If you look up “sister” in a Korean dictionary, you may be surprised to find more than one answer.
That’s because Korean sibling terms depend on two things: whether the sister is older or younger than you, and your own gender.
The good news is that you only need three common words to handle most everyday situations:
| Relationship | Korean | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| Older sister, said by a woman | 언니 | eonni |
| Older sister, said by a man | 누나 | nuna |
| Younger sister | 여동생 | yeodongsaeng |
Here’s how each one works.
언니 (Eonni): Older Sister for Female Speakers
A woman or girl uses 언니 (eonni) for an older sister.
For example:
우리 언니는 서울에 살아요.
Uri eonnineun Seoure sarayo.
“My older sister lives in Seoul.”
언니 is also commonly used for women who are not actually sisters. A younger woman may call an older female friend 언니 when they have a close, familiar relationship.
This is one reason you may hear the word frequently in Korean TV shows, YouTube videos, and everyday conversations.
One important point: male speakers normally do not use 언니 for an older sister. They use 누나 instead.
누나 (Nuna): Older Sister for Male Speakers
A man or boy calls his older sister 누나 (nuna).
For example:
누나, 어디 가?
Nuna, eodi ga?
“Where are you going?”
Like 언니, 누나 is not limited to relatives. A younger man may use it with an older woman he knows well.
However, learners should not assume that every older Korean woman should be called 누나 or 언니. These words can imply familiarity, so using a name, title, or another form of address may be more appropriate when you do not know someone well.
여동생 (Yeodongsaeng): Younger Sister
For a younger sister, the speaker’s gender does not matter.
The usual word is 여동생 (yeodongsaeng).
It consists of:
- 여 (女) — female
- 동생 — younger sibling
So 여동생 literally means “younger female sibling.”
For example:
저는 여동생이 한 명 있어요.
Jeoneun yeodongsaengi han myeong isseoyo.
“I have one younger sister.”
You can also use 동생 (dongsaeng) by itself when the younger sibling’s gender is already clear or is not important.
Do You Call Your Younger Sister 여동생?
Usually, no.
여동생 is mainly a word used to describe the relationship. When speaking directly to a younger sister, Koreans normally use her name or another familiar way of addressing her.
For example:
지수야, 잠깐 와 봐.
Jisu-ya, jamkkan wa bwa.
“Jisu, come here for a second.”
This is different from 언니 and 누나, which are frequently used as direct forms of address.
Why Are There Different Words for Older Sisters?
English focuses mainly on the family relationship: “sister.”
Korean also pays attention to age and the relationship between the speakers. That is why an older sister has different names depending on whether the younger sibling is male or female.
The same pattern appears with older brothers:
- 언니 — older sister used by a female
- 누나 — older sister used by a male
- 오빠 (oppa) — older brother used by a female
- 형 (hyeong) — older brother used by a male
Learning these four words together can make the system much easier to remember.
What Does 자매 (Jamae) Mean?
Another word you may encounter is 자매 (jamae).
자매 means “sisters” or “female siblings” as a group. It is useful when discussing the relationship in general rather than addressing one particular sister.
For example:
그 두 사람은 자매예요.
Geu du sarameun jamaeyeyo.
“Those two are sisters.”
For a brother-and-sister pair, Korean also has words such as 남매 (nammae).
What About Step-Sisters and Half-Sisters?
Korean has more specific vocabulary for these relationships, but beginners usually do not need to memorize it immediately.
You may see 의붓- (uibut-) used for step-family relationships. Half-sibling terminology can vary depending on the exact family relationship, so it is better to learn those expressions when you actually need them rather than treating them as basic sibling vocabulary.
The same is true of “sister-in-law.” Korean has several different terms depending on whether the person is your spouse’s sister or your sibling’s wife, as well as age and gender. There is no single Korean word that matches English “sister-in-law” in every situation.
Quick Way to Remember
If the sister is younger than you, think:
여동생
If she is older than you, ask yourself who is speaking:
Female speaker → 언니
Male speaker → 누나
That simple rule covers the most common situations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can 언니 and 누나 be used for friends?
Yes. They are often used for older female friends or people with whom the speaker has a familiar relationship. They are not automatically appropriate for every older woman, however.
Can a man call his older sister 언니?
Normally, no. A male speaker uses 누나.
Can a woman call her older sister 누나?
Normally, no. A female speaker uses 언니.
Is 동생 the same as 여동생?
Not exactly. 동생 means a younger sibling without specifying gender. 여동생 specifically means a younger sister.
What is the most important vocabulary to memorize?
For most beginners, start with these three:
언니 — older sister, female speaker
누나 — older sister, male speaker
여동생 — younger sister
Once those feel natural, you can move on to less common family terms.
Final Thoughts
Korean does not have a single everyday word that works exactly like English “sister.” Instead, the right word depends on age and, for an older sister, the gender of the speaker.
At first, this may seem like extra vocabulary to memorize. In practice, the pattern is quite small. Remember 언니, 누나, and 여동생, and you will already understand the sister terms that appear most often in everyday Korean.
