Korean Family WordsFamily member words with romanization — free list
Korean family words have a twist most languages do not: the word for an older sibling depends on whether you (the speaker) are male or female. A man calls his older brother 형 and older sister 누나; a woman says 오빠 and 언니. This free list covers every core family word with romanization.
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가족 | gajok | family |
| 부모님 | bumonim | parents |
| 아버지 | abeoji | father |
| 아빠 | appa | dad |
| 어머니 | eomeoni | mother |
| 엄마 | eomma | mom |
| 형 | hyeong | older brother (male speaker) |
| 오빠 | oppa | older brother (female speaker) |
| 누나 | nuna | older sister (male speaker) |
| 언니 | eonni | older sister (female speaker) |
| 동생 | dongsaeng | younger sibling |
| 남동생 | namdongsaeng | younger brother |
| 여동생 | yeodongsaeng | younger sister |
| 할아버지 | harabeoji | grandfather |
| 할머니 | halmeoni | grandmother |
| 삼촌 | samchon | uncle |
| 이모 | imo | aunt (mother’s side) |
| 고모 | gomo | aunt (father’s side) |
| 아들 | adeul | son |
| 딸 | ttal | daughter |
| 남편 | nampyeon | husband |
| 아내 | anae | wife |
| 아이 | ai | child |
💡 Good to know
Remember the gender rule: 형 / 누나 are used by males, 오빠 / 언니 by females — all meaning older brother / older sister. Younger siblings are gender-neutral: 동생 (or 남동생 / 여동생 to specify). 부모님, 할아버지 and 할머니 add respect for elders.
FAQ
- How do you say family members in Korean?
- 아버지 father, 어머니 mother, 형/오빠 older brother, 누나/언니 older sister, 동생 younger sibling. The full list with romanization is above.
- Why are there two words for older brother in Korean?
- Because the word depends on the speaker’s gender: a male says 형 (older brother) and 누나 (older sister); a female says 오빠 and 언니.
- What is the difference between 아빠 and 아버지?
- 아빠 is the casual "dad" and 아버지 is the more formal "father". The same pair exists for mother: 엄마 (mom) and 어머니 (mother).
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Written by Alvin Lim Certified Korean Language Teacher (Level 2)