아들
adeul[a̠dɯɭ]
아들 (adeul) is the Korean word for son. Wiktionary also lists 아드님 (adeunim).
Meaning: a male person in relation to his parents (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 아들 | adeul | [a̠dɯɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 아드님 | adeunim | [a̠dɯnim] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | honorific |
The term refers to a male person in relation to his parents. While 아들 is the most common and neutral way to express this, other forms are used depending on who you are addressing and the level of respect required.
Which one should you use?
아들 is the neutral form. 아드님 is an honorific form used specifically when referring to someone else's son to show respect. 아들아 is a specific form used for direct address.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
아들 is the neutral standard. 아드님 is the honorific form. 아들아 is an informal way to address a son directly.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When calling out to your own son directly, you add the vocative particle –아 to form 아들아.
How do you pronounce it?
adeul
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'son' to address their children, a Korean parent rarely calls their son '아들아' in daily conversation, often preferring the son's name instead.
- In traditional Korean culture, the 'first-born son' 장남 held a distinct legal and social status that differed significantly from younger sons.
- The spelling of 아들 has evolved significantly from its Middle Korean form, 아ᄃᆞᆯ, which utilized the archaic vowel 'ㆍ' (arae-a) that is no longer used in standard modern Korean.
Examples in context
- 그 아빠에 그 아들.Like father, like son.This sentence uses 아들 to illustrate the proverb 'Like father, like son'.Tatoeba #6305189 by Queserasera, translation #2345 by brauliobezerra
- 네 아들은 너를 닮지 않았다.Your son isn't like you.This sentence uses 아들 to describe a resemblance between a parent and a son.Tatoeba #11107525 by intertime, translation #10004505 by DJ_Saidez
- 난 네가 자랑스럽단다. 아들아.I'm proud of you, son.This sentence uses 아들 in the vocative form 아들아 to address a son directly.Tatoeba #8533595 by Eunhee, translation #5970860 by Hybrid
- 저의 아들은 열두 살입니다.My son is twelve years old.
- 아들아, 다음 주말에 함께 공원에 가자.Hey, son, let's go to the park next weekend.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their children at a cafe.
- 도현 Do-hyeon지은 씨, 아들은 잘 지내요?Jieun ssi, adeureun jal jinaeyo?Jieun, is your son doing well?
- 지은 Ji-eun네, 도현 씨 아들도 잘 지내죠?Ne, Dohyeon ssi adeuldo jal jinaejo?Yes, is your son doing well too, Dohyeon?
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 우리 아들은 요즘 학교가 즐겁대요.Ne, uri adeureun yojeum hakgyoga jeulgeopdaeyo.Yes, my son says he enjoys school these days.
- 지은 Ji-eun정말 다행이네요.Jeongmal dahaengineyo.That is a relief.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “son” translations and entries 아들, 아드님, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 아드님, 아들, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
