In this article, we will explain the meaning of μ€λΉ (oppa), ν (hyung), λλ (noona), and μΈλ (unnie).Β
You might be wondering why some of these words are romanized differently. We’ll tell you more in a minute!
We created a special cheat sheet that will help you practice what you learn in this lesson. It has a simple chart that tells you which Korean titles to use when speaking to people so you donβt sound rude. Check it out below:
In this article, we’ll give you the romanized form of the Korean words as well as their version in the Korean alphabet (νκΈ | hangeul). If you can’t read the Korean alphabet yet, we highly recommend learning it. It’ll help improve the speed of your Korean learning!
Contents
- 1 The Meaning of Oppa, Hyung, Nuna, and Unnie
- 2 Oppa in Korean
- 3 Unnie in Korean
- 4 Hyung in Korean
- 5 Nuna in Korean
- 6 When To Use Oppa, Unnie, Hyung, and Nuna
- 7 Who can use oppa, hyung, nuna, and unnie?
- 8 Seonbae and Hubae
- 9 What does μΉκ΅¬ (chingu) mean?
- 10 What does dongsaeng (λμ) mean?
- 11 Korean Culture & Age
- 12 Wrap Up
The Meaning of Oppa, Hyung, Nuna, and Unnie
The direct translations for oppa, hyung, nuna, and unnie are:
- Oppa meaning: older brother
- Hyung meaning: older brother
- Nuna meaning: older sister
- Unnie meaning: older sister
However, the actual meanings are quite different than the translations in English.
We’ll explain what they mean and when to use them.Β Here’s how to use each one.
Oppa in Korean
μ€λΉ (Oppa) is a commonly used term in Korean. You’ve probably heard of this word in Korean Dramas, K-Pop Idols, or among your Korean friends.
Before we get into the details, watch this video below:
What does oppa mean in Korean?
μ€λΉ (Oppa) in Korean is used when you are a woman and talking with an older Korean guy (related to you or not). For example, it is used to address an older male friend, even if he is not your own brother by blood.
If you’re a woman who has a male friend older than you are, you call him oppa. If you’re a man and an older brother of a female child, your little sister will also call you oppa.
Oppa Pronunciation
You can say “older brother” in Korean as oppa. It is pronounced exactly how it’s spelled.
Listen Here:
= older brother (females speaking to older males)How to write oppa in Korean
In Korean, “oppa” is written as μ€λΉ . It is commonly romanized as “oppa” as well.Β
Unnie in Korean
The word “unnie” refers to an “older sister.” You’ve probably heard this one before on TV, social media, or with your Korean friends.
Check out the video below about the word μΈλ (unnie):
What does unnie mean?
The word μΈλ (unnie) is used if you are a woman talking to another older woman, even though that person is not related to you. You can use this to refer to your actual sister, family member, or to an older female friend.
Unnie Pronunciation
You can say “older sister” in Korean as unnie (μΈλ). Like “oppa,” it is also pronounced exactly how it’s spelled.
Listen here:
= older sister (younger female speaking to an older female)How to write unnie in Korean
You can write “unnie” in Korean as μΈλ.
The most common way to write μΈλ in romanized English is “unnie.” If you follow the romanization rules, it is spelled “eonni.” Less commonly, you may also see the word written as “oni” or “uni.”
Hyung in Korean
ν (Hyung) in Korean means “older brother” and is used by males to call other males. Koreans use this word to refer to their actual brothers, family members, or friends.
Check out the video below to learn more about the word Hyung (ν):
What does hyung mean?
Korean guys in the company of older males refer to their older brothers as hyung (ν). Blood relatives can use this title (like your older brother or older male cousin). Males can also use it for non-relatives as well.
Hyung Pronunciation
You can say “older brother” in Korean as ν (hyung). There’s no difference in how it’s spelled and pronounced.
Listen here:
=Β older brother (males speaking to older males)How to write hyung in Korean
You can write “Hyung” in Korean as ν.Β
The title ν in romanized English is “hyung.” It may also be written as “hyeong.”
