선생님
seonsaengnim[sʰʌ̹nsʰɛŋnim]honorific
The English word "teacher" is translated into Korean as 선생님 (seonsaengnim). Wiktionary also lists 선생 (seonsaeng) and 교사 (gyosa).
Meaning: person who teaches (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 선생님 | seonsaengnim | [sʰʌ̹nsʰɛŋnim] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [sʰʌ̹nsʰe̞ŋnim] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
honorific |
| 선생 | seonsaeng | [sʰʌ̹nsʰɛŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [sʰʌ̹nsʰe̞ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
|
| 교사 | gyosa | [ˈkjo(ː)sʰa̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
선생님 is the most common and widely used word for a teacher in Korean. It can be used to address both male and female teachers. In academic settings like universities, you would instead use 교수님 to refer to a professor or academic instructor.
Which one should you use?
선생님 is used when addressing or talking about a specific person. In contrast, 교사 (gyosa) is a formal term used to describe the occupation or profession of being a teacher.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
선생님 is the standard, respectful way to address or refer to a teacher.
How do you pronounce it?
seonsaengnim
When do people say it?
In Korea, 선생님 is often used as a respectful title for people one does not know well, even if they are not literally a school teacher, to acknowledge their status or seniority.
Did you know?
- In a very dark context, the word 교사 can also refer to death by strangulation.
- In Korean culture, the bond between a student and a 선생님 is traditionally seen as an unbreakable, lifelong relationship regardless of whether the student has graduated.
- While 선생님 is the standard respectful address, using the word 선생 without the honorific suffix -님 can sound overly blunt or even condescending when speaking directly to someone.
Examples in context
- 우리 선생님 여기 오신다.Here comes our teacher.This sentence is useful for describing the arrival of a 선생.Tatoeba #10585540 by ssuss32, translation #272782 by CK
- 톰은 아주 헌신적인 선생님이야.Tom is a very dedicated teacher.This sentence is useful for describing a person as a dedicated 선생.Tatoeba #8367134 by Eunhee, translation #8351208 by CK
- 잭슨씨는 우리의 과학 선생님이야.Mr. Jackson is our science teacher.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as a science 선생.Tatoeba #8363691 by Eunhee, translation #4529407 by CK
- 선생님, 안녕하세요?Hello, teacher.
- 선생님, 이번 주 숙제가 있어요?Teacher, do we have homework this week?
- 46 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hyun-woo and Ji-eun are talking about their new instructor.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo새로운 선생님은 정말 친절하세요.saeroun seonsaengnim-eun jeongmal chinjeolhaseyo.The new teacher is really kind.
- 지은 Ji-eun맞아요. 설명도 아주 쉽게 해주세요.majayo. seolmyeong-do aju swipge hae-juseyo.That's true. They explain things very easily.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo지은 씨도 선생님을 좋아하시죠?jieun ssido seonsaengnim-eul joahasijyo?Ji-eun, you like the teacher too, right?
- 지은 Ji-eun네, 정말 존경스러운 선생님이에요.ne, jeongmal jongyeong-seureoun seonsaengnim-ieyo.Yes, they are a truly respectable teacher.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “teacher” translations and entries 선생님, 선생, 교사, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 교사, 선생, 선생님, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
