In English, things are relatively easy. We talk about brothers and sisters as pretty much generic terms. We don’t care whether the siblings is older or younger, or whether it’s a boy’s or girl’s sibling. In Korean, though, these things do make a difference, and it’s reflected in the language, giving far more significant relationships than there are in English.
Parental Relationships:
| Korean | English |
|
할아버지 |
Grandfather |
|
할머니 |
Grandmother |
|
아버지 |
Father |
|
어머니 |
Mother |
|
아들 |
Son |
|
딸 |
Daughter |
Sibling Relationships:
|
형 |
Older brother (of male) |
|
오빠 |
Older brother (of female) |
|
누나 |
Older sister (of male) |
|
언니 |
Older sister (of female) |
|
여동생 |
Younger sister (of male or female) |
|
남동생 |
Younger brother (of male or female) |
Uncles and Aunts:
|
큰아버지 |
Father’s older married brother |
|
큰어머니 |
Father’s older married brother’s wife |
|
삼촌 |
Father’s unmarried brother |
|
작은아버지 |
Father’s younger married brother |
|
작은어머니 |
Father’s younger married brother’s wife |
|
고모 |
Father’s sister |
|
고모부 |
Father’s sister’s husband |
|
외삼촌 |
Mother’s brother |
|
외숙모 |
Mother’s brother’s wife |
|
이모 |
Mother’s sister |
|
이모부 |
Mother’s sister’s husband |
by J. David Eisenberg
Related posts:
- Let’s Speak Korean 01
- Korean Honorifics
- Special Korean Insults
- Korean Curses & Insults
- Korean – Basic Grammar
- Korean Trivia
- An Escaped Convict & A Couple
- A Couple & An Ex-Husband
- Birthday Gift
- It’s Too Hot to Wear Clothes Today
I use the pen, because the pen is mightier than the sword. But you always must keep a sword handy, for when the pen fails.
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