소년
sonyeon[ˈsʰo̞(ː)ɲʌ̹n]
The English word boy can be translated into Korean as 소년 (sonyeon), 남자아이, 남자애, 아이 or 사내아이.
Meaning: male child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 소년 | sonyeon | [ˈsʰo̞(ː)ɲʌ̹n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 남자아이 | namjaai | [na̠md͡ʑa̠a̠i] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 남자애 | namjaae | [na̠md͡ʑa̠ɛ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [na̠md͡ʑa̠e̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
alternative form |
| 아이 | ai | [a̠i] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 사내아이 | sanaeai | [ˈsʰa̠(ː)nɛa̠i] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ˈsʰa̠(ː)ne̞a̠i] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
What does it mean word for word?
The term 남자아이 is a compound of 남자 (man) and 아이 (child).
Which one should you use?
소년 is a more formal or literary term, whereas 남자아이 is more colloquial. 남자애 is a colloquial contraction of 남자아이 that is frequently used in spoken Korean. 사내아이 is used to specifically emphasize the male aspect of the child, often in more traditional or descriptive contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
sonyeon
Did you know?
- The formal term 소년 literally translates to 'few years', where 'few' refers to a small number of years passed.
- The term 사내아이 uses 사내, a word that can also mean 'man' in a much more rugged or earthy sense than the standard 남자.
- In many modern Korean songs or poems, the term 소년 is often used to evoke a sense of nostalgia or a 'lost youth' rather than just describing a child.
Examples in context
- 그 소년은 다리에서 추락했다.The boy fell from the bridge.This sentence uses 소년.Tatoeba #11106674 by intertime, translation #46362 by CK
- 그 작은 소년은 동물원에 있다.The little boy is at the zoo.Tatoeba #11105197 by intertime, translation #682523 by Source_VOA
- 톰은 너와 같은 또래의 남자애야.Tom is a boy about your age.This sentence uses 남자애.Tatoeba #8367084 by Eunhee, translation #8351523 by CK
- 그 아이는 장래에 대통령이 될 거야.That boy will become a president in the future.
- 이 소년은 미래가 밝을 것이다.This boy will have a bright future.
- 이 근처에 어떤 남자아이가 산책하고 있어.There is a boy walking around in this neighborhood.
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Hyeon-u are looking at a photo of a young relative.
- 지은 Ji-eun사진 속의 이 소년은 누구예요?sajin sogui i sonyeoneun nuguyeyo?Who is this boy in the photo?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo제 조카예요. 정말 귀엽죠?je jokayeyo. jeongmal gwiyeopjyo?It's my nephew. He's really cute, right?
- 지은 Ji-eun네, 정말 밝은 표정의 소년이네요.ne, jeongmal balgeun pyojeongui sonyeoneyoneyo.Yes, he is a boy with a very bright expression.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo고마워요. 성격도 아주 좋아요.gomawoyo. seonggyeokdo aju joayo.Thank you. He has a great personality too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boy” translations and entries 소년, 남자아이, 남자애, 아이, 사내아이, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 남자아이, 남자애, 소년, 아이, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
