치맥 한 잔, 어때요? (chimaek han jan, eottaeyo?) — Your Complete Guide to 치맥 (chimaek), Korea's National Late-Night Snack
On a sweltering summer night, the people sitting on picnic mats along the banks of the Han River always have the same two things in hand: crispy fried chicken and ice-cold beer. And on days when there’s a soccer match, the phones at every chicken shop in the neighborhood ring off the hook. There’s a single word that runs through all of these scenes — today’s expression, 치맥 (chimaek).
If you watch Korean dramas or variety shows, you’ll often come across a scene where someone says, “우리 치맥이나 할까? (uri chimaegina halkka?)” — “Shall we go for some chimaek?” It looks like the kind of word that would never make it into a dictionary, but it’s actually a full-fledged standard word, proudly listed in the National Institute of Korean Language’s dictionary. Learn just this one expression properly today, and you’ll understand something deep about everyday Korean culture.
치맥 (chimaek)
치맥 (chimaek) is a contraction that takes the 치 (chi) from 치킨 (chikin, fried chicken) and the 맥 (maek) from 맥주 (maekju, beer). In other words, it’s a single word for “chicken and beer.” Korean is full of abbreviations made by combining the first syllables of two words, and 치맥 is the most successfully established example of them all.
What about the nuance? 치맥 doesn’t just mean the food combination of “chicken plus beer.” It carries with it the whole idea of gathering comfortably with friends, washing away the day’s fatigue, and the good mood that comes with it. That’s why “치맥 하자 (chimaek haja)” also works as an invitation meaning “let’s have a drink and chat and enjoy ourselves.”
Checking the National Institute of Korean Language Dictionary
The National Institute of Korean Language’s Basic Korean Dictionary defines 치맥 like this:
치맥 「명사 (myeongsa) / noun」 치킨과 맥주. (chikingwa maekju.) — chicken and beer. [en] chicken and beer — Chicken and beer. [es] pollo y cerveza — Pollo y cerveza. [zh] 炸鸡和啤酒 — 炸鸡与啤酒的组合。 — National Institute of Korean Language, Basic Korean Dictionary (krdict.korean.go.kr)
Let’s also look at the real usage examples listed in the dictionary. Every example below is quoted directly from the dictionary.
좋아! 치맥 어때? (Joa! Chimaek eottae?) Sounds good! How about some chimaek? — National Institute of Korean Language, Basic Korean Dictionary (krdict.korean.go.kr)
This is someone enthusiastically going along with a friend’s suggestion. It’s the most typical way to propose 치맥 casually, in 반말 (banmal, informal speech).
날씨가 더워지면서 치킨에 시원한 맥주를 곁들이는 치맥을 찾는 사람들이 많아졌다. (Nalssiga deowojimyeonseo chikine siwonhan maekjureul gyeotdeurineun chimaegeul chatneun saramdeuri manajyeotda.) As the weather has gotten hotter, more and more people are going for chimaek — chicken paired with an ice-cold beer. — National Institute of Korean Language, Basic Korean Dictionary (krdict.korean.go.kr)
This sentence explains exactly why 치맥 is so popular in summer. The formula “치맥 = summer” comes through loud and clear.
한강에는 시원한 바람을 맞으며 치맥을 즐기는 사람들이 많다. (Hangangeneun siwonhan barameul majeumyeo chimaegeul jeulgineun saramdeuri manta.) At the Han River, there are lots of people enjoying chimaek in the cool breeze. — National Institute of Korean Language, Basic Korean Dictionary (krdict.korean.go.kr)
Here we get 한강 (Hangang, the Han River), Korea’s most iconic 치맥 spot. It’s a great example of the outdoor side of 치맥 culture.
치킨 가게 사장님은 올림픽이나 월드컵 기간에는 치맥이 더 잘 팔린다며 좋아하셨다. (Chikin gage sajangnimeun Ollimpigina Woldeukeop giganeneun chimaegi deo jal pallindamyeo joahasyeotda.) The owner of the chicken shop was delighted, saying that chimaek sells even better during the Olympics or the World Cup. — National Institute of Korean Language, Basic Korean Dictionary (krdict.korean.go.kr)
This one shows the tight bond between sports and 치맥. Chimaek while cheering on your team — just imagining it is exciting, isn’t it?
For reference, the dictionary doesn’t include a Portuguese translation, so our own rendering would be something like frango e cerveja (chicken and beer). (Note that this Portuguese is our own translation, not dictionary material.)
Example Sentences by Situation
Now let’s build some real-world instincts with sentences of our own.
Situation 1 — Talking a coworker into it after work
오늘 야근했더니 너무 힘드네요. 우리 치맥 한잔 어때요? (Oneul yageunhaetdeoni neomu himdeuneyo. Uri chimaek han jan eottaeyo?) I worked late today and I’m completely wiped out. How about we go for a chimaek?
