Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 언니 | eonni | [ʌ̹nni] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 누나 | nuna | [ˈnu(ː)na̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 여동생 | yeodongsaeng | [jʌ̹do̞ŋsʰɛŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [jʌ̹do̞ŋsʰe̞ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
|
| 동생 | dongsaeng | [to̞ŋsʰɛŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [to̞ŋsʰe̞ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
|
| 누이 | nu'i | [nui] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 시스터 | siseuteo | [ɕʰisʰɯtʰʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | colloquial, humorous, ironic |
In Korean, the term you use for an older sister depends entirely on your own gender. If you are female, you use 언니. If you are male, you use 누나. For a younger sister, you can use 여동생 or the more general term 동생. The formal term for sisters in general is 자매 (Jamae).
What does it mean word for word?
The word 여동생 is composed of 여 (female) and 동생 (younger sibling).
Which one should you use?
While 언니 and 누나 both mean "older sister", 언니 is used by a female and 누나 is used by a male. To refer to a younger sister, use 여동생, which is gender-specific. However, 동생 is a gender-neutral term that refers to any younger sibling regardless of sex.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term 누나 can be used informally by younger siblings or male friends to address older sisters. For a younger sister, you can use the informal phrase 내 동생 (nae dongsaeng) to mean "my younger sibling". The loanword 시스터 is used colloquially, humorously or ironically and is not the standard way to address a sibling.
How do you pronounce it?
eonni
Did you know?
Examples in context
- 나 너네 언니 만나고 싶어I'd like to meet your older sister.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to meet someone's older sister using 언니.Tatoeba #8306577 by ljj, translation #997875 by CK
- 톰이 동생을 괴롭히곤 했어.Tom used to torment his younger sister.This sentence shows how to use 동생 to refer to a younger sibling.Tatoeba #8533611 by Eunhee, translation #4449112 by Hybrid
- 내 여동생은 단 것을 좋아한다.My sister has a sweet tooth.This sentence demonstrates the use of 여동생 to specify a younger sister.Tatoeba #11105171 by intertime, translation #250961 by CK
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dohyun and Jieun are talking about Jieun's family.
- 도현 Do-hyeon지은 씨는 언니가 있어요?Jieun ssineun eonniga isseoyo?Jieun, do you have an older sister?
- 지은 Ji-eun네, 언니가 한 명 있어요.Ne, eonniga han myeong isseoyo.Yes, I have one older sister.
- 도현 Do-hyeon언니는 무슨 일을 하세요?Eonnineun museun ireul haseyo?What does your sister do for a living?
- 지은 Ji-eun제 언니는 선생님이에요.Je eonnineun seonsaengnimieyo.My sister is a teacher.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sister” translations and entries 언니, 누나, 여동생, 동생, 누이, 시스터, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 누나, 동생, 언니, 여동생, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