Nuna in Korean
λλ (Nuna) in Korean, often romanized as “noona,” means “older sister.” Males use it to refer to older females. They can use this for family members or friends alike.
Check out the video below to learn more about nuna (λλ):
What does nuna mean?
A younger brother or a younger man will use the word λλ (nuna) to address a female friend who is older. For example, λλ (nuna) is used to address an older female for males, even if she is not your sister by blood.
So, if you’re a man who has a female friend older than you are, you call her nuna. If you’re a woman and an older sister of a male sibling, your younger brother will also call you nuna.
Nuna Pronunciation
The word for “older sister” can be pronounced as nuna (λλ). It is pronounced the way it is spelled.
Listen here:
= older sister (males speaking to older females)How to write nuna in Korean
You can write the word as λλ. In romanized English, you can spell the word “nuna.” However,Β you may also see λλ in romanized English as “noona.”
When To Use Oppa, Unnie, Hyung, and Nuna
If there are decades worth of age differences between you two, these terms are less likely to be used.
Even if you’re not talking directly to the people you call oppa, hyung, nuna, and unnie, whenever you refer to them in a conversation with someone else, you should attach one of these terms after the person’s name you are talking about.
You might want to refrain from using oppa, hyung, nuna, and unnie when meeting people first. On the other hand, if you are in a Korean restaurant, even if the (usually older female) waitresses are strangers to you, it’s not weird for men to call them by λλ (nuna) and women by μΈλ (unnie), regardless of the difference in age.
When to use oppa
The word oppa is used when you’re a female and you’re talking to or about older males.
If you’re a female, you can use this to refer to your boyfriend, brothers, or friends. You can call your older male friends “oppa,” even if you’re not talking to them directly.
When to use unnie
μΈλ (Unnie) is used when you’re a female and talking to other older females.
If you’re a female, you can use this to refer to your sisters or female friends. You can use this word even if you’re not talking directly to them or even if they’re not present in the conversation.
When to use hyung
ν (Hyung) is used when you’re a male and you’re talking to other older males.
If you are a male, you can use this word to talk to or about your male friends or your brothers. You can also use this word when you’re just talking about your male friends, and they’re not present in the conversation.
When to use nunaΒ
λλ (Nuna) can be used if you’re a male and you’re talking to or about older females.
Males can use this word to talk to their older sisters or older female friends. It can also be used even if the person you’re referring to is not in the room.
Who can use oppa, hyung, nuna, and unnie?
Some men might find it odd if oppa is used by someone when talking to them; some women will chuckle whenever you refer to them as μΈλ (unnie).
While some men a year or two younger than the woman are dead set on calling them λλ (nuna) at every turn possible, others will refer to the woman by her name instead. In general, the less age difference there is and the closer you two are, the less important it will be, and many senior citizens no longer care.
There are also instances of Korean people who might be less fussy about using such terms, especially when dealing with foreigners.
Using oppa, hyung, nuna, and unnie at school and work.
Your title and status precede everything else at work and school. Oppa is used less frequently in the workplace, even with females talking with an older male.
For example, it is unusual for a female worker to speak to a male boss and call him μ€λΉ (oppa). In school, the year you start your studies will determine what title people should use. These also apply to colleagues of the same status level at work.
So, how do you respectfully call your colleagues or schoolmates at work or in school? We’ll tell you in a bit.
Seonbae and Hubae
The words μ λ°° (seonbae) and νλ°°Β (hubae) are often used in Korean Universities and workplaces to show respect instead of using oppa (μ€λΉ ), hyung (ν), nuna (λλ), and unnie (μΈλ).
What does μ λ°° (seonbae) mean?
Simply put, sunbae means senior. Sunbae (more commonly spelled as “seonbae”) refers to people who have more experience in work, school, etc. Whether the person is older than you or not, if they started earlier than you did, you should call them μ λ°° (seonbae).
Sunbaenim Meaning
μ λ°°λ (seonbaenim) is a Korean word that refers to a far more experienced person within the same school, company, or group. It’s a combination of the word μ λ°° (seonbae), which means senior, and λ(nim), which means Mr. or Sir in English. It’s a Korean title usually used when one is talking in formal language.
