Korean vocabulary · Topic 3 of 10

People & Family in Korean

Korean family words reflect age, the speaker, and the side of the family. An older brother may be 형 or 오빠; an older sister may be 누나 or 언니. Begin with 가족 and 부모님, then choose the sibling term that fits your own family.

Entries
100
Full guides
2

Showing all 100 entries in rank order.

  1. 1Familynoun가족gajok
  2. 2Mothernoun어머니eomeoni
  3. 3Fathernoun아버지abeoji
  4. 4Momnoun엄마eomma
  5. 5Dadnoun아빠appa
  6. 6Friendnoun친구chingu
  7. 7Brothernoun형 / 오빠 / 남동생hyeong / oppa / namdongsaeng형: male speaker, older brother; 오빠: female speaker, older brother; 남동생: younger brother.
  8. 8Sisternoun언니 / 누나 / 여동생eonni / nuna / yeodongsaeng언니: female speaker, older sister; 누나: male speaker, older sister; 여동생: younger sister.
  9. 9Sonnoun아들adeul
  10. 10Daughternoun딸ttal
  11. 11Husbandnoun남편nampyeon
  12. 12Wifenoun아내anae
  13. 13Boyfriendnoun남자 친구namja chingu
  14. 14Girlfriendnoun여자 친구yeoja chingu
  15. 15Grandmothernoun할머니halmeoni
  16. 16Grandfathernoun할아버지harabeoji
  17. 17Babynoun아기agi
  18. 18Childnoun아이ai
  19. 19Boynoun소년sonyeon
  20. 20Girlnoun소녀sonyeo
  21. 21Mannoun남자namja
  22. 22Womannoun여자yeoja
  23. 23Parentsnoun부모님bumonim
  24. 24Unclenoun삼촌samchon삼촌 is a useful broad term; precise kinship titles depend on family branch and marriage.
  25. 25Auntnoun이모 / 고모imo / gomo이모: mother’s sister; 고모: father’s sister. Other relatives have different titles.
  26. 26Cousinnoun사촌sachon
  27. 27Nephewnoun조카joka
  28. 28Niecenoun조카딸jokattal
  29. 29My lovephrase내 사랑nae sarang
  30. 30Sweetheart (honey)noun자기jagi
  31. 31Best friendnoun가장 친한 친구gajang chinhan chingu
  32. 32Grandsonnoun손자sonja
  33. 33Granddaughternoun손녀sonnyeo
  34. 34Peoplenoun사람들saramdeul
  35. 35Personnoun사람saram
  36. 36Neighbornoun이웃iut
  37. 37Colleaguenoun동료dongnyo
  38. 38Bossnoun상사sangsa
  39. 39Teachernoun선생님seonsaengnim
  40. 40Studentnoun학생haksaeng
  41. 41Father-in-lawnoun시아버지 / 장인siabeoji / jangin시아버지: husband’s father; 장인: wife’s father (respectfully 장인어른).
  42. 42Mother-in-lawnoun시어머니 / 장모sieomeoni / jangmo시어머니: husband’s mother; 장모: wife’s mother (respectfully 장모님).
  43. 43Brother-in-lawnoun처남 / 매형 / 시동생cheonam / maehyeong / sidongsaengExamples only; the correct title depends on the exact family relationship.
  44. 44Sister-in-lawnoun처제 / 형수 / 시누이cheoje / hyeongsu / sinuiExamples only; the correct title depends on the exact family relationship.
  45. 45Siblingsnoun형제자매hyeongjejamae
  46. 46Twinnoun쌍둥이ssangdungi
  47. 47Partnernoun연인yeonin
  48. 48Fiancé(e)noun약혼자yakhonja
  49. 49Couplenoun커플keopeul
  50. 50Relativenoun친척chincheok
  51. 51Weddingnoun결혼식gyeolhonsik
  52. 52Birthdaynoun생일saengil
  53. 53Anniversarynoun기념일ginyeomil
  54. 54Agenoun나이nai
  55. 55First namenoun이름ireum
  56. 56Last namenoun성seong
  57. 57Adultnoun어른eoreun
  58. 58Teenagernoun십 대sip dae
  59. 59Elderly personnoun노인noin
  60. 60Strangernoun낯선 사람natseon saram
  61. 61Guestnoun손님sonnim
  62. 62Classmatenoun반 친구ban chingu
  63. 63Roommatenoun룸메이트rummeiteu
  64. 64Lawyernoun변호사byeonhosa
