kimchi

American  

[kim-chee] / ˈkɪm tʃi /

Or kimchee

noun

1. Korean Cooking. a spicy pickled or fermented mixture containing cabbage, onions, and sometimes fish, variously seasoned, as with garlic, horseradish, red peppers, and ginger.

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Etymology

Origin of kimchi

First recorded in 1895–1900; from Korean kimch'i, hypercorrection of cimch'i, earlier timchoy, from Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese chén “steeped” + cày “vegetables”

Explanation

Kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean side dish usually made of cabbage. Just about any meal you eat in Korea, or at a Korean restaurant, will be served with kimchi. There are hundreds of ways to make kimchi, using different vegetables and varying spice levels, but it is always slightly crunchy, with sweet, sour, spicy, and umami flavors. Fermentation is the most important element of kimchi, which is traditionally fermented in a clay vessel called an onggi. The Korean kimchi (or kimchee) derives from roots meaning "soaked vegetable."

Example Sentences

Cultural spats -- including China's claims over the origins of the Korean staple dish Kimchi -- have also soured public opinion against Beijing.

From Barron's • Nov. 1, 2025

The study was funded by the World Institute of Kimchi, which specialises in researching the country's national dish.

From Salon • Feb. 8, 2024

Eden Zecharya, 28, was at the festival with her boyfriend, Ofek Kimchi.

From BBC • Dec. 8, 2023

Kimchi is a powerhouse Korean ingredient of seasoned cabbage packing spice, crunch and that savory umami factor that comes from fermented foods.

From Washington Times • Jun. 16, 2023

Then he says, “Hey, guess what? I figured out the movie for my film-camp application. It’s a mini-documentary. I call it: 'Frank’s Diner...Burgers, Donuts, Kimchi Breakfast Burritos, and More!’

From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio