What does 할아버지 (harabeoji) mean?
- 할아버지harabeoji
Grandpa / elderly man
Fine in most situations
할아버지 (harabeoji) means "grandfather" or "grandpa." Koreans also use it as a respectful way to address or talk about any elderly man.
Where it comes from
할아버지 is a native Korean word built around 아버지 (father).
How to use 할아버지
Grandchildren call their grandfather 할아버지. Families differ on whether kids use polite or casual speech with him, but honorific words like 진지 (meal) and 드세요 (please eat) are common when speaking to grandparents.
With strangers, 할아버지 is a normal, respectful way to address a clearly elderly man.
Avoid it for men who are only middle-aged, since it can make them feel old. 아버님 or a polite "excuse me" (저기요) works better.
Examples
Tap a word to see what it means and save it to your flashcards.
Calling grandpa to the table
Telling a friend where your grandfather lives
Saying goodbye after a holiday visit
Other ways to say it
| Korean | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|
| 외할아버지 | grandfather on mom's side | 외 marks the mother's side. |
| 친할아버지 | grandfather on dad's side | 친 marks the father's side. |
| 할아버님 | grandfather (honorific) | Extra respectful. |
| 할배 | grandpa (dialect) | Southeastern dialect, also used fondly. |
Questions learners ask
Can I call any old man harabeoji?
Yes, for a clearly elderly man it is normal and polite. For a middle-aged man it can sound like you think he looks old.
How do you spell harabeoji?
The official romanization is harabeoji, but you will also see halabeoji and haraboji. They all mean 할아버지.