박 씨
bak ssi
Ms. Park is said in Korean as 박 씨 (bak ssi).
박 씨 is a polite way to refer to a woman with the surname Park. Using only a surname with 씨 (e.g., 박 씨) can sometimes feel slightly impersonal or even condescending depending on the social hierarchy, and is often used when the speaker and listener are of similar social standing or when the speaker is slightly higher in status.
What does it mean word for word?
The term consists of the surname 박 and the particle 씨, which is a polite honorific suffix added to a name or surname.
How do you pronounce it?
bak ssi
Did you know?
- The surname 박 shares its name with the word for a 'calabash' or gourd. Legend says the founder of the Park lineage was born from an egg as large as one of these fruits.
- In Korean, the same sound 박 can mean many different things depending on the Chinese characters used, ranging from 'to strike' to 'to stay' or even 'to gamble'.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are talking in an office.
- 지은 Ji-eun민준 씨, 박 씨 오셨어요?Minjun ssi, Bak ssi osyeosseoyo?Minjun, has Ms. Park arrived?
- 민준 Min-jun네, 지금 로비에 계세요.Ne, jigeum robi-e gyeseyo.Yes, she is in the lobby now.
- 지은 Ji-eun박 씨께 회의실로 오라고 하세요.Bak ssi-kke hoeuisil-lo orago haseyo.Please tell Ms. Park to come to the meeting room.
- 민준 Min-jun알겠습니다. 바로 말씀드릴게요.Algetseumnida. baro malsseumdeurilgeyo.I understand. I will tell her right away.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 박, CC BY-SA 4.0.
