Korean slang profile

냉털

naengteol

Making meals using ingredients left in the refrigerator.

Expanded form: 냉장고 털기emptying out the refrigerator
Other spellings: —
Earliest source found: Feb 17, 2024
Documented trend period: Not verified

This is the earliest source we have verified, not the date the term was coined.

01Examples, with English translations

Example by Julimmal
오늘은 장을 보지 않고 남은 채소로 냉털 김밥을 만들었어.
Instead of shopping today, I made 냉털 gimbap with leftover vegetables.

02Documented history

February 2024헤럴드경제 introduced the meaning and usage of this expression.[1]

03Origin & word formation

A shortened name for ‘냉장고 털기’ (emptying out the refrigerator). A 2024 source from 헤럴드경제 explicitly gives this explanation. Who first used it and when could not be established.

Evidence for the origin explanationMedium

The abbreviation’s explanation and usage were checked directly, but who first coined it and when it was first used could not be established.

04Sources

Original titles and links are preserved. An English translation does not replace the original source.

미친 물가에 ‘냉털’ 하려다…김밥, 이렇게 만들다간 폭망 [퇴근 후 부엌] - 헤럴드경제 (헤럴드경제)Published Feb 17, 2024Original source checked Nov 13, 2026