Korean Family Relationship Terms

Father's father

Harabeoji (할아버지)

Formally 친할아버지 (chin-harabeoji) to specify the paternal side.

Father's mother

Halmeoni (할머니)

Formally 친할머니 (chin-halmeoni).

Mother's father

Oe-harabeoji (외할아버지)

Mother's mother

Oe-halmeoni (외할머니)

Father

Abeoji (아버지)

Informal: Appa (아빠).

Mother

Eomeoni (어머니)

Informal: Eomma (엄마).

Father's older brother

Keunabeoji (큰아버지)

Father's younger brother

Jageunabeoji (작은아버지)

Father's sister

Gomo (고모)

Mother's older brother

Oesamchon (외삼촌)

Modern casual speech may use 'samchon' (삼촌) more generally for any uncle.

Mother's younger brother

Oesamchon (외삼촌)

Mother's sister

Imo (이모)

Father's older brother's wife

Keuneomeoni (큰어머니)

Father's younger brother's wife

Jageuneomeoni (작은어머니)

Mother's brother's wife

Oesungmo (외숙모)

Father's sister's husband

Gomobu (고모부)

Mother's sister's husband

Imobu (이모부)

Older brother

Hyeong (형, used by a male speaker) / Oppa (오빠, used by a female speaker)

Korean sibling terms depend on the speaker's own gender, not just the relative's.

Younger brother

Namdongsaeng (남동생)

Older sister

Nuna (누나, used by a male speaker) / Eonni (언니, used by a female speaker)

Younger sister

Yeodongsaeng (여동생)

Father's brother's son

Sachon (사촌)

Modern usage generally uses this one word for cousin regardless of side; traditional terminology can be far more specific.

Father's brother's daughter

Sachon (사촌)

Father's sister's son

Sachon (사촌)

Father's sister's daughter

Sachon (사촌)

Mother's brother's son

Sachon (사촌)

Mother's brother's daughter

Sachon (사촌)

Mother's sister's son

Sachon (사촌)

Mother's sister's daughter

Sachon (사촌)

Son

Adeul (아들)

Daughter

Ttal (딸)

Grandson

Sonja (손자)

Granddaughter

Sonnyeo (손녀)

Son-in-law

Sawi (사위)

Daughter-in-law

Myeoneuri (며느리)

Brother's son

Joka (조카)

One general word covers a nephew from either a brother's or a sister's side.

Sister's son

Joka (조카)

Brother's daughter

Jokttal (조카딸)

Sister's daughter

Jokttal (조카딸)

Husband

Nampyeon (남편)

Wife

Anae (아내)

Spouse's father

Siabeoji (시아버지, used by the wife) / Jangin (장인, used by the husband)

Korean has no single word for 'father-in-law' - the term depends on which spouse is speaking.

Spouse's mother

Sieomeoni (시어머니, used by the wife) / Jangmo (장모, used by the husband)

Husband's older brother

Ajubeonim (아주버님)

Husband's younger brother

Doryeonnim (도련님)

Husband's sister

Sinu-i (시누이)

Wife's brother

Cheonam (처남)

Wife's sister

Cheoje (처제)

Brother's wife

Hyeongsu (형수)

Used by a younger sibling for an older brother's wife.

Sister's husband

Maebu (매부)