시금치

Korean

시금치 (sigeumchi, “spinach”).

Etymology

First attested in the Beonyeok nogeoldae (飜譯老乞大 / 번역노걸대), 1517, as Middle Korean 시근〮ᄎᆡ〯 (Yale: sìkúnchǒy). Borrowed from Chinese 赤根菜 (chìgēncài, literally “red-rooted vegetable”), probably (given other Chinese borrowings directly into Middle Korean) specifically from Early Mandarin 赤根菜 (EM *tʂʰiᴿkəntsʰajᴰ).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɕʰiɡɯmt͡ɕʰi]
• Phonetic hangul: [시금치]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	sigeumchi
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	sigeumchi
McCune–Reischauer?	sigŭmch'i
Yale Romanization?	sikumchi

Noun

시금치 • (sigeumchi)

1. spinach

Derived terms

• 시금치나물 (sigeumchinamul, “dressed spinach salad”)