Korean word

아주머니

Pronunciation

Romanizationajumeoni

Meaning

  • nounma'am

Example

아주머니, 이거 얼마예요?a ju meo ni i geo eol ma ye yo

Ma'am, how much is this?

Illustration for 아주머니 (ma'am)

More examples

시장에서는 아주머니가 반찬을 팔고 계셨어요.si jang e seo neun a ju meo ni ga pan cha neul pal go kye syeo sseo yo

At the market, a middle-aged woman was selling side dishes.

Core concept

A warm form of ma'am for speaking directly to a woman who is older than the speaker.

Common phrases

  • 아주머니를a ju meo ni reul

    ma'am

  • 아주머니와a ju meo ni wa

    with ma'am

Similar words

아줌마ajumma: A familiar term for a middle-aged woman that can have a rough edge.
이모imo: A female relative who is the speaker's mother's sister.
아가씨agassi: A familiar term for a woman who is young or looks young.

Definition in Korean

공손함과 친근함이 섞인 대면용 호칭으로, 장사하는 사람이나 동네에서 만난 중년 여성에게 자주 쓰인다.kong son ham gwa chin geun ha mi seo kkin tae myeo nyong ho ching eu ro chang sa ha neun sa ra mi na tong ne e seo man nan chung nyeon yeo seong e ge cha ju sseu in da

Word origin

The word's precise origin is uncertain, but its modern use combines respect for age with the closeness of everyday speech.

Usage tips

  • Tone matters with this word because a gentle voice sounds friendly, while a sharp voice can make the same address sound demanding.

Other meanings

  • auntienoun
  • middle-aged womannoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word