Nuance Dictionary / Column
어머니 / 아버님 eo-meo-ni / a-beo-nim
Mother / Father (respectful) — used for strangers a generation older, or for a spouse's parents
What does 어머니 / 아버님 mean?
어머니 / 아버님 (eo-meo-ni / a-beo-nim) means: Mother / Father (respectful) — used for strangers a generation older, or for a spouse's parents. A more elevated register than 이모/삼촌, used the same fictive-kinship way but reserved for people who read as 'parent generation' rather than 'aunt/uncle generation,' or for addressing someone else's actual parent (in-laws,
A more elevated register than 이모/삼촌, used the same fictive-kinship way but reserved for people who read as 'parent generation' rather than 'aunt/uncle generation,' or for addressing someone else's actual parent (in-laws, a friend's parent) with real warmth instead of cold formality.
Related words in Column
바람쐬러 가자 ba-ram-sswe-reo ga-ja내가 가만 안둬 nae-ga ga-man an-dwo난 끝까지 네 편이야 nan kkeut-kka-ji ne pyeon-i-ya내가 있잖아 nae-ga it-jan-a