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Today it means

banchan

small side dishes served alongside rice in a traditional Korean meal

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Where does the word "banchan" come from? It comes from Korean banchan, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

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Where does the word "banchan" come from? It comes from Korean banchan, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

Banchan’s story begins in Korean: banchan meant “a side dish.” Literally side dish, the small savory dishes served alongside rice in Korean meals. It reached English by 1900s as banchan. A Korean meal may include a dozen banchan, with kimchi the most common. Today, banchan means small side dishes served alongside rice in a traditional Korean meal.

  1. Stage 1 · Korean · medieval banchan "a side dish", literally side dish, the small savory dishes served alongside rice in Korean meals.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1900s banchan "small side dishes served with a Korean meal", a Korean meal may include a dozen banchan, with kimchi the most common.

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