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A2 verb #9,000 most common 8 min read

쑤다

ssuda Top 9,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 쑤다 in 30 Seconds

Explanation 쑤다 in your Level:

At the A1 level, you don't need to worry too much about the complex uses of '쑤다'. Just remember that '쑤다' is a special word for making '죽' (juk), which is Korean porridge. In Korea, people eat porridge when they are sick because it is easy to digest. You can think of '쑤다' as a special type of 'cook' or 'make'. While you use '만들다' for many things, for porridge, '쑤다' is the best word. For example, '엄마가 죽을 쑤어요' (Mom makes porridge). You might also hear it when someone is talking about '풀' (pul), which is paste or glue made from flour. It's a simple verb that describes a specific action in the kitchen.

At the A2 level, you should start to distinguish '쑤다' from other cooking verbs like '끓이다' (to boil) and '짓다' (to cook rice). '쑤다' is specifically used for things that become thick and sticky, like porridge (죽) or acorn jelly (묵). The key action is stirring over heat. You should also learn the informal contraction '쒀요' (from 쑤어요). A common sentence you might use is '아픈 친구를 위해 죽을 쒔어요' (I made porridge for my sick friend). This level also introduces the idea that '쑤다' is used for making traditional starch paste (풀) used in crafts or wallpapering. It's a more precise way to talk about cooking than just saying '요리하다'.

At the B1 level, you should be familiar with the idiomatic expression '죽을 쑤다'. This is a very common idiom that means to 'mess up' or 'fail' something, like an exam or a task. Even though it literally means 'to make porridge,' in a figurative context, it is always negative. You should also understand the nuance that '쑤다' implies a certain amount of effort and time—it's not 'fast food'. When you use '쑤다', you are emphasizing the process of stirring and the change in consistency. You might encounter this word in recipes or when someone is explaining how to make traditional Korean foods like '도토리묵' (acorn jelly).

At the B2 level, you can use '쑤다' in more complex grammatical structures and understand its role in traditional Korean culture. You should be able to use it with honorifics (쑤시다) and various ending patterns like '-느라고' (because of doing something) to explain why you were busy. For example, '동지라 팥죽을 쑤느라고 바빴어요' (I was busy making red bean porridge because it was the Winter Solstice). You also understand that '쑤다' is the standard verb for making starch paste used in 'hanji' (traditional paper) crafts, connecting the word to Korean heritage and traditional industries. Your vocabulary is now precise enough to avoid using '끓이다' when '쑤다' is more appropriate.

At the C1 level, you appreciate the historical and linguistic depth of '쑤다'. You can recognize its usage in older literature or specialized culinary texts where the 'texture' of the food is of paramount importance. You understand the subtle differences between '쑤다', '고다' (to simmer for a long time), and '뜸을 들이다' (to steam/settle). You can use the idiom '죽을 쑤다' in sophisticated ways, perhaps in a business or political context to describe a failed strategy. You are also aware of regional variations or specific traditional dishes that require the '쑤다' method, such as various types of 'pul-juk' used as a base for certain types of kimchi in specific provinces.

At the C2 level, you have a near-native grasp of '쑤다' and its place in the Korean lexicon. You can discuss the etymology of the word and how it has evolved from Middle Korean. You are comfortable using it in any register, from highly formal academic papers on traditional food technology to the most casual slang. You understand the sensory associations the word carries—the sound of the bubbling thick liquid, the resistance of the spoon as the starch thickens, and the cultural memory of 'jeong' (affection) associated with a mother stirring porridge for a sick child. You can use the word to provide rich, evocative descriptions in creative writing or formal presentations.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

쑤다 in 30 Seconds

A specific Korean verb used for making thick, stirred foods like porridge (juk) or starch jelly (muk).
Also used for making traditional paste or glue (pul) from flour or starch for crafts.
Used in the common idiom '죽을 쑤다', which figuratively means to fail or mess something up.
Implies a process of slow cooking and continuous stirring to achieve a specific viscous consistency.

The Korean verb 쑤다 (ssuda) is a highly specific culinary and craft-related term that primarily means 'to make porridge' or 'to cook starch into a paste or jelly.' Unlike general verbs for 'to make' (만들다) or 'to boil' (끓이다), 쑤다 implies a laborious process of continuous stirring over low heat until a liquid mixture thickens into a viscous, semi-solid consistency. This word is deeply rooted in the traditional Korean kitchen, where slow-cooked foods like juk (porridge) and muk (starch jelly) are staples. When you use this verb, you are conveying not just the act of cooking, but the patience and physical effort required to prevent the mixture from burning or clumping at the bottom of the pot.

