Korean word

외할머니

Pronunciation

Romanizationoehalmeoni

Meaning

  • nounmaternal grandmother

Example

오늘 외할머니께 전화했어요.o neul oe hal meo ni kke cheon hwa hae sseo yo

I called my maternal grandmother today.

Illustration for 외할머니 (maternal grandmother)

More examples

주말에 외할머니 댁에 갈 거예요.chu ma re oe hal meo ni tae ge kal kkeo ye yo

I am going to my maternal grandmother's house this weekend.

Core concept

The grandmother on the mother's side of the family.

Common phrases

  • 외할머니께 전화하다oe hal meo ni kke cheon hwa ha da

    call one's maternal grandmother

  • 외할머니 댁oe hal meo ni taek

    maternal grandmother's home

  • 외할머니 생신oe hal meo ni saeng sin

    maternal grandmother's birthday

Similar words

할머니halmeoni: A warm everyday family term for a grandmother.
할머님halmeonim: A respectful way to address a grandmother or an older woman treated as family.
외할머님oehalmeonim: A respectful term for one's mother's mother.
친할머니chinhalmeoni: A grandmother who is the mother of one's father.

Definition in Korean

어머니의 어머니를 가리키는 말eo meo ni ui eo meo ni reul ka ri ki neun mal

Word origin

The word combines 외 (oe, "maternal-side marker") with 할머니 (halmeoni, "grandmother") to specify the mother's mother.

Usage tips

  • English often needs a phrase to show this family connection, while Korean builds the maternal-side distinction into the kinship word.

Opposites

  • 친할머니chinhalmeonipaternal grandmothernoun

Related words

Word lists with this word