kimchi

noun

kim·​chi ˈkim-chē 

variants or less commonly kimchee

: a spicy, pungent vegetable dish that consists of one or more pickled and fermented vegetables and especially napa cabbage and radishes with various seasonings (such as garlic, red chili pepper, ginger, scallions, and anchovy paste) and that is the national dish of South Korea

To Koreans, life without "kimchi"—that spicy, fermented pickled vegetable mixture, which accompanies every Korean meal—is unthinkable.

—K. Connie Kang

Korean buckwheat noodles have more of a kick, often delivered with a little spicy kimchi.

—David Tanis

Examples of kimchi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The lacy jeon weaves kimchi or chives with the tradition of women who’ve made the savory pancakes for generations. — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026

Immersive experiences can also include getting your hands dirty with some cooking classes such as making kimchi in South Korea. — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

The doctor, Sean O’Mara, is reportedly the reason why the likes of JD Vance, Robert F Kennedy Jr, and Sean Duffy have all adopted a diet based almost entirely on eating steak and fermented foods like kimchi. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 6 Aug. 2026

Top with kimchi and scallions, if using. — Kate Williams, AJC.com, 15 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Korean kimch'i

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above