Culinary Context: The most common objects for this verb are 죽 (porridge), 미음 (thin gruel), and 묵 (starch jelly). For example, making acorn jelly (dotorimuk) requires one to ssuda the acorn powder and water mixture until it becomes firm.

할머니께서 정성스럽게 팥죽을 쑤고 계십니다. (Grandmother is carefully making red bean porridge.)

Non-Culinary Context: In traditional crafts and household maintenance, ssuda is used when making 풀 (paste/glue) from flour or starch. This paste was historically used for wallpapering (dobae) or starching clothes to make them crisp.

Historically, ssuda has been associated with care and recovery. Because porridge is the go-to food for the sick in Korea, the act of ssuda often carries a connotation of nursing someone back to health. It is a verb of devotion. Furthermore, the word appears in the famous idiom 죽을 쑤다, which literally means 'to make porridge' but figuratively means 'to completely ruin something' or 'to fail miserably,' suggesting that instead of a proper meal, you ended up with a mushy mess.

이번 시험은 완전히 죽을 쑤었어. (I totally messed up this exam.)

In modern daily life, you might not use this word as often as 요리하다 (to cook), but it remains indispensable when discussing specific traditional dishes. If you are at a traditional market or a specialized juk restaurant, you will see or hear this word used to describe the authentic, hand-stirred process of making these comfort foods. It emphasizes the artisanal quality of the food over mass production.

Using 쑤다 correctly requires understanding its grammatical constraints and common collocations. As a transitive verb, it always takes an object—specifically, something that starts as a liquid or powder and becomes thick through cooking. The most common structure is [Object] + 을/를 + 쑤다.

Basic Conjugation: The verb stem is 쑤-. In the present tense, it becomes 쑤어요 (polite) or 쒀 (informal). In the past tense, it is 쑤었어요 or 쒔어요. Note that 쑤어 often contracts to 쒀 in speech and writing.

풀을 쑤어서 벽지를 붙였다. (I made paste and put up the wallpaper.)

One of the most important aspects of using 쑤다 is knowing which nouns it can 'pair' with. You cannot ssuda soup (guk) or stew (jjigae); for those, you must use 끓이다. You only ssuda things that result in a thick, gelatinous, or porridge-like state. This distinction is a common point of confusion for learners who might think any boiling process is interchangeable.

Honorific Usage: When speaking about an elder making porridge, use the honorific suffix -시-. For example: 할머니께서 죽을 쑤십니다. (Grandmother is making porridge.)

In more complex sentences, 쑤다 can be combined with auxiliary verbs to express intent or result. For instance, 쑤어 주다 (to make porridge for someone) is very common in caregiving contexts. 쑤어 놓다 indicates that the porridge has been made and is ready for consumption. Understanding these nuances allows you to describe domestic scenes with greater precision and cultural accuracy.

아픈 동생을 위해 흰죽을 쑤어 주었다. (I made white porridge for my sick younger sibling.)

Finally, consider the passive or causative forms, though they are rare. Most usage revolves around the active voice because the focus is on the person performing the labor. When you use 쑤다, you are highlighting the 'transformation' of the ingredients through heat and motion, which is why it's a favorite verb in traditional Korean cookbooks and culinary documentaries.

You will encounter 쑤다 in several distinct environments in Korea. First and foremost is the domestic setting, particularly in households where traditional cooking methods are still practiced. If a mother or grandmother is preparing patjuk (red bean porridge) for the Winter Solstice (Dongji), she will undoubtedly use this word. It carries a sense of 'slow food' and 'home-cooked' warmth that modern microwaveable porridge lacks.

Traditional Markets: At a sijang (traditional market), vendors selling muk (starch jelly) often advertise that they 'directly cook' (jikjeop ssuda) their products. This is a mark of quality, indicating that the jelly was made from scratch without artificial thickeners.

이 묵은 집에서 직접 쑨 것이라 맛이 진해요. (This jelly tastes rich because it was made directly at home.)

Another major area where you'll hear this word is in the context of failure, thanks to the idiom 죽을 쑤다. You will hear students coming out of a difficult exam saying, "아, 이번 시험 죽 쒔어!" (Ah, I totally messed up this exam!). In this context, it has nothing to do with cooking and everything to do with a disappointing result. This is perhaps the most frequent way young Koreans use the verb in modern slang-heavy conversations.

Historical Dramas (Sageuk): In historical dramas, you often see characters making starch paste to fix paper onto doors or preparing medicinal gruel for a king. The verb 쑤다 is used to emphasize the traditional lifestyle and the manual labor of the past.

