Korean word

조상

Pronunciation

Romanizationchosang

Meaning

  • nounancestor

Example

추석에는 가족이 모여 조상님께 인사를 드려요.chu seo ge neun ka jo gi mo yeo cho sang nim kke in sa reul teu ryeo yo

During Chuseok, the family comes together to pay respects to their ancestors.

Illustration for 조상 (ancestor)

More examples

주말에 조상의 무덤을 찾아갔어요.chu ma re cho sang ui mu deo meul cha ja ga sseo yo

I visited my ancestor's grave over the weekend.

Core concept

Family predecessors viewed together as the people from whom later generations descend.

Common phrases

  • 조상님께 인사드리다cho sang nim kke in sa deu ri da

    pay respects to ___

  • 조상의 무덤cho sang ui mu deom

    ___'s grave

Similar words

조부모chobumo: The two older family members who are the parents of a person's parents.
조상님chosangnim: A respectful way to refer to ancestors during remembrance or family ceremonies.

Definition in Korean

가문의 이전 세대 사람들, 특히 조상 제사나 기념의 대상이 되는 선대의 사람들을 가리키는 명사.ka mu nui i jeon se dae sa ram deul teu ki cho sang che sa na ki nyeo mui tae sang i toe neun seon dae ui sa ram deu reul ka ri ki neun myeong sa

Word origin

As a Sino-Korean word, it combines meanings associated with an ancestral founder and an earlier generation to describe a family's forebears.

Usage tips

  • In memorial and holiday contexts, respectful language often accompanies this word, so its register helps learners recognize references to family rituals.

Opposites

  • 후손husondescendantnoun

Word lists with this word