Name + 씨, title + 님
| Word | How it is used | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 씨 ssi | After the full name or given name of someone your age or younger, especially if you are not close. Polite but not for anyone senior. | 김민지 씨, 민지 씨 |
| 님 nim | After job titles and family words. After names it is common online, in customer service and at companies that have dropped job titles. | 선생님, 사장님, 민지 님 |
| 선배(님) seonbae(nim) | Anyone who started school, a club or a job before you. Add 님 to be more polite. | 민수 선배, 선배님 |
| 아 / 야 a / ya | Between close friends of the same age, and to younger friends: 야 after a vowel, 아 after a consonant. Casual — not for strangers. | 민지야, 준혁아 |
Oppa, unnie, hyung and noona
Koreans call older friends by family words. Which one depends on your gender as well as theirs:
| To an older man | To an older woman | |
|---|---|---|
| A man says | 형 hyeong | 누나 nuna |
| A woman says | 오빠 oppa | 언니 eonni |
The younger friend is a 동생 (dongsaeng) and is simply called by name. Add the name to be clear — 민수 형, 지은 언니 — and wait until you are on friendly terms, which the older person often suggests. 오빠 is also what many women call a boyfriend, and what fans call male idols, so it sounds warm.
Job titles at a Korean company
At work, call anyone with a title by that title + 님, adding the surname when there could be confusion: 김 과장님. The usual ladder, from junior to senior (English equivalents are rough):
| Title | Say | Roughly |
|---|---|---|
| 사원 | sawon | Staff member — not used as a title; call them name + 씨 |
| 주임 | juim | Senior staff member |
| 대리 | daeri | Assistant manager |
| 과장 | gwajang | Manager |
| 차장 | chajang | Deputy general manager |
| 부장 | bujang | General manager, head of department |
| 이사 · 상무 · 전무 | isa · sangmu · jeonmu | Directors (executives) |
| 사장 · 대표 | sajang · daepyo | President, CEO |
| 팀장 | timjang | Team leader (any rank) |
Titles differ from company to company, and many firms have flattened them — some call everyone name + 님, others use English names. Listen to how your colleagues address each other and do the same.
Calling staff and strangers
- 저기요 (jeogiyo, “excuse me”) — the safe way to get anyone’s attention, including a waiter. In a restaurant you will also hear 여기요 (yeogiyo, “over here”).
- 사장님 (sajangnim, “boss”) — what customers call the owner of a shop or restaurant.
- 이모 (imo, “auntie”) — friendly word regulars use for a middle-aged woman working in a casual restaurant. Not required.
- 어르신 (eoreusin) — respectful word for an elderly person; 할머니 (halmeoni, grandma) and 할아버지 (harabeoji, grandpa) are warmer.
- 아저씨 (ajeossi) and 아줌마 (ajumma) are common words for middle-aged men and women, but saying them to someone’s face can sound rude. 저기요 never does.
- Staff will call you 손님 (sonnim, guest) or 고객님 (gogaengnim, customer).
Why Koreans avoid “you”
Korean has words for “you” — 너 (neo) between close friends and to children, 당신 (dangsin) between spouses — but in conversation people use the name or title instead, and 당신 said to a stranger can sound cold or even hostile. “Would you like coffee?” to your manager is 부장님, 커피 드실래요? — literally “Would the department head like coffee?”
Polite speech and 반말
Titles go with polite verb endings: -요 (-yo) in everyday talk and -습니다 (-seumnida) in formal situations. Friends of the same age, and older people talking to younger friends, may switch to 반말 (banmal), casual speech. It is the older person who usually suggests it: 말 편하게 하세요 (mal pyeonhage haseyo, “speak comfortably”). Until then, keep using -요.
Your own name
Koreans will call you by your given name in Hangul with 씨 or 님 — Michael becomes 마이클 씨. See how your name is written in Korean, or read about Korean surnames.
Questions
What does 씨 (ssi) mean in Korean?
씨 is a polite word placed after a person’s full name or given name — 김민지 씨, 민지 씨. The Standard Korean Dictionary notes that it is hard to use for anyone senior to you, so it is used for equals and juniors; for seniors, use their title.
What is the difference between 씨 and 님?
님 (nim) is more respectful. It goes after titles and family words — 선생님, 사장님, 부장님, 어머님 — and, at many companies and online, after names (민지 님). 씨 goes after names of equals and juniors.
Can a foreigner say oppa or unnie?
Yes, with friends who are older than you. The word depends on your gender: a woman says 오빠 to an older man and 언니 to an older woman; a man says 형 to an older man and 누나 to an older woman.
How do you call a waiter in Korea?
Say 저기요 (jeogiyo, “excuse me”) or 여기요 (yeogiyo, “over here”). The owner is 사장님 (sajangnim), and regulars at casual restaurants may call a middle-aged woman working there 이모 (imo, “auntie”).
What should I call my boss in Korea?
Their job title plus 님: 팀장님 (team leader), 과장님, 부장님, 대표님. Add the surname if needed — 김 부장님. Never use 씨 or their given name for someone senior.
Sources
- Saenggeul (Hankyung) — what the Standard Korean Dictionary says about 씨 (24 Nov 2023)
- Saenggeul (Hankyung) — “use the title when there is one” (10 Jun 2022)
- Samsung Display Newsroom — workplace forms of address in the National Institute of Korean Language’s 표준 언어 예절
- National Institute of Korean Language, 새국어생활 — 가족 간의 언어 예절 (family words such as 이모 used for service staff)
- Hangyo — why 고객님 is not an ideal form of address
Last checked October 24, 2026. Forms of address change with age, region and workplace — when in doubt, copy what Koreans around you say.