더 늙은
deo neulgeun
The English phrase 'senior' (as an adjective meaning older) is translated into Korean as 더 늙은 (deo neulgeun). Wiktionary also lists 늙은 (neulgeun).
Meaning: older (adj)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 더 늙은 | deo neulgeun |
| 늙은 | neulgeun |
The phrase 더 늙은 is used to describe biological age or physical aging, rather than social status or seniority. When you want to refer to a person's social seniority or someone who is senior to you in a specific hierarchy, you should use the noun 선배 instead.
Which one should you use?
더 늙은 is an adjective meaning 'older', whereas 늙은 is another form.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
deo neulgeun
What mistakes should you avoid?
When referring to someone's social or academic seniority in a school or workplace, do not use the adjective 더 늙은. Instead, use the noun 선배.
When do people say it?
선배 is a term used to refer to someone older or more senior, especially in school or work settings.
Did you know?
- While 더 늙은 refers to biological age, the term 선배 can be used for someone younger than you if they started at a company or school before you did.
- In Korean culture, a 선배 is often expected to pay for meals or drinks when outings occur with their 후배 or juniors.
- The word 더 traces back to Middle Korean and is a descendant of the Old Korean word *TE.
Example sentences for Korean are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Jihoon and Jieun are looking at a family photo.
- 지훈 Ji-hun이 사진 속의 분은 누구예요?i sajin sok-ui buneun nuguyeyo?Who is this person in the photo?
- 지은 Ji-eun저분이 저희 할아버지보다 더 늙은 분이세요.jeobuni jeohui harabeojiboda deo neulgeun bun-iseyo.That person is older than my grandfather.
- 지훈 Ji-hun정말 그렇게 보이시네요.jeongmal geureoke boisineyo.They really look that way.
- 지은 Ji-eun네, 아주 연세가 많으세요.ne, aju yeonsega maneuseyo.Yes, they are very old.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “senior” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 더, CC BY-SA 4.0.
