Tteok vs. Dduk: Siru, Spelling, and When They Matter

Tteok and dduk romanize the same Korean word (떡). Revised Romanization prefers tteok; older McCune-Reischauer and menu shorthand produce dduk/duk. We keep both domains because search behaves that way: buyers google 'tteok recipe' and 'dduk shop near me' interchangeably, so both sites answer the same food with different entry points.

Within 떡, structure distinguishes: siru-tteok (steamed layered cake) like baekseolgi and mujigae; jjak-complete chigi-tteok (pounded) like injeolmi and garae; boiled tteok for soup; pan-fried hwajeon for flower offerings. Name tells method, not just flavor.

Network strategy: tteok.ai covers the full modern spectrum — street tteokbokki through cafe dduk — while dduk.ai leans heritage, pastel catering, and ceremonial context so SEO does not cannibalize. One catalog, two lenses.

For teaching, use tteok when discussing recipes and technique; use dduk when discussing tradition, ritual, and aesthetics. It is an editorial distinction, not a linguistic one, and it helps readers orient quickly.

If you are building a menu, pick one romanization and be consistent internally, but alias the other for search. Your sign says 떡, your metadata speaks both tteok and dduk.