미인
miin[ˈmi(ː)in]
The English phrase "beautiful woman" is translated into Korean as 미인 (miin).
미인 is used to refer to a woman who is physically attractive or lovely. It functions as a noun meaning "a beauty."
Which one should you use?
While 미인 is a noun meaning "a beauty", the phrase 예쁜 여자 is a more common, descriptive way to say "a pretty woman" in spoken Korean.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term 미인 is more literary and formal than common descriptive phrases used in daily conversation. For a polite and formal expression, you can use 아름다운 여성. 아름다운 분 is a formal way to express beautiful woman using the word 분 instead of 여성 to show respect. 우아한 여인 is an elegant and sophisticated way to describe a beautiful woman. In contrast, 이쁜 여자 or 예쁜 여자 are informal ways to say beautiful woman.
How do you pronounce it?
miin
Did you know?
- The word 미인 is used in the common Korean phrase 미인계, which refers to using a 'honey trap' or beauty as a weapon of seduction to achieve a political or strategic goal.
- In historical Korean beauty standards, a 미인 was often characterized by a 'moon-shaped' face, which is a preference quite different from the sharp 'V-line' jawlines popular in modern Korean aesthetics.
- Although 미인 refers to a 'beautiful person', the character 인 ('person') is gender-neutral in its root, but the term has evolved to be used almost exclusively for women in modern Korean.
Examples in context
- Eun-Ji씨, 당신은 정말 아름다운 여성입니다.Eun-Ji, you are truly a beautiful woman.
- 그녀는 정말 미인이에요.geunyeoneun jeongmal miinieyo.She is a truly beautiful woman.
- 그는 미인을 좋아해요.geuneun miineul joahae-yo.He likes beautiful women.
- 그 시대에는 많은 미인이 살았어요.geu sidae-eneun maneun miini sarasseoyo.Many beautiful women lived in that era.
Example conversation
Minji and Minjun are looking at a photo of a celebrity.
- 민지 Min-ji이 배우 정말 미인이지 않아요?i baeu jeongmal miiniji anayo?Isn't this actress a real beauty?
- 민준 Min-jun네, 정말 아름다우시네요.ne, jeongmal areumdausineyo.Yes, she is truly beautiful.
- 민지 Min-ji민준 씨가 보기에도 그렇죠?Minjun ssi-ga bogiemdo geureochyo?You think so too, Minjun?
- 민준 Min-jun그럼요, 완전 미인이세요.geureomyo, wanjeon miiniseyo.Of course, she is a complete beauty.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 미인, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
