손녀
sonnyeo[sʰo̞nɲʌ̹]
The Korean word for granddaughter is 손녀 (sonnyeo). Wiktionary also lists 외손녀 (oesonnyeo).
Meaning: daughter of someone’s child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 손녀 | sonnyeo | [sʰo̞nɲʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 외손녀 | oesonnyeo | [ˈwe̞(ː)sʰo̞nɲʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ˈø̞(ː)sʰo̞nɲʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
손녀 is the general term for a granddaughter. It is also used specifically to refer to a paternal granddaughter, which is the granddaughter of a son.
Which one should you use?
Use 손녀 (sonnyeo) for a general reference or specifically for a granddaughter from a son's side. Use 외손녀 (oesonnyeo) to specifically refer to a maternal granddaughter, meaning the daughter of one's daughter.
How do you pronounce it?
sonnyeo
Did you know?
- While 손녀 is the technical term, grandparents often call their granddaughters using the term 강아지, which means 'puppy'.
- The word 외손녀 contains the character 外 which is the same character used in the word for 'foreigner' or 'external'. This reinforces the idea that the maternal side was historically viewed as an external branch.
- In traditional Korean culture, the paternal side is considered the 'inner' family, which is why 손녀 is the default term even when the speaker has granddaughters on both sides.
Examples in context
- 우리 손녀는 정말 귀여워요.uri sonnyeo-neun jeongmal gwiyowo-yo.My granddaughter is really cute.
- 그분은 손녀가 두 명 있어요.geubun-eun sonnyeo-ga du myeong isseoyo.He has two granddaughters.
- 손녀가 초등학교에 입학했어요.sonnyeo-ga chodeunghakgyo-e iphak-haesseoyo.The granddaughter entered elementary school.
Example conversation
Ji-hoon and Seo-yeon are looking at family photos.
- 지훈 Ji-hun이 아이가 지훈 씨의 손녀인가요?i a-iga Jihun ssi-ui sonnyeo-ingayo?Is this child your granddaughter, Ji-hoon?
- 서연 Seo-yeon네, 정말 예쁘게 생겼죠?ne, jeongmal yeppeuge saenggyeotjyo?Yes, she is very pretty, isn't she?
- 지훈 Ji-hun정말 그렇네요. 성격도 좋을 것 같아요.jeongmal geureonneyo. seonggyeok-do joeul geot gat-ayo.She really is. I think she has a good personality too.
- 서연 Seo-yeon고마워요. 손녀 자랑을 너무 많이 했네요.gomawoyo. sonnyeo jarang-eul neomu mani haet-neyo.Thank you. I've been bragging about my granddaughter too much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “granddaughter” translations and entries 손녀, 외손녀, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 손녀, 외손녀, CC BY-SA 4.0.
