매씨

Korean

Etymology

    Sino-Korean word from 妹氏, from (sister) + (family suffix).

    Pronunciation

    • (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA(key): [mɛɕ͈i] ~ [me̞ɕ͈i]
    • Phonetic hangul: [/]
    Romanizations
    Revised Romanization?maessi
    Revised Romanization (translit.)?mae'ssi
    McCune–Reischauer?maessi
    Yale Romanization?may.ssi

    Noun

    매씨 • (maessi) (hanja 妹氏)

    1. (honorific, formal or southwestern Jeolla dialect) sister of a male
      Synonym: 누이 (nu'i)

    Usage notes

    In the southwestern varieties of the Jeolla dialect, this term is traditionally used by men to politely refer to married older sisters (but not unmarried older sisters, or any younger sisters). It is not used colloquially in any other dialect, although it is still seen in writing.

    Synonyms

    Historical and regional synonyms of 누나 (nuna, older sister of a male)
    view map; edit data
    GroupRegionLocationWords
    Standardised formsSouth Korean Standard Language누나 (nūna), 누님 (nūnim) (hon.)
    North Korean Cultured Language누나 (nūna), 누님 (nūnim) (hon.)
    Historical formsMiddle Korean누의 (nwùùy) (also y.)
    Early Modern Seoul Korean누의 (nuui) (also y.), 누위 (nuwi) (also y.)
    Central KoreanGyeonggiModern colloquial Seoul누나 (nuna), 누님 (nunim) (hon.)
    YeongdongGangneung누우 (nùú), ()
    Jeongseon누나 (nūna), 누님 (nūnim) (hon.)
    South ChungcheongSeosan뉘님 (nwīnim)
    Yesan뉘나 (nwīna)
    Hongseong뉘님 (nwīnim)
    Boryeong뉘나 (nwina)
    Buyeo누님 (nunim), 누이 (nu'i)
    Seocheon누님 (nunim), 눈님 (nunnim)
    Gyeongsang KoreanNorth GyeongsangDaegu누'부 (nu bu)
    Mungyeong'누나 ( nuna), 누님 (núnìm)
    Andong (nu), 누님 (núnìm)
    Gumi누'우 (nu u)
    Goryeong누'부 (nu bu)
    South GyeongsangBusan누'부 (nu bu), 누임 (núìm) (hon.)
    Ulsan누'부 (nu bu), 누부 (nubu)
    Changwon누'부 (nu bu), 누'야 (nu ya) (chil.)
    Geochang누'부 (nu bu), '누나 ( nuna), 누'야 (nu ya) (chil.)
    Hapcheon누'부 (nu bu), 누'우 (nu u)
    Changnyeong누'부 (nu bu), 누'비 (nu bi), 누'야 (nu ya) (chil.)
    Miryang누'부 (nu bu), 누'우 (nu u), '누나 ( nuna), 누'우야 (nu uya)
    Hamyang누'우 (nu u), 누'야 (nu ya) (chil.)
    Sancheong누'우 (nu u), 누'야 (nu ya) (chil.), 누우님 (nùúnìm) (hon), 눈님 (núnnìm) (hon.)
    Uiryeong누'우 (nu u)
    Hadong누'부 (nu bu), 누'우 (nu u), (nu), 누'야 (nu ya) (chil.), 누님 (núnìm) (hon.)
    Jinju누'부 (nu bu), 누'우 (nu u), 누'야 (nu ya) (chil.)
    Haman누'부 (nu bu), 누'야 (nu ya) (chil.)
    Gimhae누'부 (nu bu)
    Yangsan누'부 (nu bu), '누나 ( nuna)
    Sacheon누'우 (nu u)
    Goseong누'부 (nu bu), 누'우 (nu u)
    Namhae누'부 (nu bu), 누'우 (nu u)
    Geoje누'우 (nu u), 누'야 (nu ya) (chil.), 엉가 (éunggà)
    Ulju누'부 (nu bu), '누나 ( nuna)
    DiasporaHarbin눈님 (núnnìm)
    Jeolla KoreanNorth JeollaGunsan (nu), 누님 (nunim)
    Iksan누나 (nuna), 누님 (nunim)
    Muju누지 (nūji), 누나 (nuna), (seong), 형님 (hyeongnim)
    South JeollaYeonggwang누나 (nūna), 누님 (nūnim)
    Gokseong (nu)
    Hampyeong누임 (nūim)
    Muan (nu), (nwī), 매씨 (messi) (married)
    Gwangyang누님 (nūnim)
    Jindo누나 (nūna), 누님 (nūnim)
    Wando누나 (nūna), (nu), 누님 (nūnim) (hon.), (nwīm) (hon), 매씨 (messi) (married)
    Goheung누님 (nūnim), 누나 (nūna) (voc.)
    Yeosu누나 (nūna), 누님 (nūnim)
    Pyongan KoreanSouth PyonganRyonggang누이 (nu'i) (unmarried, also y.), 누님 (nunim) (married)
    Mundok누이 (nu'i) (unmarried, also y.), 누님 (nunim) (married)
    North PyonganSonchon (nwi)
    Ryongchon누이 (nu'i), 누님 (nunim) (hon.)
    Chosan누이 (nu'i), 누님 (nunim) (married)
    DiasporaShenyang누야 (nuya) (also y.)
    Hamgyong KoreanNorth HamgyongSamsu누'어미 (nu eomi)
    Yukjin KoreanYukjinKyongwon누비 (nùbì), 누배 (nùbàe)
    DiasporaHunchun느비 (nèubì), 느베 (nèubè)
    Longjing누애 (nùàe), 누얘 (nùyàe), 누이님 (nùìním) (married)
    Central Asia느비 (nèubì), 느베 (nèubè)
    JejuJeju City누님 (nunim)
    Daejeong누님 (nunim)
    Gujwa누님 (nunim)
    Seogwipo누님 (nunim)
    This table is an amalgamation of surveys of speakers mostly born before 1950 and may not reflect the language of younger speakers, which has lexically converged towards the standard Seoul dialect in both North and South Koreas.
    Notes: hon.: honorific / voc.: vocative / chil.: childish (exact age range may differ)
    also y.: refers to any sister of a male, regardless of relative age