Lastly, you might hear this in the context of DIY crafts. When people make traditional Korean paper (Hanji) or engage in traditional bookbinding, the process of making the natural glue from flour is always described using 쑤다. It connects the culinary world with the world of craftsmanship through the shared physical action of stirring a thickening substance over fire.

밀가루로 풀을 쑤어서 편지 봉투를 붙였다. (I made paste with flour and sealed the envelope.)

One of the most frequent mistakes learners make is using 쑤다 for the wrong types of food. Because it translates to 'make' or 'cook' in certain contexts, students often overextend it to things like soup, rice, or ramen. It is vital to remember that 쑤다 is only for thick, paste-like substances. You do not ssuda rice (bap); you jitda (짓다) rice. You do not ssuda ramen; you kkurida (끓이다) ramen.

Confusing with '끓이다' (Kkeul-ida): Many learners use 끓이다 for porridge. While not technically 'wrong' in a broad sense (porridge is boiled), using 쑤다 is much more natural and precise. Using 끓이다 for muk (jelly), however, is definitely awkward, as the goal isn't just to boil it but to thicken it.

Wrong: 된장찌개를 쑤다 (X)
Right: 된장찌개를 끓이다 (O)

Another mistake involves the spelling and pronunciation of its conjugated forms. The contraction of 쑤어 to 쒀 is very common, but some learners might misspell it as 써 (which is the conjugation for 쓰다, meaning 'to write' or 'to use'). Confusing 쒀 and 써 can lead to very confusing sentences, like 'I wrote porridge' instead of 'I made porridge.'

Idiomatic Misuse: Learners sometimes try to use '죽을 쑤다' in a positive way, thinking it means 'working hard to make something good.' Remember, this idiom is exclusively negative. If you say you 'made porridge' on a project, you are admitting failure.

Finally, there's the issue of 'level of effort.' Using 쑤다 for instant, microwaveable porridge can sound slightly ironic or humorous because 쑤다 implies the labor of stirring. If you just pressed a button on a microwave, 데우다 (to heat up) or 만들다 (to make) is more appropriate. Precision in verb choice is a hallmark of an advanced Korean speaker, and mastering 쑤다 is a great step in that direction.

To truly understand 쑤다, it helps to compare it with other verbs related to cooking and preparation. While they might share a similar English translation like 'to make' or 'to cook,' their usage in Korean is strictly partitioned by the method and the result.

쑤다 vs. 끓이다 (Kkeul-ida): 쑤다: Focuses on thickening through stirring. Used for porridge, paste, and jelly. Result is viscous or semi-solid.
끓이다: Focuses on the liquid reaching 100°C. Used for soup, tea, water, and ramen. Result remains mostly liquid.
쑤다 vs. 짓다 (Jit-da): 쑤다: Used for porridge (juk).
짓다: Used specifically for steamed rice (bap). It implies a more structured 'building' or 'preparing' of a meal.
쑤다 vs. 고다 (Go-da): 쑤다: Rapidly thickens through starch. Stirring is essential.
고다: To simmer for a very long time (like bone broth). Stirring is less central than the long duration of simmering to extract nutrients.

Comparison: 죽을 쑤다 (Make porridge) vs. 밥을 짓다 (Cook rice) vs. 국을 끓이다 (Boil soup).

In the context of crafts, 쑤다 is used for making paste (pul), whereas 개다 (gaeda) is used for mixing powder with water without cooking it (like mixing flour with cold water for a different purpose). If you are using heat to thicken the paste, 쑤다 is the only correct choice. Understanding these distinctions helps you avoid the 'generic verb' trap that many intermediate learners fall into.

Lastly, consider the verb 만들다 (mandeulda). While it is the broad term for 'to make,' using it for porridge or starch paste sounds a bit clinical or overly simple. It lacks the descriptive power of 쑤다, which immediately tells the listener about the texture and the effort involved in the cooking process.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The word '쑤다' is phonetically distinct from '쓰다' (to write/bitter) and '쉬다' (to rest), but in rapid speech, learners often mix them up. The idiom '죽을 쑤다' is thought to originate from the idea that if you fail to cook rice properly, you end up with porridge—a lesser result for a main meal.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /s͈u.da/

US /s͈u.dɑ/

The stress is slightly more on the first syllable '쑤' due to the tensed consonant.

Rhymes With

주다 (juda - to give) 두다 (duda - to put) 누다 (nuda - to excrete) 푸다 (puda - to scoop) 꾸다 (kkuda - to dream/borrow) 추다 (chuda - to dance) 부다 (buda - to swell) 무다 (muda - to bite - rare form)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'ㅆ' as a soft 's' (수다), which means 'chatter'.
Confusing the vowel 'ㅜ' with 'ㅡ' (쓰다), which means 'to write'.
Not tensing the 'ㅆ' enough, making it sound like a different word.
Mispronouncing the contracted past tense '쒔다' as '섰다' (to stand).
Over-emphasizing the '다' at the end.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

The word is easy to read but can be confused with other similar-looking verbs.

