How to say “older brother” in Korean
- 오빠oppa
older brother (said by a woman)
"Older brother" in Korean is 오빠 (oppa) if you are female and 형 (hyung) if you are male. Korean has no single word for "brother": the word depends on whether the speaker is a woman or a man, and both words are also used for close older men who are not family.
Ways to say it
| Korean | Level | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 오빠 oppa | Casual | Used by women and girls for an older brother, and also for older male friends or a boyfriend. |
| 형 hyung | Casual | Used by men and boys for an older brother, and also for older male friends, teammates or coworkers they are close to. |
| 친오빠 chinoppa | Any | "My actual older brother" (said by a woman). Used to make clear you mean a blood relative, since 오빠 is also used for friends and boyfriends. |
| 형님 hyungnim | Formal | A respectful version of 형, used by men for an older man they respect. It is also a sister-in-law term in some families. |
| 오라버니 orabeoni | Formal | An old-fashioned, very respectful form of 오빠. You mostly hear it in historical dramas or as a joke. |
Examples
Tap a word to see what it means and save it to your flashcards.
A girl asking her brother where he is going
A boy complaining to his older brother
A man talking about his family
Tips
The speaker's gender decides the word, not the brother's. A woman says 오빠 and a man says 형. A man saying 오빠 sounds like a joke.
Koreans use 오빠 and 형 for older people who are not family at all: a close older friend, a senior at school, or (for 오빠) a boyfriend. That is why fans call male idols 오빠.
You usually call your older brother 오빠 or 형 directly, not by his name. Calling an older sibling by name can sound rude.
Questions learners ask
Can a guy say oppa?
Not normally. Men say 형 (hyung) for an older brother or older male friend. A man saying 오빠 is usually joking.
Does oppa only mean brother?
No. Women also use 오빠 for older male friends and boyfriends. To say you mean a real brother, use 친오빠 (chinoppa).
How do you say "brother" without knowing who is older?
The general word for brothers is 형제 (hyeongje), and for a younger brother it is 남동생 (namdongsaeng). In everyday speech Koreans almost always specify older or younger.