In this article, we will see the main Korean honorific titles. You will see the meanings of nim; ssi; nuna; unni; hyung; oppa; ajumma; ajusshi; sunbae; hubae; seonsaeng; gun; yang; gaju and naeur.
Korea, like Japan, also uses honorific suffixes. It is very important to follow these rules of using honorific names, after all, no one wants to make a blunder on their trip to another country.
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What are Korean honorifics?
The honorific title is generally used to refer to the person one is speaking to, or when referring to a third party. It is never used to refer to oneself, except for dramatic effect, or in some exceptional cases.
The honorific titles are equivalent to Mr., Mrs., Young man, Master, Highness and similar words. The difference is that in Asian culture, these honorific titles are common and are part of the daily life of the population to use them.
It is impossible not to come across the use of these titles in manhwa, novels, Korean literature, and even in K-POP. The practice of a country should not be disregarded by a foreigner; this is a rule, it is etiquette.
As in Japan, there are titles that fall into disuse because they are rarely used or because they have outdated meanings. But it is important to know even these, in case a situation of extreme formality occurs.
Major Korean Honorary Titles
– Nim: It is a formal way to address an older person or someone deserving of more respect than you. It is just a suffix.
– Ssi: Used formally to address an unknown person or someone unfamiliar to you. It is just a suffix.
– Nuna: It is a friendly, more intimate form, used only for women who are older than the man she is talking to. It can be used as a suffix or also as a Vocative when addressing the woman.
– SisterUnlike Nuna, Unni is used in the same friendly and more intimate way, but it is used for a woman to refer to another woman if she is older. It can be used as a suffix, but you can also call someone directly with it.
– HyungThis is for men. A friendly way to address another man, provided that he is older. It can be used as a suffix, but one can also directly call someone with it.
What do oppa, ajumma and ajusshi mean?
Oppa: It is a friendly way to address a man who is older than you, used when you are a woman. Although it is not synonymous, it can be used to refer to your boyfriends. Similarly, it can be used as a suffix, and also to be used directly.
– Ajumma: It is used to refer to middle-aged women, between the ages of 35 and 55. Be careful when calling someone under 35 "Ajumma," as it can be offensive and rude on your part. It is more commonly used alone but can also be used as a suffix.
– Ajusshi: Used to refer to men of the same age group as the Ajumma. The younger ones, in their 30s, prefer to be called brother/oppa by younger people than they. It can be used as a suffix or to refer directly.
What does Sunbae, Hubae and SEONSAENG mean?
– Senior: It is used as in the case of "Senpais," used for older colleagues or people you see as helpers, advisors, or mentors. It can be used as a suffix or also used for direct reference.
– Hubae: This is the opposite, it is used for the younger ones, like in Kouhai in Japanese. It is almost always used in the third person and rarely used directly towards another.
– SeonsaengIt is usually translated as teacher; however, it carries much more formality, being used as a sign of respect to the person to whom one is addressing. It is common to add '-'nim' to call the person. It's common to see children and teenagers adding 'ssem' in a way, to pronounce 'teacher-nim' more quickly.
What does Gun, Yang, gaju and naeuri mean?
– Gun: Used moderately for occasions of extreme formality, such as weddings, it is usually employed after the first name or the full name. Being used exclusively and uniquely for men, mostly the host.
– Yang: Used moderately for occasions of extreme formality, such as weddings, it is typically used after the first name or the full name. Being used exclusively and uniquely for women, mostly the hostess.
NOTEThese honorifics are falling out of use due to formality.
– Gaju: Used for clan leaders or for parents and heads of family. It can be used accompanied by -nim or alone.
– Naeuri: Previously used to refer to people of the highest classes and status, but inferior to Your Excellency, used by commoners during the Joseon Dynasty.
Comparison between Korean and Japanese honorifics
You can see the list of Japanese Honorifics clicking here. It can be said that Korean and Japanese honorifics are completely different. Since few are the suffixes that resemble each other.
Korean suffixes are more difficult than Japanese ones, but of course, studying a language is never easy; it's a matter of practice and dedication. So, just like with Japanese, it is possible to learn Korean, don't you think?
However, it is widely used in both Korea and Japan. As we have seen, there are also suffixes outdated by time, as there are in Japan. Although they are different, they are part of the culture of their people and it is also something that foreigners like us should learn.
Some similarities in the suffixes or their usage are also due to Chinese culture and cultural influences spread throughout Asia. You may also want to see some similarities and differences between the Chinese, Korean, and Japanese languages.
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