남자
namja[na̠md͡ʑa̠]
The English word 'man' is translated into Korean as 남자 (namja). Wiktionary also lists 사내 (sanae).
Meaning: adult male human (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 남자 | namja | [na̠md͡ʑa̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 사내 | sanae | [sʰa̠nɛ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [sʰa̠ne̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term 남자 refers to an adult male human. It is a neutral and standard way to identify a man, as opposed to terms for younger males like 소년 (boy) or 아이 (child). Related terms for the genus Homo include 사람 and 인간.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 남자 is a compound consisting of 남, meaning male and 자, meaning person or individual.
Which one should you use?
While 남자 is the standard, neutral term for a man, 사내 is a more colloquial or rustic term. 사내 is often used to emphasize a 'fellow' quality or masculinity.
Is it said differently in some regions?
남자 is commonly used across all regions of Korea, including Seoul and Busan.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
namja
Did you know?
- In the Korean language, the word 사내 can also mean 'within the company' when written with different Chinese characters.
Examples in context
- 난 참을성이 있는 남자야.I'm a patient man.This sentence is useful for describing a personal trait using 남자.Tatoeba #8366820 by Eunhee, translation #1890954 by CK
- 저 남자가 내 가방을 훔쳤다.That man stole my bag.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific person using 남자.Tatoeba #10605435 by ssuss32, translation #10604818 by shekitten
- 이 남자가 너 협박하고 있어?Is this man threatening you?This sentence is useful for asking about a person's actions using 남자.Tatoeba #13755051 by qlTmalffk, translation #3667190 by Hybrid
- 우리 회사의 사장님은 정말로 훌륭한 남자입니다.Our company's CEO is a truly excellent man.
- 저 남자, 정말 재미있는 사람이야.That guy is a really interesting person.
- 26 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Subin and Dohyun are people watching at a cafe.
- 수빈 Su-bin저기 멋진 남자가 있어요.jeogi meotjin namjaga isseoyo.There is a cool man over there.
- 도현 Do-hyeon누구를 말씀하시는 거예요?nugureul malsseumhasineun geoyeyo?Who are you talking about?
- 수빈 Su-bin키가 큰 남자요.kiga keun namjayo.The tall man.
- 도현 Do-hyeon아, 저 남자 말씀이시군요.a, jeo namja malsseumisigunyo.Ah, you mean that man.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “man” translations and entries 남자, 사내, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 남자, 사내, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