  65. 65Engineernoun엔지니어enjinieo
  66. 66Chef (cook)noun요리사yorisa
  67. 67Police officernoun경찰관gyeongchalgwan
  68. 68Drivernoun운전기사unjeongisa
  69. 69Farmernoun농부nongbu
  70. 70Artistnoun예술가yesulga
  71. 71Musiciannoun음악가eumakga
  72. 72Writernoun작가jakga
  73. 73Employeenoun직원jigwon
  74. 74Mr.noun… 씨… ssiKorean does not map Mr, Mrs, and Miss directly. Attach 씨 to a given or full name in appropriate peer contexts; use a title such as 선생님 when greater respect is needed.
  75. 75Mrs.noun… 씨… ssiKorean does not map Mr, Mrs, and Miss directly. Attach 씨 to a given or full name in appropriate peer contexts; use a title such as 선생님 when greater respect is needed.
  76. 76Missnoun… 씨… ssiKorean does not map Mr, Mrs, and Miss directly. Attach 씨 to a given or full name in appropriate peer contexts; use a title such as 선생님 when greater respect is needed.
  77. 77Kingnoun왕wang
  78. 78Queennoun여왕yeowang
  79. 79Princenoun왕자wangja
  80. 80Princessnoun공주gongju
  81. 81Friendshipnoun우정ujeong
  82. 82Divorcedadjective이혼한ihonhan
  83. 83Widownoun과부gwabu
  84. 84Retiredadjective은퇴한euntoehan
  85. 85Only childnoun외동oedong
  86. 86This is my friendphrase제 친구예요je chinguyeyo
  87. 87Do you have children?phrase아이가 있으세요?aiga isseuseyo?
  88. 88Do you have any brothers or sisters?phrase형제자매가 있어요?hyeongjejamaega isseoyo?
  89. 89I'm marriedphrase결혼했어요gyeolhonhaesseoyo
  90. 90I'm singlephrase저는 미혼이에요jeoneun mihonieyo
  91. 91I live with my parentsphrase부모님과 살아요bumonimgwa sarayo
  92. 92What do you do? (for work)phrase무슨 일을 하세요?museun ireul haseyo?
  93. 93I work as a…phrase저는 …로 일해요jeoneun …ro ilhaeyo
  94. 94Where do you live?phrase어디에 사세요?eodie saseyo?
  95. 95I'm a studentphrase저는 학생이에요jeoneun haksaengieyo
  96. 96We're friendsphrase우리는 친구예요urineun chinguyeyo
  97. 97Happy Mother's Day!phrase어머니의 날 축하해요eomeoniui nal chukahaeyo
  98. 98Happy Father's Day!phrase아버지의 날 축하해요abeojiui nal chukahaeyo
  99. 99I miss my familyphrase가족이 보고 싶어요gajogi bogo sipeoyo
  100. 100Grandparentsnoun조부모님jobumonim

Practice these words in a conversation

Introduce your family

Use these Korean words to imagine the scene. Read the phrases aloud, then try making a short exchange with a study partner.

  • Family가족gajok
  • Mother어머니eomeoni
  • Brother형 / 오빠 / 남동생hyeong / oppa / namdongsaeng
  • Do you have any brothers or sisters?형제자매가 있어요?hyeongjejamaega isseoyo?
  • I'm married결혼했어요gyeolhonhaesseoyo

FAQ

People & Family in Korean: common questions

Why are there several Korean words for brother?

A male speaker calls an older brother 형 and a female speaker calls him 오빠. 남동생 means a younger brother regardless of the speaker.

What is the difference between 이모 and 고모?

이모 is your mother’s sister; 고모 is your father’s sister. English aunt does not show that distinction.

Does 친구 mean every person I know?

친구 means friend and often suggests a peer. Age and relationship influence address terms, so names, titles, and honorifics may be more appropriate with older acquaintances.

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