Nuance Dictionary / Titles & Hierarchy
이모 i-mo
Aunt; the ultimate friendly title for a middle-aged female restaurant owner
What does 이모 mean?
이모 (i-mo) means: Aunt; the ultimate friendly title for a middle-aged female restaurant owner.
Calling the owner 'Imo' instead of '사장님 (Boss)' often gets you extra side dishes.
◆ Service-industry fictive kinship — While literally meaning maternal aunt, in everyday Korean life it is an institutionalized term of warmth used in restaurants and markets. Calling a server '이모' immediately signals respect, affection, and local belonging, transforming a service transaction into a familial interaction.
◆ Service-industry fictive kinship — While literally meaning maternal aunt, in everyday Korean life it is an institutionalized term of warmth used in restaurants and markets. Calling a server '이모' immediately signals respect, affection, and local belonging, transforming a service transaction into a familial interaction.
🔊 From part 2’s story
이모님 — I-mo-nim
이모 — *i-mo*
저기요 — *jeo-gi-yo*, the neutral "excuse me"
언니 — *eon-ni*
삼촌 — *sam-chon*, "paternal uncle"
사장님 — *sa-jang-nim*, "owner/boss"
어머니 — *eo-meo-ni*, "mother"
아버님 — *a-beo-nim*, "father," in its most respectful honorific form
Read the full story → · More on this word (part 2) →
How it's actually used
- 이모, 여기 소주 한 병이랑 삼겹살 이인분 추가요!
Imo, yeogi soju han byeongirang samgyeopsal iinbun chugayo!
Imo, one more bottle of soju and two servings of pork belly here!
💡 Used to warmly address a middle-aged female restaurant owner. - 이모, 서비스 좀 많이 주세요!
Imo, servicio jom mani juseyo!
Imo, please give us some extra side dishes/service!
💡 Often used playfully to get freebies. - 이모, 여기 계란찜 하나 더 서비스로 주세요!
imo, yeogi gyeranjjim hana deo seobiseuro juseyo!
Imo, please give us one more steamed egg on the house!
💡 Using 'Imo' at casual local restaurants creates a warm, neighborhood vibe.