Adding 한잔 (han jan, “one glass”) gives it a soft, easygoing “just a quick drink” feel.
Situation 2 — Ordering through a delivery app
비도 오는데 나가기 싫다. 그냥 치맥 시켜 먹자. (Bido oneunde nagagi silta. Geunyang chimaek sikyeo meokja.) It’s raining and I don’t want to go out. Let’s just order chimaek in.
In Korea, “집치맥 (jipchimaek, home chimaek)” — getting the chicken delivered and picking up the beer at a convenience store — is extremely common.
Situation 3 — Meeting a friend after a long time
진짜 오랜만이다! 얼굴 봤으니 치맥이나 하러 가자. (Jinjja oraenmanida! Eolgul bwasseuni chimaegina hareo gaja.) It’s been way too long! Now that we’ve finally met up, let’s go get some chimaek.
Adding ~이나 (~ina) creates a relaxed nuance along the lines of “nothing fancy, just chimaek or something.”
See It in a Real Conversation
Scene: The evening of Emily’s moving day. The two of them are slumped on the living room floor, the moving boxes still untouched.
Jun-kyung: 아, 나 이제 진짜 못 움직여. 냉장고 옮기다 허리 나간 것 같아. Ugh, I literally can’t move anymore. I think I threw my back out moving that fridge.
Emily: 오늘 진짜 고마워. 저녁은 내가 쏠게, 뭐 먹고 싶어? Thanks so much today. Dinner’s on me — what do you want?
Jun-kyung: 이사 첫날엔 무조건 치맥이지. 그릇도 아직 안 꺼냈잖아. First day in a new place? It’s gotta be chimaek. You haven’t even unpacked the dishes.
Emily: 그치? 설거지 안 나오는 게 최고야. 그냥 치맥 시켜 먹자. Right? The best part is no dishes. Let’s just order chimaek in.
Jun-kyung: 치킨은 배달시키고, 맥주는 내가 편의점 갔다 올게. I’ll get the chicken delivered and run to the convenience store for the beer.
Emily: 콜. 다음엔 한강 가서 제대로 치맥 하자. 오늘은 박스 사이에서 참고. Deal. Next time let’s do chimaek properly at the Han River. Today we make do between the boxes.
Polite vs. Casual, and Similar Expressions
The same suggestion changes shape depending on who you’re talking to.
- 반말 (banmal, casual — with friends): 치맥 하자! (chimaek haja!)
- 존댓말 (jondaenmal, polite — with coworkers or elders): 치맥 한잔하실래요? (chimaek han janhasillaeyo?)
It’s also worth knowing 치맥’s fellow abbreviations. Soju mixed with beer is 소맥 (somaek), pizza with beer is 피맥 (pimaek), and the joke about starting your day with beer instead of coffee — well, drinking alone — is 혼맥 (honmaek, 혼자 마시는 맥주 / honja masineun maekju, “beer you drink by yourself”). Once you know the principle, you can coin new words yourself in no time.
Cultural Background — 치맥 in K-Dramas
The decisive moment that made 치맥 known worldwide came from a hit drama. After a scene aired in which the heroine professed her love for chicken and beer with the line “눈 오는 날엔 치맥인데 (nun oneun naren chimaeginde)” — “On a snowy day it’s got to be chimaek” — chicken shop sales reportedly shot up all across Asia. It’s a famous story.
첫눈 오는 날엔, 치맥이죠. (Cheonnun oneun naren, chimaegijyo.) On the day of the first snow, it’s got to be chimaek. — Summarized and paraphrased from a line in the drama My Love from the Star (SBS, 2013–2014)
As you can see, 치맥 has become more than just food — it’s a symbol of “enjoying things together.” The city of Daegu even holds an annual 치맥 페스티벌 (chimaek peseutibeol, Chimaek Festival). Can you feel the cultural weight packed into this one little word?
Today’s Quiz
What’s the right word for the blank below?
친구: 경기 보러 우리 집으로 와. 내가 치킨 시킬게! Friend: Come over to my place to watch the game. I’ll order the chicken! 나: 좋아! 그럼 나는 맥주 사 갈게. 완벽한 ____ 이다! Me: Great! Then I’ll bring the beer. That’s a perfect ____!
(Answer: 치맥 (chimaek) — chicken and beer have come together, so it’s a perfect chimaek!)
Give today’s 치맥 a try this weekend. What food and drink pairing do people enjoy together in your country? Let us know in the comments!
Definitions and example sentences are from the National Institute of Korean Language’s Basic Korean Dictionary (krdict.korean.go.kr); that portion of this post, including our translations, is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.