Nuance Dictionary / Sounds & Sensations
조물조물 jo-mul-jo-mul
The gentle, tactile motion of kneading, massaging seasonings into food by hand, or shaping rice balls.
What does 조물조물 mean?
조물조물 (jo-mul-jo-mul) means: The gentle, tactile motion of kneading, massaging seasonings into food by hand, or shaping rice balls.
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How it's actually used
- 시금치를 삶아서 양념에 조물조물 무쳤어요.
si-geum-chi-reul sam-a-seo yang-nyeom-e jo-mul-jo-mul mu-chyeo-sseo-yo.
I boiled the spinach and gently tossed it in seasoning by hand.
💡 Reveals the classic pairing with vegetable side dishes (namul) where bare hands are used to gently coat greens without crushing them. - 손으로 조물조물 해서 주먹밥 만들어 줄게.
son-e-ro jo-mul-jo-mul hae-seo ju-meok-bap man-deureo jul-ge.
I'll use my hands to shape some nice rice balls for you.
💡 Highlights the affectionate, caretaking context of forming food for someone else. - 밀가루 반죽을 조물조물 치대서 수제비 해 먹자.
mil-ga-ru ban-juk-eul jo-mul-jo-mul chi-dae-seo su-je-bi hae meok-ja.
Let's knead the dough nice and soft and make hand-pulled noodle soup.
💡 Shows how the word is used for light, playful manipulation of dough rather than aggressive baker's kneading.
Related words in Sounds & Sensations
주룩주룩 ju-ruk-ju-ruk꾸벅꾸벅 kku-beok-kku-beok몽글몽글 mong-geul-mong-geul느릿느릿 neu-rit-neu-rit오손도손 o-son-do-son