Nuance Dictionary / People & Relationships
식구 sik-gu
A strategic rhetorical device used to reframe professional subordinates as family members to foster a sense of collective obligation.
What does 식구 mean?
식구 (sik-gu) means: A strategic rhetorical device used to reframe professional subordinates as family members to foster a sense of collective obligation.
When a boss calls the team '식구,' they are invoking the cultural weight of *jeong* (정) to blur the lines between a professional contract and a blood-bound duty. It is a classic 'soft power' move used to encourage unpaid overtime or extreme loyalty, essentially telling you that your work isn't just a job—it's a contribution to the household. Learners often mistake this for genuine intimacy, but it is frequently a tool of power; if you don't 'act' like a family member by sacrificing personal time, the term becomes a weapon of guilt.
Other sides of 식구
◆ Household Pets — When a Korean calls a pet a '식구', they are making a profound statement about the animal's status within their 'jeong' (emotional bond) ecosystem. Using this word signals that the pet isn't just property or a hobby, but a life-companion who shares in the household's fate. Learners often make the mistake of using '반려동물' (companion animal) in casual conversation; while that is the correct clinical term for a vet or a form, '식구' is the word you use to show you view the pet as a human-adjacent member of the family unit, effectively granting them a seat at the metaphorical family table.
🎙️ 식구는 표기 그대로 읽지 않아요 — 실제로는 [식꾸]로 소리나요 (경음화). 발음 연습하기 →
How it's actually used
- 우리 식구끼리 이런 건 좀 이해해 줘야지.
u-ri sik-gu-kki-ri i-reon geon jom i-hae-hae jwo-ya-ji.
We’re all family here, so you should be able to understand/tolerate this situation.
💡 A classic manipulation tactic used to justify unreasonable demands by guilt-tripping the listener. - 다들 고생 많았어. 우리 식구들 오늘 회식 가자!
da-deul go-saeng man-a-sseo. u-ri sik-gu-deul o-neul hoe-sik ga-ja!
You all worked hard. Let's go out for a team dinner, family!
💡 Used by a team leader to signal camaraderie and flatten hierarchy through a shared meal. - 사장님은 늘 우리를 식구라고 하시지만, 월급은 안 올라요.
sa-jang-nim-eun neul u-ri-reul sik-gu-ra-go ha-si-ji-man, wol-geup-eun an ol-la-yo.
The boss always calls us family, but the salary never goes up.
💡 A cynical observation revealing the common employee realization that 'family' talk is often a substitute for fair compensation.
Related words in People & Relationships
속을 썩이다 Sogeul sseogida손발이 맞다 sonbari majda썸남 sseom-nam썸녀 sseom-nyeo여사친 yeo-sa-chin