어머니
eomeoni[ʌ̹mʌ̹ni]
The English word mother is translated into Korean as 어머니 (eomeoni). Wiktionary also lists 어머님 (eomeonim) and 에미 (emi).
Meaning: female (human) who gives birth to or parents a child (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 어머니 | eomeoni | [ʌ̹mʌ̹ni] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 어머님 | eomeonim | [ʌ̹mʌ̹nim] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | honorific |
| 에미 | emi | [e̞mi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | humble |
| 어미 | eomi | [ʌ̹mi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [ˈɘ(ː)mi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
|
| 모친 | mochin | [ˈmo̞(ː)t͡ɕʰin] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | formal |
The words in Korean for mother vary depending on whether you are referring to a human or an animal, and whether you are speaking about your own mother or someone else's.
Which one should you use?
어머니 is the standard term for a human mother. For animals, the form 어미 is used instead. While 어머니 is the standard, 엄마 is a more affectionate and informal way to say 'mom'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
어머니 is a formal term used to respectfully address your own mother in formal settings. To show high respect, such as when addressing a mother-in-law or speaking about someone else's mother, use the honorific form 어머님.
How do you pronounce it?
eomeoni
Did you know?
- The word 어미 is a homonym that can refer to an animal's mother, but in a linguistic context, it also means 'suffix' or 'ending' in Korean.
- While 엄마 is the common way to say 'mom', the term 에미 is an older, more humble way to refer to oneself as a mother when speaking to others.
- If you are using the word 어미 to talk about an animal, you should avoid using it to address a human, as it can sound disparaging or overly blunt.
Examples in context
- 우리 어머니는 남자 형제가 넷이다.My mother has four brothers.This sentence shows the use of 어머니 to describe a mother's siblings.Tatoeba #11106173 by intertime, translation #320580 by CK
- 그녀는 내 언니가 아니라 어머니예요.She is not my sister but my mother.This sentence uses 어머니 to identify a person's relationship.Tatoeba #4705812 by rainbow4us, translation #314334 by CK
- 저희 어머니께서 괜찮다고 말씀하셨어요.My mother said that she was all right.This sentence demonstrates a respectful way to speak about one's 어머니.Tatoeba #8361457 by Eunhee, translation #320821 by CK
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jihoon and Jieun are talking about their family photos.
- 지훈 Ji-hun이 사진 속의 분이 어머니세요?i sajin sogui buni eomeoniseyo?Is the person in this photo your mother?
- 지은 Ji-eun네, 저희 어머니예요.ne, jeohui eomeoniyeyo.Yes, that is my mother.
- 지훈 Ji-hun어머니가 정말 미인이시네요.eomeoniga jeongmal miinisineyo.Your mother is truly beautiful.
- 지은 Ji-eun감사합니다, 지훈 씨.gamsahamnida, Jihun ssi.Thank you, Jihoon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mother” translations and entries 어머니, 어머님, 에미, 어미, 모친, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
