급식

Hey there! If you are learning Korean, 급식 (geup-sik) is a word you will hear every single day. It refers to the school lunch program where students eat together.

Think of it as the heart of the school day. It is not just about food; it is about community and making sure every student gets a healthy, warm meal during their busy day of studying.

The word 급식 comes from two Hanja characters: 급 (給) meaning 'to provide' and 식 (食) meaning 'food' or 'meal'.

Historically, school meals were not always standard. Over the decades, Korea evolved its system from simple packed lunches (dosirak) to the highly organized, nutritious modern school meal system we see today.

You use 급식 when talking about the lunch served at school. Common phrases include 급식 시간 (lunch time) or 급식 메뉴 (lunch menu).

It is a very neutral, everyday term. Whether you are a student complaining about the food or a parent checking the nutrition plan, this is the word you need.

1. 급식충: A slang term (somewhat rude) for students who act immaturely. 2. 급식체: Refers to the specific slang-heavy way of speaking used by school kids. 3. 급식 맛있다: The most common phrase students say when they are happy with the menu. 4. 급식 당번: The student assigned to help serve the food. 5. 급식비: The money paid for the school meal.

급식 functions as a standard noun. It does not have a plural form because it acts as a collective noun in Korean.

Pronunciation tip: The 'g' is soft, and the 'sik' part should be crisp. It rhymes loosely with 'music' if you stretch the sounds!