K-Drama & K-Pop Words (3/11)

50 words

Korean	Meaning	Example
형님 formal · speaker-specific	big brother (respectful, man to man), sir, sister-in-law (woman to an older woman married into her husband's family)	형님, 먼저 들어가십시오.
선배	senior at school or work, someone who started before you	선배, 이거 어떻게 해요?
후배 not used as address	junior, someone who started after you	후배가 술을 샀어.
동생 casual · not used as address	younger sibling, a younger person you're close to, 'my junior'	동생이 나보다 커.
막내	the youngest in a group, the baby of the family or team	우리 팀 막내야.
아저씨 can offend	middle-aged man, 'mister' to a male stranger	아저씨, 여기 얼마예요?
아줌마 can offend	middle-aged woman, 'ma'am' to a female stranger	아줌마, 이거 주세요.
이모 casual	mom's sister, 'auntie' to a familiar female restaurant worker	이모, 김치 더 주세요.
삼촌 casual · peers only	uncle (dad's brother), 'uncle' to a friendly grown man	삼촌이 놀러 왔어.
사장님 polite	boss, shop owner, safe way to address a grown man you don't know	사장님, 계산할게요.
선생님 polite	teacher, doctor, respectful 'sir/ma'am' to a professional	선생님, 질문 있어요.
어르신 formal	respectful term for an elderly person, 'sir/ma'am' to a senior	어르신, 앉으세요.
아가씨 can offend	young unmarried woman, 'miss', 'my lady' in period dramas	아가씨, 잠깐만요.
씨 polite · not to elders	-ssi, polite 'Mr./Ms.' tacked onto a name	민수 씨, 잠깐 봐요.
님 polite · online only	-nim, honorific suffix on titles, 'sir/ma'am' to a stranger online	지수 님, 안녕하세요.
여보 casual · partners only	honey, dear (between husband and wife)	여보, 나 왔어.
자기야 casual · partners only	babe, honey (to a lover)	자기야, 보고 싶었어.
야 casual · not to elders	hey!, yo (calling someone over)	야, 이리 와 봐.
저기요 polite	excuse me (getting a stranger's attention), hello?	저기요, 이거 떨어뜨리셨어요.
걔 casual · not to elders	that kid, him/her (someone we both know)	걔 오늘 안 와?
반말 not to elders	casual speech with no honorifics, talking down to someone	반말하지 마.
존댓말	polite speech, honorific language	존댓말로 하세요.
말 놓다 not to elders	to drop the formalities, to start speaking casually	우리 말 놓을까?
부모님 polite	parents (respectful), one's mom and dad	부모님께 인사드려.
시어머니 not used as address	mother-in-law (husband's mother)	시어머니가 오셨어.
며느리	daughter-in-law, one's son's wife	며느리가 착해.
동갑	same age, born in the same year	우리 동갑이네.
썸 slang	the almost-dating stage, a flirty thing going on, more than friends	둘이 썸 타는 것 같아.
사귀다	to date, to go out with, to be a couple	우리 사귈래?
고백하다	to confess your feelings, to ask someone out	오늘 고백할 거야.
차이다	to get dumped, to be turned down	나 차였어.
헤어지다	to break up, to part ways with someone	우리 헤어지자.
첫사랑	first love, the one you never forget	첫사랑은 못 잊어.
밀당 slang	playing hard to get, push-and-pull in dating	밀당 좀 그만해.
소개팅	a blind date set up by a friend, one-on-one meetup	소개팅 나갔어?
눈치	reading the room, picking up on social cues, tact	눈치 좀 챙겨.
손절 slang	cutting someone off for good, ending a friendship	걔는 손절했어.
썸 타다 slang	to be in the talking stage, to have a thing going on	둘이 썸 타는 중이야.
기다리다	to wait for, to hold on for someone	기다릴게.
잊다	to forget, to get over someone	널 잊을 수 없어.
질투하다	to be jealous, to get possessive	질투하는 거야?
아프다	to hurt (emotionally), to ache over someone	마음이 아파.
울다	to cry, to break down	울지 마.
밀어내다	to push someone away, to keep at arm's length	왜 자꾸 밀어내?
붙잡다	to hold someone back, to beg them not to leave	가지 마, 내가 붙잡을게.
매달리다	to cling to someone, to beg pathetically	매달리지 마.
바람 피우다	to cheat, to have an affair	바람 피운 거야?
양다리 slang	two-timing, seeing two people at once	걔 양다리였어.
이별	a breakup, parting	이별은 늘 아파.
운명	fate, meant to be	우린 운명이야.