How to Use “Oppa” (오빠) Properly & Respectfully

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Plus, how people use “oppa” (오빠) in K-dramas and K-pop

Co-authored by Aimee Payne, MFA

Last Updated: October 7, 2024 Fact Checked

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• What does “oppa” (오빠) mean?
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• How to Use “Oppa” (오빠)
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• Other Korean Honorific Titles
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• Levels of Formality in Korean
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• Importance of Age in Korean Culture
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• Video

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If you’re a fan of K-pop or K-dramas, you may have heard female fans or characters saying the word “oppa” (오빠) when referring to their favorite male idol or a handsome male character. If you’ve wondered what they meant, this article is for you! The English translation of the Korean word “oppa” is “older brother,” but it’s often used to mean an older male friend…or sometimes a boyfriend. We’ll cover the meaning of “oppa,” how to use it respectfully, and other Korean titles of respect.

A Quick Guide to Using “Oppa” (오빠)

“Oppa” (오빠) means “older brother,” but is often used to casually refer to an older male friend. The majority of the time, this term is used by a female to refer to an older brother or male friend who is no more than 10 years older than the speaker. It indicates the speaker shares a close bond with the other person.

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Section 1 of 5:

What does “oppa” (오빠) mean?

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1. The literal translation of “oppa” (pronounced “oh-PPA”) is “older brother.” “Oppa” is primarily used by women and girls to refer to an older boy or man. In most cases, the male is close to the female in some way, like a brother or friend. This term is casual and friendly – almost like slang. The meaning is innocent, endearing, or flirty, depending on the tone and context.

   • Depending on the context of the conversation, “oppa” refers to a female speaker’s biological brother, male cousins or other relatives, older male friend or acquaintance, or older male schoolmates.
   • In some situations, “oppa” refers to a boyfriend or a handsome celebrity, much like “darling” or “honey” in English.
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Use “Oppa” (오빠)

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1. 1
   Use “oppa” as a female to refer to an older male family member. While the literal translation is “older brother,” the word is also an affectionate and respectful way to talk about or address other male family members. When talking to your actual brother, just call him “oppa.” To avoid confusion, use “chinoppa” (친오빠) to refer to an older brother with the same parents and “sancheon oppa” (사촌 오빠) to refer to an older male cousin when you’re speaking with people outside your family. Here are a few examples of how to use “oppa”:

   • “Would you like some potatoes, oppa?”
   • “Oppa, what are you doing after school today?”
   • “My chinoppa is so nice! He always helps me with my homework.”
   • “I’m so proud of my sancheon oppa for going to college, but I’m sad because I miss him.”
   • “I had a fight with my friend, and I don’t know what to do. Can you give me advice, oppa?”
2. 2
   Call older male friends or classmates “oppa.” When speaking in Korean to a friend, add “oppa” to the end of their name, like “Michael oppa” or “Yunho oppa.” Because “oppa” is a casual term, it’s only used for men who are around 10 or fewer years older than you. Not every Korean man likes to be referred to as “oppa” by anyone but his younger sister, so it’s best to ask before calling him “oppa.” If you aren’t close or friendly with the man or if you’ve just met him, “oppa” isn’t appropriate and may cause him discomfort. However, if he doesn’t mind, he may feel honored or pleased that you see him as an older brother and value his advice. It’s also inappropriate to call anyone “oppa” in a formal or business setting.

   • “Hey, oppa! Have you seen that new action movie?”
   • “Thanks for the lift, oppa! I really appreciate it.”
   • “No, we’re not dating. He’s just like an oppa to me.”
   • “You want me to see if she likes you? I can do that for my oppa.”
   • “Are you okay, oppa? You’ve seemed a little down lately.”
3. 3
   Use “oppa” in a romantic or flirty way to refer to an older boyfriend. When visiting Korea, you might hear young women calling their boyfriends “oppa.” Depending on your tone, calling a boyfriend or a man you’re interested in “oppa” might be seen as similar to calling him “honey” or even “daddy” in English. This is the meaning that’s often seen in romantic K-dramas when a female character refers to her boyfriend as “oppa.” K-pop fans also use “oppa” flirtatiously when cheering for or talking about male idols. Usually the ones they find most handsome. There are some rumors that gay men may occasionally use “oppa” to jokingly refer to their partner, but this is rare. Some Korean boyfriends may find it cute when you call him “oppa,” but others might find it inappropriate because they associate the word with a younger sister.

