π΅ Korean Sibling Terms and Age-based Hierarchy – Intermediate Level (TOPIK 3–6)
Curious about how Koreans address their siblings and why age matters so much in everyday conversation? This post explores the linguistic and cultural depth of sibling terms and age hierarchy in Korea. π¨π©π§ Basic Sibling Terms in Korean π Why Age Determines Language π§ Hierarchy in Everyday Speech π How to Adjust Language Based on Age π Practice Dialogue π‘ Did You Know? π¬ Final Thoughts π Related Posts π¨π©π§ Basic Sibling Terms in Korean In Korean, sibling terms vary by the speaker’s gender and the age relationship. You never simply say “brother” or “sister”—context is everything. ν (hyeong): older brother (used by a male) λλ (nuna): older sister (used by a male) μ€λΉ (oppa): older brother (used by a female) μΈλ (eonni): older sister (used by a female) λ¨λμ (namdongsaeng): younger brother (used by anyone) μ¬λμ (yeodongsaeng): younger sister (used by anyone) Unlike English, Koreans **never** use a sibling’s first name ...