Writing 3/5

Conjugating '쑤어' to '쒀' correctly requires some practice.

Speaking 3/5

The tensed 'ss' sound and the distinction from 'suda' (chatter) is important.

Listening 2/5

Usually clear in context, especially when followed by 'juk' or 'pul'.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

죽 (Porridge) 물 (Water) 끓이다 (To boil) 요리하다 (To cook) 젓다 (To stir)

Learn Next

고다 (To simmer) 찌다 (To steam) 볶다 (To stir-fry) 튀기다 (To deep-fry) 조리다 (To braise)

Advanced

호화 (Gelatinization) 점성 (Viscosity) 앙금 (Sediment/Dregs) 전분 (Starch)

Grammar to Know

Irregular contraction of '쑤어'

쑤어 -> 쒀 (Common in speech and informal writing).

Honorific '-시-' with 쑤다

어머니께서 죽을 쑤십니다.

-느라고 (Because of doing something)

죽을 쑤느라고 전화 못 받았어.

-어 주다 (Do for someone)

친구에게 죽을 쑤어 주었다.

-어 놓다 (Resultative state)

죽을 쑤어 놓았으니 먹어라.

Examples by Level

엄마가 죽을 쑤어요.

Mom makes porridge.

쑤다 is the base form, 쑤어요 is the polite present tense.

할머니는 팥죽을 쑤십니다.

Grandmother makes red bean porridge.

쑤시다 is the honorific form of 쑤다.

우리는 풀을 쒔어요.

We made paste.

쒔어요 is the past tense contraction of 쑤었어요.

죽을 쑤고 있어요.

I am making porridge.

-고 있다 expresses the progressive 'am/is/are doing'.

동생이 미음을 쑤어요.

My younger sibling makes thin gruel.

미음 is a very thin type of porridge for infants or the very sick.

풀을 쑤어 보세요.

Please try making paste.

-어 보다 means 'to try doing something'.

누나가 죽을 쑤어 주었어요.

My older sister made porridge for me.

-어 주다 means 'to do something for someone'.

죽을 쑤는 것은 힘들어요.

Making porridge is hard.

-는 것 turns a verb into a noun phrase.

도토리묵을 쑤려면 정성이 필요해요.

To make acorn jelly, you need sincerity.

-려면 means 'if you intend to'.

밀가루로 풀을 쑤어 벽지를 붙였어요.

I made paste with flour and put up wallpaper.

밀가루 (flour) is the material used for the paste.

아침마다 죽을 쑤는 것은 건강에 좋아요.

Making porridge every morning is good for health.

아침마다 means 'every morning'.

어머니께서는 묵을 직접 쑤십니다.

Mother makes the starch jelly herself.

직접 means 'directly' or 'personally'.

죽을 쑤어 먹고 기운을 차렸어요.

I made and ate porridge and regained my strength.

-어 먹다 means 'to make and eat'.

풀을 너무 묽게 쑤지 마세요.

Don't make the paste too watery.

-지 마세요 is a negative command.

전복죽을 쑤는 냄새가 좋아요.

The smell of making abalone porridge is good.

전복죽 is a high-quality abalone porridge.

이 묵은 어떻게 쑤나요?

How do you make this starch jelly?

-나요 is a polite questioning ending.

이번 기말고사는 완전히 죽을 쑤었어.

I completely messed up this final exam.

This is the idiomatic use meaning 'to fail'.

풀을 쑤어서 창호지를 발랐습니다.

I made paste and applied paper to the window frame.

창호지 is traditional paper for doors and windows.

정성껏 쑨 죽 한 그릇이 보약보다 낫다.

A bowl of carefully made porridge is better than herbal medicine.

쑨 is the past participle form modifying 죽.

묵을 쑤는 동안 계속 저어 주어야 해요.

You must keep stirring while making the starch jelly.

-는 동안 means 'while' or 'during'.

그는 사업에서 죽을 쑤고 실망했다.

He failed in business and was disappointed.

Idiomatic use applied to business failure.

엄마는 콩죽을 쑤어 이웃과 나누셨다.

Mom made bean porridge and shared it with the neighbors.

나누다 means 'to share'.

풀을 쑤는 법을 배우고 싶어요.

I want to learn how to make paste.

-는 법 means 'the way/method of doing'.

죽을 쑤어서 식힌 다음에 드세요.

Make the porridge, let it cool, and then eat it.

식히다 means 'to cool down'.

