박 여사님
bak yeosanim
In Korean, the phrase for "Mrs. Park" is 박 여사님 (bak yeosanim).
박 여사님 is a highly respectful way to address or refer to a married woman named Park. This term is typically used for women of a certain social standing or older age, rather than for a young newlywed.
Which one should you use?
While 박 여사님 is a highly respectful term, you may encounter other ways to address a person named Park. The term 박 여사 is a formal honorific specifically used for the wife of someone who holds a higher social position or a government rank. If you wish to use a respectful title after a surname that does not specify a person's gender or marital status, you can use 씨.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
박 여사님 is a highly respectful and formal way to address or refer to a married woman.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Korean, the surname always precedes the title.
How do you pronounce it?
bak yeosanim
Did you know?
- The surname 박 shares its name and sound with the word for a 'calabash' or large gourd. This is because, according to legend, the founder of the lineage was born from a giant egg shaped like one.
- In Korean culture, addressing a woman as 여사님 can be used as a polite way to address a female stranger of a certain age, even if you do not know her name.
Examples in context
- 박 여사님은 정말 친절하세요.Bak yeosanim-eun jeongmal chinjeolhaseyo.Mrs. Park is very kind.
- 박 여사님께 선물을 드렸어요.Bak yeosanim-kke seonmul-eul deuryeosseoyo.I gave a gift to Mrs. Park.
- 박 여사님을 뵌 적이 있나요?Bak yeosanim-eul boen jeok-i innayo?Have you ever met Mrs. Park?
Example conversation
Dohyun and Jieun are greeting a neighbor.
- 도현 Do-hyeon지은 씨, 박 여사님 오셨어요.Jieun ssi, Bak yeosanim osyeosseoyo.Jieun, Mrs. Park is here.
- 지은 Ji-eun정말요? 어디 계세요?Jeongmallyo? Eodi gyeseyo?Really? Where is she?
- 도현 Do-hyeon거실에 계세요.Geosire gyeseyo.She is in the living room.
- 지은 Ji-eun박 여사님, 반갑습니다!Bak yeosanim, bangapsumnida!Mrs. Park, it's nice to meet you!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 박, CC BY-SA 4.0.
