밥을 차리다.
babeul charida.
To prepare a meal.
Phrase in 30 Seconds
Learn how to describe the warm act of preparing and serving a full Korean meal for someone.
- Means: To prepare a meal and set the table with dishes.
- Used in: Daily family life, hosting guests, or describing household chores.
- Don't confuse: With just 'cooking' (요리하다); this includes the physical act of setting the table.
Explanation at your level:
المعنى
The act of cooking and setting out food for a meal.
خلفية ثقافية
The concept of 'Bapsang' (meal table) is central to family life. Even in modern apartments, many families prioritize a large dining table where everyone can sit together. Hospitality often involves 'over-preparing'. A host might say '차린 건 없지만 많이 드세요' (I haven't prepared much, but please eat a lot), even if the table is overflowing. Gender roles in '밥을 차리다' are shifting. In the past, it was exclusively a woman's job, but '요섹남' (sexy men who cook) is a popular modern trend. The phrase is used in K-dramas to show a character's loneliness—often showing them '차려 먹다' (setting and eating) a lonely meal by themselves.
Use with '정성껏'
If you want to sound very polite and appreciative, use the adverb '정성껏' (with all one's heart) before '차리다'.
Don't forget the object marker
In formal writing, always use '밥을'. In casual speech, you can drop it: '밥 차렸어?'
المعنى
The act of cooking and setting out food for a meal.
Use with '정성껏'
If you want to sound very polite and appreciative, use the adverb '정성껏' (with all one's heart) before '차리다'.
Don't forget the object marker
In formal writing, always use '밥을'. In casual speech, you can drop it: '밥 차렸어?'
The 'Empty Table' Paradox
Even if a Korean host has '차리다' a massive feast, they will often apologize for there being 'nothing to eat'. Just smile and say '잘 먹겠습니다!'
Passive form for compliments
To compliment a host, say '상이 정말 잘 차려져 있네요!' (The table is set so well!)
اختبر نفسك
Fill in the blank with the correct form of '차리다'.
어머니께서 부엌에서 맛있는 아침 밥을 ______ 계세요.
The present progressive '-고 있다' is used here to show the action is currently happening.
Which sentence is the most polite when talking about your grandfather?
할아버지께...
You must use the honorific noun '진지' and the honorific verb '드리다' for a grandfather.
Match the phrase to the most likely situation.
Situation: You are tired of living alone and having to cook every day.
'귀찮다' means to be bothersome/annoying, which fits the context of being tired of chores.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 배고파요! 밥 언제 먹어요? B: 지금 다 ______. 식탁으로 오세요.
The speaker is saying they have finished setting the table, so the past tense is appropriate.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
وسائل تعلم بصرية
Cooking vs. Setting
الأسئلة الشائعة
12 أسئلةYes! '아침 밥을 차리다', '점심 밥을 차리다', and '저녁 밥을 차리다' are all perfectly natural.
Usually, yes. If you are making pasta, you might just say '파스타를 만들다'. '밥' implies the traditional Korean structure.
'상을 차리다' focuses on the table (상), while '밥을 차리다' focuses on the meal (밥). They are often interchangeable.
No, that sounds very strange. For bread/sandwiches, use '준비하다' or '만들다'.
Use '진지를 차려 드리고 있어요' if you are doing it for an elder.
Not exactly. It means to 'set out' or 'prepare'. You can '차리다' a meal using food you bought from a store, as long as you arrange it on the table.
Only if you are literally talking about providing a meal. Otherwise, use '식사를 준비하다'.
It means to prepare a meal for yourself and then eat it. It's a very common daily expression.
Yes, '파티 음식을 차리다' is possible, but '상을 차리다' or '음식을 준비하다' is more common for parties.
Yes, it follows the standard '아/어' conjugation rules: 차려요, 차렸다, 차릴 것이다.
'밥' is the native Korean word and feels much warmer and more personal than the Sino-Korean '식사'.
You would usually say '도시락을 싸다' (to pack a lunchbox) for a picnic.
عبارات ذات صلة
상을 차리다
similarTo set the table
요리하다
similarTo cook
준비하다
similarTo prepare
대접하다
builds onTo treat/serve a guest
치우다
contrastTo clean up
أين تستخدمها
Coming home from work
Husband: 나 왔어! 배고프다.