전통적인 방식으로 풀을 쑤어 책을 제본했다.

I made paste in a traditional way and bound the book.

방식 means 'method' or 'way'.

그 선수는 결승전에서 죽을 쑤는 바람에 메달을 놓쳤다.

Because that athlete messed up in the final, they missed the medal.

-는 바람에 indicates an unexpected negative cause.

묵을 쑤어 굳히는 데 시간이 꽤 걸립니다.

It takes quite a bit of time to make and harden the starch jelly.

-는 데 means 'in the process of' or 'for doing'.

옛날에는 밀가루가 귀해서 전분으로 풀을 쑤었다.

In the old days, flour was scarce, so they made paste with starch.

귀하다 means 'to be rare/precious'.

죽을 쑤는 정성이 환자의 회복을 돕는다.

The sincerity of making porridge helps the patient's recovery.

회복 means 'recovery'.

녹두를 갈아 죽을 쑤면 맛이 아주 고소하다.

If you grind mung beans and make porridge, the taste is very nutty.

고소하다 describes a nutty, toasted flavor.

풀을 쑤어 한지를 겹겹이 붙여 상자를 만들었다.

I made paste and layered Hanji paper to make a box.

겹겹이 means 'layer upon layer'.

그 영화는 흥행에서 완전히 죽을 쒔다.

That movie completely flopped at the box office.

흥행 refers to box office success.

천연 재료로 풀을 쑤어 사용하는 것은 친환경적이다.

Making and using paste from natural ingredients is eco-friendly.

친환경적 means 'eco-friendly'.

동지 팥죽을 쑤어 문설주에 뿌리는 풍습이 있다.

There is a custom of making red bean porridge and sprinkling it on doorposts.

풍습 means 'custom' or 'tradition'.

그 정치인은 이번 선거에서 죽을 쑤며 정치 생명에 위기를 맞았다.

The politician messed up in this election, facing a crisis in their political life.

정치 생명 refers to one's career in politics.

풀을 쑤는 농도에 따라 종이의 접착력이 달라진다.

The adhesive strength of the paper varies depending on the concentration of the paste.

농도 means 'concentration' or 'thickness'.

정성껏 쑨 미음은 소화가 잘 안 되는 어르신들께 좋다.

Carefully made thin gruel is good for elders who have difficulty digesting.

소화 means 'digestion'.

그 화가는 물감에 풀을 쑤어 섞어 독특한 질감을 표현했다.

The painter mixed paste into the paint to express a unique texture.

질감 means 'texture'.

죽을 쑤는 일은 단순해 보이지만 인내심이 요구되는 작업이다.

Making porridge seems simple, but it is a task that requires patience.

인내심 means 'patience'.

그 기업은 신제품 출시에서 죽을 쑤는 바람에 큰 손실을 입었다.

The company suffered a huge loss because they messed up the new product launch.

손실을 입다 means 'to suffer a loss'.

고조리서에 기록된 방식대로 죽을 쑤어 선조들의 맛을 재현했다.

I made porridge according to the method recorded in old cookbooks to recreate the taste of our ancestors.

고조리서 refers to ancient cookbooks.

풀을 쑤는 행위 자체가 하나의 수행 과정처럼 느껴졌다.

The act of making paste itself felt like a process of spiritual discipline.

수행 means 'asceticism' or 'spiritual discipline'.

그 평론가는 감독의 신작이 서사 구조에서 죽을 쒔다고 혹평했다.

The critic harshly criticized the director's new work, saying it failed in its narrative structure.

혹평하다 means 'to criticize harshly'.

전통 건축에서 풀을 쑤어 단청의 안료를 고정시키는 기법을 사용한다.

In traditional architecture, a technique is used where paste is made to fix the pigments of Dancheong (decorative coloring).

안료 means 'pigment'.

죽을 쑤는 과정에서의 수분 증발량 조절이 묵의 탄력을 결정짓는다.

Controlling the amount of water evaporation during the process of making starch jelly determines its elasticity.

탄력 means 'elasticity'.

그 작가는 시대의 아픔을 죽을 쑤는 어머니의 뒷모습에 투영했다.

The author projected the pain of the era onto the image of a mother's back as she made porridge.

투영하다 means 'to project' or 'to reflect'.

풀을 쑤어 종이를 붙이는 소박한 일상에서 행복을 찾는다.

I find happiness in the simple daily life of making paste and sticking paper.

소박하다 means 'simple' or 'plain'.

그 경제학자는 정부의 부동산 정책이 완전히 죽을 쒔다고 분석했다.

The economist analyzed that the government's real estate policy had completely failed.

부동산 정책 refers to real estate policy.

