A foreign student looking at the menu at a raw fish restaurant asked me a question. "Teacher, there's no price here, it just says '시가.' How much is this?" 시가 (時價) means 'the price at that time.' The prices of foods like fish, crab, and abalone change every day depending on the catch and the weather. Since it's hard to rewrite the menu every day, they leave the price blank. ## When you see 'market price' on the menu Before you order, ask the staff, "How much is this?" Just ask them. It's not rude at all in Korea. It's usual to ask the price before ordering a market-price dish. The staff will tell you right away, "Today it's this much." ## When the price feels like too much "It's a bit too much for me. Do you have anything smaller?" It's perfectly fine to say that. Many shops let you choose the size or amount. Some shops price by weight, so it's good to also ask, "How many people can this feed?" ## When you hear the price and want to order something else You don't need to feel sorry. It's common for customers to hear the price and pick a different dish, and the restaurant knows that. That's why they tell you the price first. However, once you've picked a fish from the tank and had it caught, it's hard to change. So ask about the price before you choose.