Politely Referring to a Person — Korean Grammar

In Korean, referring to people requires careful word choice based on social status and familiarity. You cannot simply use neutral words like "person" or "he/she" when speaking about strangers, elders, or people of higher status. Instead, you use specific honorific nouns and counters to show the appropriate level of respect.

The Polite Noun 'Pun'

The word (punbunpunpun) is the honorific version of the word (sa·ramsa·ramsa·ramsa·lam), which means person. Use (punbunpunpun) whenever you are referring to someone you need to show respect to, such as a teacher, a boss, an elder, or a stranger you do not know well. It elevates the person you are talking about.

저분은 누구세요?
chŏ·bun·ŭn nu·gu·se·yo?jeo·bun·eun nu·gu·se·yo?chŏ·bun·ŭn nu·gu·se·yo?ce·pun·un nu·ku·sey·yo?
Who is that gentleman/lady?
아는 분이에요.
a·nŭn bun·i·e·yo.a·neun bun·i·e·yo.a·nŭn bun·i·e·yo.a·nun pun·i·ey·yo.
It is an acquaintance (a person I know).

'Pun' as a Counter

When counting items or animals, you use specific counters. When counting people, the general neutral counter is (myŏngmyeongmyŏngmyeng). However, when counting people deserving of respect (like customers, guests, or seniors), you must substitute (myŏngmyeongmyŏngmyeng) with (punbunpunpun).

손님 두 분이 오셨어요.
son·nim du bun·i o·syŏss·ŏ·yo.son·nim du bun·i o·syeoss·eo·yo.son·nim du bun·i o·syŏss·ŏ·yo.son·nim tu pun·i o·syess·e·yo.
Two guests came.
몇 분이세요?
myŏch bun·i·se·yo?myeoch bun·i·se·yo?myŏch bun·i·se·yo?myech pun·i·sey·yo?
How many people (are in your party)?

Replacing Pronouns with 'Pun'

Korean rarely uses direct translations of "he" or "she" in spoken conversation, as these can sound blunt or overly familiar. Instead, to say "he" or "she" politely, you combine the demonstratives (i), (kŭgeukŭku), and (chŏjeochŏce) with the word (punbunpunpun).

(i·buni·buni·buni·pun): This person (close to the speaker).
(kŭ·bungeu·bunkŭ·bunku·pun): That person (close to the listener, or mentioned previously).
(chŏ·bunjeo·bunchŏ·bunce·pun): That person over there (far from both speaker and listener).

이분은 저희 선생님이세요.
i·bun·ŭn jŏ·hi sŏn·sæng·nim·i·se·yo.i·bun·eun jeo·hi seon·saeng·nim·i·se·yo.i·bun·ŭn jŏ·hi sŏn·saeng·nim·i·se·yo.i·pun·un ce·hi sen·sayng·nim·i·sey·yo.
This person is my teacher.
그분은 의사예요.
kŭ·bun·ŭn ŭi·sa·ye·yo.geu·bun·eun ui·sa·ye·yo.kŭ·bun·ŭn ŭi·sa·ye·yo.ku·pun·un uy·sa·yey·yo.
He (that person) is a doctor.

Using Directionals: 'Ijjok'

A polite way to refer to someone without (punbunpunpun), the honorific word for person, is by using directional words ending in (jjokjjoktchokccok), meaning side or direction. This is softer and more indirect than pointing at someone or using their name immediately.

(i·jjoki·jjoki·tchoki·ccok) literally means this side or this way, but it is the standard polite way to introduce someone ("This person here...").

이쪽은 제 친구예요.
i·jjog·ŭn je chʰin·gu·ye·yo.i·jjog·eun je chin·gu·ye·yo.i·tchog·ŭn je ch'in·gu·ye·yo.i·ccog·un cey chin·ku·yey·yo.
This is my friend.
이쪽은 김 선생님이세요.
i·jjog·ŭn gim sŏn·sæng·nim·i·se·yo.i·jjog·eun gim seon·saeng·nim·i·se·yo.i·tchog·ŭn gim sŏn·saeng·nim·i·se·yo.i·ccog·un kim sen·sayng·nim·i·sey·yo.
This is Mr. Kim.

You can also use (kŭ·jjokgeu·jjokkŭ·tchokku·ccok) and (chŏ·jjokjeo·jjokchŏ·tchokce·ccok) to refer to people at a distance, though (punbunpunpun) is generally preferred for "he/she" in those contexts.

저쪽은 제 동생이에요.
chŏ·jjog·ŭn je dong·sæng·i·e·yo.jeo·jjog·eun je dong·saeng·i·e·yo.chŏ·tchog·ŭn je dong·saeng·i·e·yo.ce·ccog·un cey tong·sayng·i·ey·yo.
That person over there is my younger sibling.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Korean course

12 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 2. A few of them, with the words “Politely Referring to a Person” is about in bold:

이쪽은 내 친구 안나야. 학생이야.
i·jjog·ŭn næ chʰin·gu an·na ya. hak·sæng i·ya.i·jjog·eun nae chin·gu an·na ya. hak·saeng i·ya.i·tchog·ŭn nae ch'in·gu an·na ya. hak·saeng i·ya.i·ccog·un nay chin·ku an·na ya. hak·sayng i·ya.
This is my friend, Anna. She is a student. (cas.)
Lesson 2
말도 안 됩니다. 두 분 모두 틀리셨어요.
mal do an dwæm·ni·da. tu bun mo·du tʰŭl·li·syŏss·ŏ·yo.mal do an dwaem·ni·da. du bun mo·du teul·li·syeoss·eo·yo.mal do an dwaem·ni·da. tu bun mo·du t'ŭl·li·syŏss·ŏ·yo.mal to an twaym·ni·ta. tu pun mo·tu thul·li·syess·e·yo.
How ridiculous (form.). You are both wrong.
Lesson 163

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