending on how long it is cooked.

• 저는 반숙란을 좋아해요.
  Jeoneun bansuk-raneul joahaeyo.
  I like soft-boiled eggs.

2. 완숙란 (Wansuk-ran)

완숙란 means a hard-boiled, fully cooked egg. 완숙 (wansuk) means “fully cooked.” Both the egg white and yolk are cooked until firm.

• 저는 완숙란을 좋아해요.
  Jeoneun wansuk-raneul joahaeyo.
  I like hard-boiled eggs.

3. 구운란 (Guun-ran)

구운란 is an egg cooked slowly at a high temperature rather than boiled in water.

It usually has a brown shell, a light-brown egg white, and a pleasantly chewy texture. It is a popular snack at Korean convenience stores and 찜질방 (jjimjilbang), or Korean bathhouses.

• 편의점에서 구운 계란을 샀어요.
  Pyeonuijeomeseo guun gyeraneul sasseoyo.
  I bought some Korean baked eggs at a convenience store.

Note!

(1) The suffix -란 (-ran) means “egg” and commonly appears in compound words such as 반숙란, 완숙란, and 구운란. You can think of it as a shortened egg-related form used in compounds. It is the same Sino-Korean element 란, meaning “egg,” found in 계란 (gyeran).

(2) 달걀 and 계란 both mean “egg” in Korean.

• 달걀 (dalgyal): a native Korean word

• 계란 (gyeran): a Sino-Korean word commonly used in everyday speech

✨ Today’s Korean Words

반숙란 (bansuk-ran): a soft-boiled or partially cooked egg
완숙란 (wansuk-ran): a hard-boiled, fully cooked egg
구운란 (guun-ran): a Korean baked or roasted egg

How do you prefer your eggs—반숙 or 완숙?

One Korean expression a day, make it yours!