Word charts · Korean honorific words
Korean honorific words 높임말
When you talk about older people or people you respect, Korean replaces some everyday words with honorific ones: 먹다 becomes 드시다, 집 becomes 댁.
Humble words such as 드리다 and 뵙다 work the other way: they lower yourself.
for elders
| basic | honorific | |
|---|---|---|
| eat | 먹다 [meok‑da] | 드시다 [deu‑si‑da] |
| drink | 마시다 [ma‑si‑da] | 드시다 [deu‑si‑da] |
| sleep | 자다 [ja‑da] | 주무시다 [ju‑mu‑si‑da] |
| be · stay | 있다 [it‑da] | 계시다 [gye‑si‑da] |
| speak | 말하다 [mal‑ha‑da] | 말씀하시다 [mal‑sseum-ha‑si‑da] |
| be sick | 아프다 [a‑peu‑da] | 편찮으시다 [pyeon‑chan-eu‑si‑da] |
lowering yourself
| basic | humble | |
|---|---|---|
| give | 주다 [ju‑da] | 드리다 [deu‑ri‑da] |
| ask | 묻다 [mut‑da] | 여쭙다 [yeo‑jjup‑da] |
| meet · see | 만나다 [man‑na‑da] | 뵙다 [boep‑da] |
nouns
| basic | honorific | |
|---|---|---|
| house | 집 [jip] | 댁 [daek] |
| age | 나이 [na‑i] | 연세 [yeon‑se] |
| name | 이름 [i‑reum] | 성함 [seong‑ham] |
| meal | 밥 [bap] | 진지 [jin‑ji] |
| birthday | 생일 [saeng‑il] | 생신 [saeng‑sin] |
| person | 사람 [sa‑ram] | 분 [bun] |
| words | 말 [mal] | 말씀 [mal‑sseum] |
More Korean word charts
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