Synonyms

끓이다 만들다 저어가며 익히다 고다 개다 조리다 졸이다 중탕하다

Antonyms

식히다 말리다 굳히다 희석하다

Common Collocations

죽을 쑤다

풀을 쑤다

묵을 쑤다

미음을 쑤다

팥죽을 쑤다

정성껏 쑤다

직접 쑤다

계속 저으며 쑤다

시험을 죽 쑤다

밀가루 풀을 쑤다

Common Phrases

죽을 쑤어 주다

— To make porridge for someone, often as a gesture of care.

어머니께서 아픈 나에게 죽을 쑤어 주셨다.

풀을 쑤어 바르다

— To make paste and apply it to a surface.

벽에 풀을 쑤어 발랐다.

정성이 담긴 죽을 쑤다

— To make porridge with great care and sincerity.

그녀는 정성이 담긴 죽을 쑤어 남편에게 주었다.

묵을 쑤어 굳히다

— To make starch jelly and then let it set/harden.

녹두묵을 쑤어 차가운 곳에서 굳혔다.

죽 쑤어 개 준다

— Literally 'making porridge and giving it to a dog'; meaning to do all the work only for someone else to take the benefit.

열심히 일했는데 남 좋은 일만 시켰으니 죽 쑤어 개 준 꼴이다.

죽을 쑤어 먹다

— To make and eat porridge (implies a simple or restorative meal).

입맛이 없어서 죽을 쑤어 먹었다.

풀을 쑤는 냄새

— The specific smell of cooking flour or starch paste.

집안에 풀을 쑤는 냄새가 진동했다.

죽을 쑤는 시간

— The duration it takes to cook porridge.

죽을 쑤는 시간 동안 책을 읽었다.

완전히 죽을 쑤다

— To fail completely (idiomatic).

면접에서 완전히 죽을 쑤고 말았다.

풀을 쑤어 붙이다

— To make paste and stick something.

아이들이 풀을 쑤어 종이 인형을 붙였다.

Often Confused With

쑤다 vs 수다 (Suda)

Means 'chatter' or 'small talk'. Sounds similar but has a soft 's'.

쑤다 vs 쓰다 (Sseuda)

Means 'to write', 'to use', or 'to be bitter'. Uses the vowel 'ㅡ' instead of 'ㅜ'.

쑤다 vs 쑤시다 (Ssushida)

Means 'to ache' or 'to poke'. It is also the honorific form of '쑤다', which can be confusing.

Idioms & Expressions

"죽을 쑤다"

— To fail miserably or ruin a task completely. It implies that despite the effort, the result is a mess.

이번 프로젝트는 기획부터 죽을 쑤었다.

Informal/Slang

"죽 쑤어 개 준다"

— To do a lot of hard work only for someone else to reap the rewards unexpectedly.

내가 다 고생했는데 승진은 딴 사람이 하니 죽 쑤어 개 준 셈이다.

Common Idiom

"죽을 쑤어 놓다"

— To have already failed or messed something up significantly.

이미 죽을 쑤어 놓은 일을 어떻게 수습하니?

Informal

"풀을 쑤다 (as in weak)"

— Sometimes used to describe someone being very weak or lacking energy, like floppy paste.

몸이 안 좋아서 풀을 쑨 것처럼 힘이 없다.

Metaphorical

"죽 쑤는 놈 따로 있고 먹는 놈 따로 있다"

— Similar to '죽 쑤어 개 준다', emphasizing the unfairness of labor vs. reward.

세상일이 참 불공평해. 죽 쑤는 놈 따로 있고 먹는 놈 따로 있으니.

Proverbial

"죽이 되든 밥이 되든"

— Whether it becomes porridge or rice (whatever the outcome may be). Related to the result of cooking.

죽이 되든 밥이 되든 일단 시작해 보자.

Common Phrase

"풀 먹인 듯하다"

— To be stiff or crisp (like clothes with starch paste).

새 옷이라 풀 먹인 듯 빳빳하다.

Descriptive

"죽을 쑤어 바치다"

— To work hard to provide for someone else (often with a sense of sacrifice).

평생 자식들 위해 죽을 쑤어 바친 어머니.

Literary

"죽 쑤어 먹을 놈"

— A very harsh insult for someone considered useless or clumsy (rarely used now).

이런 죽 쑤어 먹을 놈 같으니라고!

Old Slang/Archaic

"풀 쑤는 소리"

— Talking nonsense (like the bubbling sound of paste).

자다가 풀 쑤는 소리 하지 마라.

Informal/Regional

Easily Confused

쑤다 vs 끓이다

Both involve boiling liquid.

'끓이다' is for liquids (soup, water), while '쑤다' is for thickening substances (porridge, jelly).

