여동생
yeodongsaeng[jʌ̹do̞ŋsʰɛŋ]
The English phrase 'younger sister' is translated into Korean as 여동생 (yeodongsaeng). Wiktionary also lists 누이동생 (nu'idongsaeng) and 동생 (dongsaeng).
Meaning: Translations (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 여동생 | yeodongsaeng | [jʌ̹do̞ŋsʰɛŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [jʌ̹do̞ŋsʰe̞ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
|
| 누이동생 | nu'idongsaeng | [nuido̞ŋsʰɛŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [nuido̞ŋsʰe̞ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
|
| 동생 | dongsaeng | [to̞ŋsʰɛŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [to̞ŋsʰe̞ŋ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
feminine, masculine |
While 여동생 specifically denotes a younger sister, you can also use the gender-neutral term 동생 to refer to a younger sibling of any gender.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 여동생 is composed of 여, meaning female and 동생, meaning younger sibling.
Which one should you use?
In contrast, 동생 is a gender-neutral term used for either a younger brother or a younger sister. For a more formal or literary tone, you may use 누이동생.
How do you pronounce it?
yeodongsaeng
Did you know?
- In Korea, people often use 동생 to describe a close friend who is younger than them, even if they are not biologically related.
- Because Korean culture emphasizes hierarchy, a person will often ask for another person's age before deciding whether to refer to them as a 동생.
- The term 동생 is built from the characters meaning 'same' and 'life', implying you share the same origin or birth.
Examples in context
- 톰이 동생을 괴롭히곤 했어.Tom used to torment his younger sister.This sentence shows the use of 동생 to refer to a younger sibling.Tatoeba #8533611 by Eunhee, translation #4449112 by Hybrid
- 우리 여동생은 날마다 피아노를 친다.My younger sister plays piano every day.This sentence shows the use of 여동생 to refer to a younger sister.Tatoeba #3677083 by ssuss32, translation #5099634 by chris3spice
- 제 여동생은 매우 예쁩니다.My younger sister is very beautiful.
- 제 여동생은 대학생이에요.je yeodongsaeng-eun daehaksaeng-ieyo.My younger sister is a college student.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Seoyeon and Hyunwoo are looking at a family photo.
- 서연 Seo-yeon이 아이가 누구예요?i a-iga nuguyeyo?Who is this child?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo제 여동생이에요.je yeodongsaeng-ieyo.This is my younger sister.
- 서연 Seo-yeon정말 닮았네요!jeongmal dalmatneyo!You two look really alike!
- 현우 Hyeon-woo감사합니다.gamsahamnida.Thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “younger sister” translations and entries 여동생, 누이동생, 동생, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 누이동생, 동생, 여동생, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
