Key Facts
- Hangul: 동료; Revised Romanization: dongnyo
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 同僚 (同 same + 僚 colleague)
- Register: Neutral, everyday word used in both spoken and written Korean. Slightly formal; in conversation people also say 직장 동료.
Colleague in Korean: What Does 동료 Mean?
동료 is a colleague or coworker: someone you work alongside. It is neutral and slightly formal. In conversation people often add the workplace and say 직장 동료, which makes the meaning completely clear. A colleague is not necessarily a friend, and not necessarily a senior.
How Do You Pronounce 동료?
동료 has two syllables and is written dongnyo in Revised Romanization, pronounced [dong-nyo]. The ㄹ after the ㅇ ending becomes ㄴ, so learners who say dong-ryo are off by one sound.
Example Sentences with 동료
동료와 점심을 먹어요.
Dongnyowa jeomsimeul meogeoyo.
I eat lunch with a colleague.
와 means "with" after a vowel, so 동료와 점심을 먹어요 says you eat lunch alongside a colleague.
제 동료는 아주 친절해요.
Je dongnyoneun aju chinjeolhaeyo.
My colleague is very kind.
제 is "my", and 아주 친절해요 means "is very kind".
회사 동료들과 회식을 했어요.
Hoesa dongnyodeulgwa hoesigeul haesseoyo.
I had a company dinner with my colleagues.
회사 means "company", 들 marks the plural, and 회식 is a team dinner after work.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 직장 동료 | coworker |
| 동료와 함께 | together with a colleague |
| 동료 직원 | fellow employee |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ Saying 동료 as dong-ryo
Correct: ✓ [dong-nyo]
Why: The ㄹ after the ㅇ ending is pronounced ㄴ, so the word sounds like dong-nyo.
동료 Compared with Related Words
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 동료 | colleague | The word on this page. |
| 친구 | friend | A friend of any kind, with no link to work. |
| 선배 | senior | Someone more senior than you, whether at work or school. |
A 동료 shares your workplace, a 친구 shares your life, and a 선배 is ahead of you.
Where Does the Word Come From?
동료 is Sino-Korean, written 同僚 in hanja: 同 (same) plus 僚 (colleague).
Introducing Someone at Lunch
Alex arrives at a cafe with someone Jisu has not met before. Jisu asks about their connection.
Jisu
두 분은 친구예요?
Du buneun chinguyeyo?
Are you two friends?
Alex
직장 동료예요.
Jikjang dongnyoyeyo.
We are coworkers.
Jisu
같은 팀에서 일해요?
Gateun timeseo ilhaeyo?
Do you work on the same team?
Alex
아니요. 팀은 달라요.
Aniyo. Timeun dallayo.
No. We are on different teams.
직장 동료 explains how the two people know each other. It does not claim that they have the same job or belong to the same team. The follow-up question checks that extra detail. 두 분 is a respectful way to refer to the two people; it is separate from the noun 동료.
Phrases for Talking about Coworkers
직장 동료 and 회사 동료 both identify a work connection. 직장 means workplace, while 회사 means company. 회사 동료 is useful when the shared setting is a company. 직장 동료 also fits people whose workplace is a school, hospital or another institution.
동료와 함께 means together with a colleague. Because 동료 ends in a vowel, 와 attaches directly to it. In conversation, 동료랑 is a familiar alternative for “with a colleague.” The noun is unchanged; the connecting expression is what differs.
동료들 makes the plural explicit. Korean does not require 들 every time several people are involved, but it can help when you want to talk about the coworkers as a group. In 회사 동료들과 회식을 했어요, the form 동료들과 combines the plural 들 with 과, “with,” because 들 ends in a consonant.
옛 동료 means a former colleague. It describes a past working relationship without saying that the two people have stopped being friends. 동료 is about a shared activity or work connection; changes in employment and changes in friendship are separate pieces of information.
Can You Call Someone 동료 Directly?
동료 usually describes a relationship when you talk about someone. It is not the usual way to call across the office for their attention. If you need to address a coworker, use the name or job title that people in that workplace use for them.
팀장님 means team leader with the respectful 님 ending. A workplace may use such a title where English would use a first name. Knowing that someone is your 동료 does not tell you their title, age or preferred form of address. Listen to how colleagues address that particular person.
선배 highlights that someone joined a school, workplace or field earlier. 동료 highlights working alongside someone. One person can fit both descriptions, so choosing one word does not erase the other relationship. A senior colleague can still be a 동료 when you describe the group you work with.
Where Will You Hear 동료?
Introductions, work stories and descriptions of team activities often use 동료. In an interview or news story, 동료 직원 identifies a fellow employee. 동료 배우 means a fellow actor, and 동료 선수 means a fellow athlete. The shared work or activity can extend beyond an ordinary office.
The word does not guarantee closeness. A speaker may describe someone as 동료 while knowing little about their private life. 친구 emphasizes friendship instead. Two people can be both, but translating every mention of a coworker as “friend” adds a relationship the Korean word does not establish.
Words for the Workplace Relationship
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 직장 | workplace | The setting shared by 직장 동료. |
| 직원 | employee / staff member | Describes employment rather than a personal relationship. |
| 팀장 | team leader | Often addressed respectfully as 팀장님. |
| 후배 | junior | Someone who entered a school, workplace or field later. |
The office and business lesson teaches the surrounding workplace vocabulary.
Quick Self-Test
- Must two 동료 be on the same team?
- Is 동료 the usual word to call out when getting a coworker's attention?
- Can someone be both your 선배 and your 동료?
Show answers
- No. They may share a workplace while working on different teams.
- No. Use the person's customary name or title.
- Yes. The words describe different aspects of the relationship.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "colleague" in Korean?
Colleague in Korean is 동료 (dongnyo), pronounced [dong-nyo].
How do I say "coworker"?
Say 직장 동료. A fellow employee is a 동료 직원.
How do I say "together with a colleague"?
Say 동료와 함께.
Is 동료 a friend?
No. 친구 is a friend of any kind, while 동료 is someone you work with.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Office and Business groups 동료 with its neighbours.
- Index: find colleague beside every other single-word entry in Korean words A to Z.
- See also company.
- See also friend.