Wife: 빨리 씻어. 지금 밥 차리고 있어.
Inviting a friend over
Host: 우리 집에 와! 내가 밥 차려 줄게.
Guest: 정말? 고마워! 기대할게.
Helping at a family gathering
Younger relative: 어머니, 제가 밥 차리는 거 도와드릴까요?
Mother: 그래, 수저 좀 놓아주렴.
Talking about living alone
Friend A: 자취하니까 어때?
Friend B: 매번 밥 차려 먹는 게 너무 귀찮아.
Ordering at a traditional restaurant
Customer: 여기 밥상 좀 빨리 차려 주세요.
Server: 네, 금방 준비해 드리겠습니다.
On a dating app
User A: 취미가 뭐예요?
User B: 저는 요리해서 예쁘게 밥 차려 먹는 걸 좋아해요.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Charida' as 'Chair-ida'. You are bringing the food to the table where the chairs are!
Visual Association
Imagine a mother in a hanbok carefully placing five colorful small bowls (banchan) around a steaming bowl of white rice on a low wooden table.
Rhyme
밥을 차려, 배를 채워! (Set the meal, fill the belly!)
Story
Min-su was very hungry. He didn't just want a snack; he wanted a full meal. He went to the kitchen, cooked rice, made soup, and took out all the side dishes. He 'charida' (arranged) them all on the table so it looked like a feast.
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Next time you eat, describe every dish you are putting on the table using '차리다' in the present progressive: '지금 밥을 차리고 있어요'.
In Other Languages
To set the table / To fix a meal
Korean includes the actual food placement as part of 'setting'.
Poner la mesa / Preparar la comida
Spanish separates the table setting from the food preparation more strictly.
Mettre le couvert / Préparer le repas
French focuses on etiquette; Korean focuses on the provision of food.
Den Tisch decken
German is more functional; Korean is more nurturing.
ご飯を用意する (Gohan o yōi suru)
Japanese is slightly more formal; Korean '차리다' feels more 'active' and domestic.
تحضير المائدة (Tahdir al-ma'ida)
Arabic often uses 'extending the table' (madd al-sufra) to imply abundance.
摆饭 (Bǎifàn) / 准备饭菜 (Zhǔnbèi fàncài)
Chinese 'bǎifàn' is slightly more regional/dialectal; 'zhǔnbèi' is more standard.
Arrumar a mesa
Korean '차리다' almost always implies you are the one who also prepared the food.
Easily Confused
Learners often use 'eat' when they mean 'prepare'.
If you are the one doing the work in the kitchen, use '차리다'. If you are the one putting food in your mouth, use '먹다'.
The verb '차리다' is the same, which confuses beginners.
Look at the object. '밥' = food, '정신' = mind/spirit.
الأسئلة الشائعة (12)
Yes! '아침 밥을 차리다', '점심 밥을 차리다', and '저녁 밥을 차리다' are all perfectly natural.
Usually, yes. If you are making pasta, you might just say '파스타를 만들다'. '밥' implies the traditional Korean structure.
'상을 차리다' focuses on the table (상), while '밥을 차리다' focuses on the meal (밥). They are often interchangeable.
No, that sounds very strange. For bread/sandwiches, use '준비하다' or '만들다'.
Use '진지를 차려 드리고 있어요' if you are doing it for an elder.
Not exactly. It means to 'set out' or 'prepare'. You can '차리다' a meal using food you bought from a store, as long as you arrange it on the table.
Only if you are literally talking about providing a meal. Otherwise, use '식사를 준비하다'.
It means to prepare a meal for yourself and then eat it. It's a very common daily expression.
Yes, '파티 음식을 차리다' is possible, but '상을 차리다' or '음식을 준비하다' is more common for parties.
Yes, it follows the standard '아/어' conjugation rules: 차려요, 차렸다, 차릴 것이다.
'밥' is the native Korean word and feels much warmer and more personal than the Sino-Korean '식사'.
You would usually say '도시락을 싸다' (to pack a lunchbox) for a picnic.
