Korean · Vocabulary

Korean Family Words How to Talk About Family in Korean

Korean family vocabulary is more complex than most languages there are different words depending on your gender and whether you're talking about your own family or someone else's. Here's the simplified version.

M
Mia · Phrases by Mia
Language educator
5 min read
Important note

Korean has two sets of family words humble forms (for your own family) and honorific forms (for other people's families). As a beginner, the words below are the everyday conversational versions that work in most situations.

Immediate Family

엄마
Eomma
Mom (casual)
아빠
Appa
Dad (casual)
어머니
Eomeoni
Mother (formal)
아버지
Abeoji
Father (formal)
오빠
Oppa
Older brother (used by women)
형
Hyung
Older brother (used by men)
언니
Eonni
Older sister (used by women)
누나
Nuna
Older sister (used by men)
동생
Dongsaeng
Younger sibling
남동생
Namdongsaeng
Younger brother
여동생
Yeodongsaeng
Younger sister
가족
Gajok
Family

Extended Family

할머니
Halmeoni
Grandmother
할아버지
Harabeoji
Grandfather
삼촌
Samchon
Uncle
이모
Imo
Aunt (mother's side)
사촌
Sachon
Cousin
남편
Nampyeon
Husband
아내
Anae
Wife
아들
Adeul
Son
딸
Ttal
Daughter

Why Sibling Terms Depend on Your Gender

In Korean, what you call your siblings depends on your own gender. A woman calls her older brother 오빠 and her older sister 언니. A man calls his older brother 형 and his older sister 누나. Both use 동생 for a younger sibling regardless of that sibling's gender.

This is why oppa in K-dramas carries so much weight it's not just a family term. It signals the speaker's gender, the relationship, and often the emotional tone of the connection.

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