국을 끓이다 vs 죽을 쑤다.

쑤다 vs 짓다

Both involve cooking grains.

'짓다' is specifically for steamed rice (bap), while '쑤다' is for porridge (juk).

밥을 짓다 vs 죽을 쑤다.

쑤다 vs 고다

Both involve long cooking times.

'고다' is for simmering bones/meat to extract broth; '쑤다' is for thickening starch.

사골을 고다 vs 묵을 쑤다.

쑤다 vs 개다

Both involve making a paste-like substance.

'개다' is mixing powder with water (often cold); '쑤다' is cooking it until it thickens.

가루를 개다 vs 풀을 쑤다.

쑤다 vs 졸이다

Both involve reducing liquid.

'졸이다' focuses on concentrating flavor/liquid; '쑤다' focuses on the structural change to a paste.

조림을 졸이다 vs 죽을 쑤다.

Sentence Patterns

[Noun]을/를 쑤어요.

죽을 쑤어요.

[Noun]을/를 쑤고 있어요.

풀을 쑤고 있어요.

[Noun]을/를 쑤어 주다.

동생에게 죽을 쑤어 주었어요.

완전히 죽을 쑤다.

시험을 완전히 죽 쒔어요.

[Noun]을/를 쑤느라고 [Result].

죽을 쑤느라고 늦었어요.

[Noun]을/를 쑤는 법.

묵을 쑤는 법을 알아요.

[Noun]을/를 쑤어 [Action].

풀을 쑤어 창문을 발랐다.

[Noun]에 [Noun]을/를 쑤어 넣다.

물감에 풀을 쑤어 넣었다.

Word Family

Nouns

죽 (Porridge)

풀 (Paste)

묵 (Starch jelly)

미음 (Thin gruel)

Verbs

쑤시다 (Honorific of 쑤다)

쑤어대다 (To keep making porridge/paste repeatedly)

끓이다 (To boil)

젓다 (To stir)

익히다 (To cook/ripen)

졸이다 (To boil down)

데우다 (To heat up)

How to Use It

frequency

Medium in cooking contexts; High in idiomatic 'failure' contexts.

Common Mistakes

Using 쑤다 for rice. → 밥을 짓다.
'쑤다' is for porridge. '짓다' is for the standard steamed rice eaten at every meal.
Spelling the past tense as 썼다. → 쒔다 (or 쑤었다).
'썼다' is the past tense of '쓰다' (to write/use). '쒔다' is from '쑤다'.
Using 쑤다 for making soup. → 국을 끓이다.
Soup is a liquid, so '끓이다' is appropriate. '쑤다' is only for thick substances.
Using '죽을 쑤다' to mean something positive. → It only means 'to fail'.
Even though it involves effort, the idiom always refers to a negative outcome or a mess-up.
Confusing 쑤다 with 쑤시다. → 쑤시다 means to ache or poke.
Though '쑤시다' is the honorific of '쑤다', as a standalone verb, it means something very different.

Tips

Stirring is key

Whenever you use '쑤다', imagine yourself stirring a pot. It helps you remember that it's for thick things like porridge.

Don't 'ssu-da' your test!

Remember '죽을 쑤다' as 'I messed up'. It's a great way to express disappointment in a natural way.

The contraction rule

쑤 + 어 = 쒀. This contraction is very similar to 배우 + 어 = 배워. Practice writing '쒀요' to look more advanced.

Porridge as care

In Korea, making porridge (쑤다) for someone is a sign of deep affection and care for their health.

Pair with 'Juk'

The most common pair for this verb is 'Juk' (죽). If you see 'Juk', the verb is almost always '쑤다'.

Starch paste

If you are doing traditional Korean crafts, 'pul-eul ssuda' (making paste) is an essential phrase to know.

Tense the 'SS'

Make sure the 'ss' sound in 'ssuda' is sharp and tensed, or it might sound like 'suda' (chatter).

Winter Solstice

Mentioning 'patjuk-eul ssuda' (making red bean porridge) is a great cultural conversation starter for winter.

Vs. 끓이다

If the result is liquidy (like soup), use '끓이다'. If it's thick (like porridge), use '쑤다'.

Visualizing

Visualize a bubbling pot of thick lava—that's the consistency of something you would 'ssuda'.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'SSU-da' as 'Stirring and Simmering Until' it's thick. The 'SS' sound is like the sound of steam escaping a thick pot.

Visual Association

Imagine a large wooden spoon (SS) stirring a deep pot (U) of thick, bubbling porridge.

