이모
imo[imo̞]
The English phrase maternal aunt is 이모 (imo) in Korean.
The most common informal way to say maternal aunt is 이모.
Meaning: one's mother's sister (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the honorific suffix –님 to 이모 results in 이모님, which is used to show respect to one's aunt or to female staff in service industries like restaurants.
How do you pronounce it?
imo
Did you know?
- In South Korea, the way you address a maternal aunt versus a paternal aunt is strictly divided by the language used, making it impossible to use the same word for both sides of the family.
- The word 이모 is a homonym for the English loanword 'emo', referring to the emotional hardcore music genre and subculture.
- In many Korean households, a woman might be addressed as 이모 by children even if she is a close family friend, as the term implies a level of warmth and intimacy that formal titles lack.
Examples in context
- 안녕 이모! 얼마만이야?Hello, aunt! Long time no see?
- 이모님, 오랜만에 뵙네요.Aunt, long time no see.
- 이모는 정말 친절해요.imoneun jeongmal chinjeolhaeyo.My maternal aunt is very kind.
- 우리 이모를 만나러 가요.uri imoreul mannareo gayo.I am going to meet my maternal aunt.
- 이모가 맛있는 음식을 해주셨어요.imoga masinneun eumsigeul haejusyeosseoyo.My maternal aunt made me delicious food.
Example conversation
Jihoon shows a photo to Subin.
- 지훈 Ji-hun이 분이 누구예요?i buni nuguyeyo?Who is this person?
- 수빈 Su-bin저희 이모예요.jeohui imoyeyo.This is my maternal aunt.
- 지훈 Ji-hun정말 젊어 보이시네요.jeongmal jeolmeo boisineyo.She looks very young.
- 수빈 Su-bin감사합니다, 지훈 씨.gamsahamnida, Jihun ssi.Thank you, Jihoon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “maternal aunt” translations and entries 이모, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 이모, CC BY-SA 4.0.
