성
seong[sʰɘ(ː)ŋ]
The English phrase 'surname' is translated into Korean as 성 (seong). Wiktionary also lists 성씨 (seongssi).
Meaning: name that indicates family (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 성 | seong | [sʰɘ(ː)ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 성씨 | seongssi | [ˈsʰɘ(ː)ŋɕ͈i] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
A surname is the name that indicates family. In Korea, the surname is always placed before the given name. While 성 refers to the surname, the word for a person's given name is 이름.
Which one should you use?
성씨 is a more formal and polite way to refer to a surname, often used in official contexts or when showing respect.
How do you pronounce it?
seong
Did you know?
- In traditional Korean genealogy, the surname is paired with a 'bon-gwan', which identifies the specific ancestral hometown of that family line.
- Many Koreans have the same surname because, historically, some clans adopted the names of powerful families to gain social status.
- The character 성 can also mean 'castle' if written as 城, showing how different Hanja characters can create identical sounds.
Examples in context
- 제 성은 왕입니다.My surname is Wang.Tatoeba #13198925 by atitarev, translation #12267593 by Miktsoanit
- 한국에는 아주 많은 성이 있어요.Hangugeneun aju maneun seongi isseoyo.There are many surnames in Korea.
- 그의 성은 무엇인가요?Geuui seongeun mueosingayo?What is his surname?
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing a new coworker during a break.
- 도현 Do-hyeon새로 온 직원의 성이 뭐예요?Saero on jikwoni seungi mwoyeyo?What is the new employee's surname?
- 민지 Min-ji김 씨라고 하더라고요.Gimsirago hadeoragoyo.I heard it is Kim.
- 도현 Do-hyeon아, 그 성은 정말 흔하죠.A, geu seongun jeongmal heunhajo.Ah, that surname is very common.
- 민지 Min-ji맞아요, 정말 많아요.Majayo, jeongmal manayo.That's right, there are many.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “surname” translations and entries 성, 성씨, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 성, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
