딸
ttal[t͈a̠ɭ]
The Korean word for daughter is 딸 (ttal). Wiktionary also lists 따님 (ttanim).
Meaning: female offspring (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 딸 | ttal | [t͈a̠ɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 따님 | ttanim | [t͈a̠nim] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | honorific |
딸 is used to refer to a female offspring regardless of their age.
Which one should you use?
딸 is the neutral form used when referring to your own daughter or in general contexts. In contrast, use the honorific form 따님 when you are referring to someone else's daughter to show respect.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
딸 is the standard and most widely used term for general or neutral situations. 따님 is the honorific version.
How do you pronounce it?
ttal
Did you know?
- The historical spelling of 딸 in the 1103 text Jīlín lèishì used the characters 寶妲, which some scholars believe may be a corrupted spelling of a different character.
- When talking about their own children, Koreans traditionally use humble language, which is why 딸 is used for one's own daughter while 따님 is reserved for others.
- In extremely formal traditional settings, Koreans might avoid using the word 딸 entirely and use indirect phrases to refer to a daughter to maximize politeness.
Examples in context
- 내 딸은 3살일 뿐이야.My daughter is only three years old.This sentence shows how to use 딸 when talking about your own daughter's age.Tatoeba #8366746 by Eunhee, translation #8366699 by CK
- 내 딸은 아직 꽤 어려.My daughter is still quite young.This sentence uses 딸 to describe how young your daughter is.Tatoeba #8366750 by Eunhee, translation #8366698 by CK
- 톰과 메리에게는 딸이 있다.Tom and Mary have a daughter.This sentence demonstrates using 딸 to state that someone has a daughter.Tatoeba #11106752 by intertime, translation #4493605 by CK
- 제 딸은 정말 예쁘고 영리합니다.My daughter is very beautiful and intelligent.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Subin and Minjun are talking about their families.
- 수빈 Su-bin민준 씨는 딸이 있어요?Minjun ssineun ttari isseoyo?Minjun, do you have a daughter?
- 민준 Min-jun아니요, 저는 아들만 있어요.Aniyo, jeoneun adeulman isseoyo.No, I only have sons.
- 수빈 Su-bin저는 딸이 하나 있어요.Jeoneun ttari hana isseoyo.I have one daughter.
- 민준 Min-jun정말요? 정말 좋겠네요!Jeongmalyo? Jeongmal jokesneyo!Really? That must be great!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “daughter” translations and entries 딸, 따님, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 따님, 딸, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
