Essentials terms of respect an endearment in Korean.

Visiting South Korea soon? Or do you just want to understand your favorite Korean dramas and Korean songs better? Don’t get left behind while everyone else is already catching up to the insane Korean craze! Koreans are very particular about their terms of respect and affection, and we are here to help you get acquainted with some of the most common ones. 

1. Hyung / Noona: If you’re a male, you should refer to your male seniors or sibling as “hyung” or older brother and you can call your female seniors  “noona”. This is mostly used for people with whom we are already familiar. 

2. Oppa / Unnie: If you follow Korean dramas, chances are you have already heard of the term “oppa’. It is traditionally used by a female to address a male senior but in popular culture, oppa is also used for any visually appealing man. If you are a female, you should refer to your female seniors as “Unnie”. Both terms show respect and familiarity.

3. Jagi / Jagiya:  It is a gender-neutral term that Korean couples like to use for their partner affectionately! “Jagi,” can mean honey or darling. “Jagiya” is used to emphasize the cutesy vibe and affection with the added postfix “ya” at the end. 

4. Ajhumma /Ajhusshi: Use this in formal situations for people you are not familiar with. A middle-aged or older man is respectfully called Ajhusshi while an older woman is called Ajhumma. This is especially useful while shopping for things in Korea or for asking for directions. 

5. Chingu: This adorable term is used to refer to your friend who is the same age as you. While in English you would just call your mates simply friends regardless of their age, in Korea, there are different terms for people of different ages even if you are friends with them.

6. Yeojachingu / Namjachingu: This means girlfriend/boyfriend respectively.  Yeojachingu is made up of two words. ‘Yeoja’ meaning woman and ‘chingu’ meaning friend. So, your girlfriend is your ‘yeojachingu’ in Korean and similarly, “Namja” means man, s your boyfriend can be introduced as your “namjachingu”.