Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 선생님 | seonsaengnim | [sʰʌ̹nsʰɛŋnim] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [sʰʌ̹nsʰe̞ŋnim] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| -씨 | -ssi | [ɕ͈i] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 아저씨 | ajeossi | [a̠d͡ʑʌ̹ɕ͈i] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
These terms are used to address a male, especially when his name or proper address is unknown. 선생님 is a common respectful way to address a male stranger even if he is not actually a teacher or an instructor. 아저씨 is a more casual way to address a middle-aged man, often used for strangers in casual settings like a shop or on the street. -씨 is a polite suffix used with names.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 선생님 literally means 'teacher'.
Which one should you use?
선생님 is used to address a stranger or someone of higher status. In contrast, 아저씨 is an informal way to address a middle-aged man. While 선생님 can stand alone as a way to say 'sir', -씨 is a suffix that must be attached to a person's name to address them as 'Mr.' or 'Ms.'
How does it change in a sentence?
The suffix -씨 must be attached to a full name or a given name and cannot be used by itself to mean 'sir' as the English word does.
How do you pronounce it?
seonsaengnim
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use -씨 to address someone without a name. It must follow a name to be grammatically correct.
Did you know?
- While 아저씨 is used for middle-aged men, calling a young man 아저씨 can be an accidental insult because it implies he looks much older than he is.
- Using the suffix -씨 to address a superior or a boss is considered rude in Korea, as it is generally reserved for equals or subordinates.
- The suffix -씨 is actually derived from the Chinese character 氏, which refers to a person's surname or clan.
Examples in context
- 선생님, 안녕하세요.seonsaengnim, annyeonghaseyo.Hello, sir.
- 선생님, 질문이 있습니다.seonsaengnim, jilmuni isseumnida.Sir, I have a question.
- 저기, 선생님!jeogi, seonsaengnim!Excuse me, sir!
Example conversation
Dohyun asks Minji for help finding a man in a hallway.
- 도현 Do-hyeon선생님, 저분을 아세요?seonsaengnim, jeobuneul aseyo?Sir, do you know that gentleman?
- 민지 Min-ji아니요, 모르는 분이에요.aniyo, moreuneun bunieyo.No, I don't know him.
- 도현 Do-hyeon선생님께 길을 여쭤보려고 했어요.seonsaengnimkke gireul yeojjwoboryeogo haesseoyo.I wanted to ask that sir for directions.
- 민지 Min-ji그럼 저기 안내소로 가보세요.geureom jeogi annaesoro gaboseyo.Then please go to the information desk over there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sir” translations and entries 선생님, -씨, 아저씨, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries -씨, 선생님, 아저씨, CC BY-SA 4.0.
