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 terms used to mean mother vary significantly depending on whether you are referring to a human or an animal, and the level of respect required by the social context.
Which one should you use?
어머니 is the standard term for a human mother. In contrast, 어미 is used to refer to the mother of an animal. For a very casual or endearing tone similar to 'mom' or 'mommy', you might hear 엄마.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are several ways to express this depending on the register. 어머니 is used in formal situations. To show high respect, such as when addressing your own mother in a highly respectful context or referring to someone else's mother, use the honorific form 어머님. Conversely, 에미 is a humble form and 엄마 is the informal equivalent used in casual settings.
How do you pronounce it?
eomeoni
Did you know?
- The word 어미 is a homonym in Korean. Depending on the context, it can mean 'mother', a 'grammatical ending' or a 'fish tail'.
- The honorific 어머님 is often used by married women to address their mother-in-law, regardless of their biological relationship.
- The term 에미 is a humble way to refer to oneself as a mother. It is used by a mother when speaking about herself to show modesty or to someone of higher status.
Examples in context
- 우리 어머니는 남자 형제가 넷이다.My mother has four brothers.This sentence shows how to use 어머니 to describe family relations.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 the use of 어머니 in a polite sentence.Tatoeba #8361457 by Eunhee, translation #320821 by CK
- 어머니 는 어디에 계세요?Where is your mother?
- 어머니께서 오셨습니다.Mother has arrived.
- 엄마 뭐 먹고 싶어요?What do you want to eat, mom?
- 어머님, 오늘 저녁에 같이 식사하실래요?Would you like to have dinner with us, mother?
- 엄마야, 얼른 집에 와!Come home quickly, mom!
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their families at a cafe.
- 도현 Do-hyeon민지 씨, 어머니는 잘 계셔?Minji ssi, eomeoni-neun jal gyesyeo?Minji, is your mother doing well?
- 민지 Min-ji네, 도현 씨 어머니도 잘 계시죠?ne, Dohyeon ssi eomeoni-do jal gyesijyo?Yes, is your mother doing well too, Dohyeon?
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 저희 어머니는 아주 건강하세요.ne, jeohi eomeoni-neun aju geongang-haseyo.Yes, my mother is very healthy.
- 민지 Min-ji다행이네요!dahaeng-ineyo!That's a relief!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mother” translations and entries 어머니, 어머님, 에미, 어미, 모친, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 어머니, 어머님, 어미, 에미, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