You might have heard the word μ λ°°λ (seonbaenim) while watching your favorite K-pop stars talking to seniors from the same company.
μ λ°°λ is also sometimes romanized as sunbaenim.
What does νλ°° (hubae) mean?
νλ°° (hubae) is a Korean word that refers to people with less experience than you in school or work. For example, your friends at university who started later than you can be referred to as νλ°° (hubae). This can be translated as “junior.”
What does μΉκ΅¬ (chingu) mean?
The Korean word μΉκ΅¬ (chingu) literally translates to “friend.” However, the usage in Korea is much different.
People who call each other μΉκ΅¬(chingu) are of the same age. In this case, likely, they’ll refer to each other by name (if they are close).
What does dongsaeng (λμ) mean?
If you’re referring to someone younger than you, the other person is your λμ (dongsaeng).Β This term means both younger sister and little brother.
However, if you want to put more emphasis on the gender of the λμ (dongsaeng) you are talking about, you can add μ¬ (yeo) for girls and λ¨ (nam) for boys. Usually, these gender markers are used only when talking about your actual blood-related siblings.
Korean Culture & Age
In Korea, it’s essential to know a person’s age and refer to them accordingly. For example, you might greet someone differently depending on your age difference.
You might have come to Korea from a Western country where “age is just a number,” but that’s quite the opposite in South Korea.
Koreans have their own age-calculating system where your age is calculated based on your birth year. In the concept of the Korean age, when January 1st hits, everyone becomes one year older. Which month you were born doesn’t matter in that sense.
However, some people might calculate their age based on the Lunar calendar instead of the Western New Year. In this case, while your age is still calculated by the year you were born, it works a little differently. For example, people born in January 1993 are still considered the same age as those born in 1992 simply because Lunar New Year hadn’t passed.
Wrap Up
Hopefully, this information can help you with your acquaintances and friends. You can use these terms and some common Korean phrasesΒ and get some fun conversations started.
You may even hear them in other unexpected situations, such as getting the staff’s attention to order food at a Korean restaurant or as a term of endearment. You can also surprise your Korean friend with these terms.
If you want to learn more Korean so you can talk to your Korean friends, you could check out our structured course to help you learn Korean fast. With our program, you’ll be talking to your friends in Korean in just 90 Days!
While you’re here, check out our article on Korean Honorifics to learn more about essential titles, words, and phrases. These are very important, especially if you integrate more into Korean culture.
As I watch kdramas, I get the impression that βoppaβ can also be used as a word of endearment. Is this true? If so, what word do you use for girlfriend?
Hi, Sarah! Please check this link (https://www.90daykorean.com/korean-terms-of-endearment/) for your question! ^^
I love K dramas a lot.. and I am hoping to get to meet some of their actors someday. I am an actor too, but I don’t know if there can be some sort of collaborations between I and them. I was meant to ask if we can produce a movie together..
I am actually here to learn some common phrases so as to save us lesser stress of communication
May God help
Awesome! ^^
Itβs so much fun and I love it ^_*
Btw I wanna tell ya that am from Pakistan
And we all love u from Pakistan especially BTS π₯π₯π₯
I hope uβll help me to learn korean language coz Iβve learned chinese but korean is too difficult than chinese
Plz give me some suggestions to help me out this
And ur all terms are the BEST
From : AMIE βΊοΈβΊοΈπ π€π
Hi, Bushra! You can start by learning the Korean alphabet! ^^ (https://www.90daykorean.com/how-to-learn-the-korean-alphabet/)
Thank u sir I have learnt many new words here thank u so much
Great! It’s our pleasure. ^^
Hello Thank you so much I was inspired to learn Korean by my friend she introduced me to kpop and then I wanted to sing and talk like BLACKPINK and confuse my friendsπ I have a question if the person is the same age as you then u will call them chingu (μΉκ΅¬) Yes?
Hi, Andrea! If you want to say you are the same age, it’s better to say ‘λκ°’. ‘μΉκ΅¬’ means ‘friend’. You don’t have to be the same age to be friends, and you don’t necessarily be friends just because you are the same age. ^^