형제
hyeongje[çʌ̹ŋd͡ʑe̞]
The English phrase "older sibling" is translated into Korean as 형제 (hyeongje).
While 형제 is defined as an older sibling, in common usage, it is most frequently used to mean "brothers" or "siblings" in a general sense.
Which one should you use?
In Korean, the specific word you use for an older sibling depends on your own gender and the gender of the sibling: To refer to an older brother:
– A male uses 형. – A female uses 오빠. To refer to an older sister:
– A male uses 누나. – A female uses 언니.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Gyeongsang province, people might use 누님 instead of 누나.
How do you pronounce it?
hyeongje
Did you know?
- Even if you are not related to someone, you might call a slightly older male acquaintance 오빠 or 형 to create a sense of closeness.
- The term 형제 is composed of the characters for 'older brother' and 'younger brother', making it more gender-specific than the English 'siblings'.
- A man who calls an older male acquaintance 오빠 instead of 형 might be perceived as acting unusually feminine or even eccentric in certain social settings.
Example conversation
Minjun and Minji are talking about their families.
- 민준 Min-jun민지 씨는 형제가 있어요?Minji ssi-neun hyeong-je-ga is-seo-yo?Minji, do you have any siblings?
- 민지 Min-ji네, 저는 형제가 한 명 있어요.ne, jeo-neun hyeong-je-ga han myeong is-seo-yo.Yes, I have one older sibling.
- 민준 Min-jun오빠예요, 아니면 언니예요?oppa-ye-yo, a-ni-myeon eon-ni-ye-yo?Is it an older brother or an older sister?
- 민지 Min-ji언니예요.eon-ni-ye-yo.It's an older sister.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 형제, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 형제, CC BY-SA 4.0.