Word Web

죽 (Porridge) 풀 (Paste) 묵 (Jelly) 젓다 (Stir) 끓이다 (Boil) 실패 (Failure) 정성 (Sincerity) 걸쭉하다 (Thick)

Challenge

Try to say '죽을 쑤다' five times fast without making it sound like '주거수다'. Then, write a sentence about a time you 'messed up' using this verb.

Word Origin

The word '쑤다' has been used since Middle Korean (15th century) in similar forms like '쑤다'. It has consistently referred to the process of boiling something into a thick state.

Original meaning: To boil down or thicken through heat.

Koreanic

Cultural Context

Be careful using '죽을 쑤다' with someone who has actually failed at something serious, as it is a lighthearted but very clear way of pointing out failure.

In English, we say 'to make porridge' or 'to cook porridge'. We don't have a specific verb just for this action, which makes '쑤다' a unique cultural marker in Korean.

The idiom '죽을 쑤다' is frequently heard in Korean variety shows (like Running Man) when someone loses a game. Traditional recipes for 'Dotorimuk' (Acorn Jelly) always use the verb '쑤다'. Historical dramas often show court ladies '쑤다'-ing medicinal gruel for the King.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Cooking for a sick person

죽 좀 쑤어 줄까?
정성껏 쑨 죽이야.
미음을 쑤어 왔어.
따뜻할 때 쑤어 먹어.

Traditional Holidays

팥죽을 쑤는 냄새.
동지에는 팥죽을 쒀야지.
새알심을 넣어 쑤다.
마을 사람들이 모여 묵을 쑨다.

Failing an exam/task

완전히 죽 쒔어.
시험 죽 쑤면 어떡해?
이번엔 죽 쑤지 마.
프로젝트를 죽 쑤어 버렸다.

DIY/Crafts

풀을 쑤어 벽지를 붙이다.
밀가루로 풀을 쑤다.
풀이 식기 전에 쑤다.
한지를 붙이려면 풀을 쒀야 해.

Traditional Food Production

직접 쑨 도토리묵.
가마솥에 죽을 쑤다.
전통 방식으로 쑨 묵.
매일 아침 죽을 쑵니다.

Conversation Starters

"어제 아파서 죽을 쑤어 먹었는데 좀 나아졌어요. (I made and ate porridge because I was sick yesterday, and I feel better.)"

"도토리묵 직접 쑤어 본 적 있어요? (Have you ever tried making acorn jelly yourself?)"

"이번 시험 죽 쒔다고 들었는데 진짜예요? (I heard you messed up this exam, is it true?)"

"풀을 쑤어서 도배를 하는 게 요즘은 드물죠? (It's rare to do wallpapering by making paste these days, right?)"

"어머니께서 쑤어 주시는 팥죽이 제일 맛있어요. (The red bean porridge my mother makes is the best.)"

Journal Prompts

오늘 누군가를 위해 정성껏 죽을 쑤어 준 경험에 대해 써 보세요. (Write about an experience where you carefully made porridge for someone today.)

내가 '죽을 쑨' 날의 기분과 그 이유를 설명해 보세요. (Explain how you felt on a day you 'messed up' and the reason why.)

전통 방식으로 음식을 만드는 것의 가치에 대해 쑤다라는 단어를 사용하여 써 보세요. (Write about the value of making food in a traditional way using the word 'ssuda'.)

풀을 쑤어 무언가를 만들었던 어린 시절의 추억이 있나요? (Do you have childhood memories of making something by creating paste?)

가장 좋아하는 죽의 종류와 그것을 쑤는 방법에 대해 써 보세요. (Write about your favorite type of porridge and how to make it.)

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, '쑤다' is reserved for thick substances like porridge, starch jelly, or paste. For soup, you should use '끓이다' (to boil).

It is an idiom meaning you completely failed or messed up the exam. It's a very common informal expression among students.

Both are grammatically correct. '쒀요' is the contracted form and is much more common in everyday spoken Korean.

You should use '할머니께서 죽을 쑤십니다' or '쑤셔요'. Note that '쑤시다' is the honorific form here.

Yes, it is the standard verb for making starch paste (풀) used in traditional Korean crafts, wallpapering, or bookbinding.

Yes, the verb strongly implies the continuous action of stirring to prevent the thickening mixture from burning or clumping.

'짓다' is used for making steamed rice (bap), while '쑤다' is used for making porridge (juk). They are not interchangeable.

It's thought that making porridge instead of proper rice is a 'failed' cooking result, hence the idiomatic meaning of ruining a task.

Generally, '졸이다' (to boil down) is used for jam, but '쑤다' can occasionally be used if the jam is very thick and starch-like.

Yes, it is considered an elementary to intermediate word (CEFR A2) because it relates to basic cooking and common idioms.