   • “Hey there, oppa. You look handsome today.”
   • “I miss you so much, oppa.”
   • “Will you buy me some ice cream, oppa?”
   • “Oppa, I love you!”
   • “Why are you ignoring me today, oppa?”
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Section 3 of 5:

Other Korean Honorific Titles

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1. 1
   It’s important to use the proper gendered title to show respect. Many honorific titles in the Korean language reflect the gender of the speaker and the person they’re addressing. For example, “oppa” is customarily used by women to refer to men. Here are a few other honorific titles used in South Korean culture:

   • Noona (누나): Males use it to refer to an older sister or older female they are close with. It translates as “older sister.”
   • Unnie (언니): Females use "unnie" to refer to an older sister or older female they are close with. It also translates as “older sister.”
   • Hyung (형): Males use "hyung" to refer to an older brother or close older male. It translates as “older brother.”
   • Dongsaeng (동생): Males and females use "dongsaeng" to refer to a younger sibling or younger person they are close with. It translates to “younger sibling.”
   • Sunbae (선배): This translates as “senior.” Younger males and females use it to refer to anyone who is older or has more experience. In some cases, an older person may refer to a younger person with more experience as “sunbae.”
   • Hubae (후배): “Hubae” translates as “junior,” and older people use it to refer to younger people in a university setting or in business. They also use it to refer to someone with less experience in a field.
   • Chingu (친구): “Chingu” means “friend.” Use it to refer to someone who is the same age as you and is your friend.
   • Donggab (동갑): “Donggab” means “same age.” Use this word to identify that you were born in the same year as the other person, so you don’t have to observe the obligations and responsibilities to an older/younger person.
2. 2
   Add “ssi” or “nim” to the end of a name to show respect. In Korean culture, the suffixes “ssi” or “nim” are similar to Mr. and Ms. in English-speaking countries. These suffixes are gender-neutral, so they’re appropriate to use for anyone. When adding them to a name, place them at the end of the full name. For example, Park Hoseokssi in Korean would be Mr. Hoseok Park in English.

   • Place the “ssi” after the given name for a more casual title that still shows respect. For example, Hoseokssi in Korean would be Mr. Hoseok in English.
   • The suffix “nim” is slightly more formal than “ssi,” so use it in more formal or professional settings.
   • Koreans customarily list their surname first and their given name second.
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Section 4 of 5:

Levels of Formality in Korean

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1. Koreans use 7 levels of politeness to speak with others. Only 4 of the levels are commonly used today. For formal speech, Koreans use hasipsioche (하십시오체). The most commonly used level is haerache (해라체), a plain yet formal way of speaking. Koreans use haeyoche (해요체), an informal but polite way to speak with strangers, colleagues, and those of higher rank or older age. When speaking with friends or younger people, Koreans use haeche (해체). Here are descriptions of all 7 of the speech levels:

   • Hasoseoche (하소서체): This is an extremely formal and polite way of speaking. It was used in the past when speaking to a king, queen, or high official. It’s still commonly seen in historical dramas.
   • Hasipsioche (하십시오체): Koreans use hasoseoche in public speeches, business settings, and in the service industry. It’s also the type of speech people use with elders, strangers, and those of higher rank.
   • Haoche (하오체): Koreans use this formal level of speech with those who have a similar or lower social status. It’s usually only seen in historical dramas.
   • Hageche (하게체): Mostly older people use hageche. It’s a slightly outdated way of speaking to those of a similar or lower rank.
   • Haerache (해라체): This plain but still formal style appears in newspaper or magazine writing. It’s also how close friends or family members of a similar age speak to each other.
   • Haeyoche (해요체): This is an informal but polite way of speaking that Koreans use in everyday life.
   • Haeche (해체): This is the most casual and informal level of speech. Koreans only use it with siblings, close friends, relatives, and younger people.

Section 5 of 5:

Importance of Age in Korean Culture

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1. 1
   Koreans use age to determine how formal they should be. One of the first things a Korean person may ask when you meet them is how old you are. Your relative ages determine how you should address and act toward one another. For example:

   • Older people may ask younger people to perform tasks like fetching something, but they also look out for the younger people and are often expected to buy meals.
   • Younger people are expected to bow more deeply to older people, set the table, or pour drinks for older people.
2. 2
   Korean age used to be based on the number of new years plus 1. In South Korea, you are considered 1 year old from the moment you are born. You don’t turn 2 years old until January 1 of the year after you were born. However, they also use international age, which is the same as people use in the US.

   • As of June 28, 2023, South Korea no longer uses the traditional age-counting system. They now use the international age.
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