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What does “복어” mean in Korean?

복어 is the pufferfish, or blowfish — the fish that carries 독 (poison) lethal enough that in Korea only specially certified chefs (복어조리기능사) may legally prepare it. So when a Korean spots one, the reaction is rarely “dinner” and usually 조심하세요! (“be careful!”). The word pairs naturally with 독 있는 (“poisonous”), making 복어 one of the most useful food-safety words a learner can pocket before eating their way through Korea.

The name comes from Hanja: 복 plus 어 (魚, “fish”), and the fish has been written across East Asia with 河豚 — literally “river pig” — for the way it puffs up. The danger is real: pufferfish organs hold tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin with no antidote. In this clip a fishing-cafe newbie posts a catch from Jeju, and the comments quickly turn to alarm — it’s a 청복 (“blue pufferfish”), 푸른 고리 있는 (“with blue rings”), so commenters warn 독 있는 겁니다 (“it’s poisonous”). The thread snowballs from a casual “이름 좀 알려주세요” (“what’s its name?”) into a panicked 살려야 한다 — “we have to save him.”