Key Facts
- Hangul: 사촌; Revised Romanization: sachon
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 四寸 (四 four + 寸 degree of kinship)
- Register: Neutral. Korean counts kinship in 촌 (degrees); cousins are 4촌.
Cousin in Korean: What Does 사촌 Mean?
사촌 is the everyday word for a cousin, a child of your parent's brother or sister. It can refer to cousins on either parent's side. It also does not say whether the cousin is older or younger than you. Korean counts family distance in 촌 (degrees of kinship): parents are 1촌, siblings 2촌, uncles and aunts 3촌, and cousins 4촌. That is why you will also see a cousin written with the number.
How Do You Pronounce 사촌?
사촌 has two syllables: sa-chon. The ㅊ is the aspirated "ch" sound, a ch with a puff of breath, and Revised Romanization writes it as ch. When a particle starting with a vowel follows, the final ㄴ moves across to it, so 사촌이 is read sa-cho-ni.
Example Sentences with 사촌
사촌이 우리 집에 왔어요.
Sachoni uri jibe wasseoyo.
My cousin came to our house.
왔어요 is the past tense, so the sentence says the cousin came to our house, using 우리 (our) and 집 (house).
제 사촌은 서울에 살아요.
Je sachoneun seoure sarayo.
My cousin lives in Seoul.
제 means "my" and 서울에 means "in Seoul", so 살아요 gives the present tense: lives there now.
사촌과 같이 놀았어요.
Sachongwa gachi norasseoyo.
I played with my cousin.
Here 사촌과 means "with my cousin", and 같이 (together) reinforces it. 놀았어요 is the past tense of playing or hanging out.
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 사촌 형 | older male cousin (male speaker) |
| 사촌 동생 | younger cousin |
| 외사촌 | cousin on the mother's side |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 사촌 alone to say "my mother's-side cousin"
Correct: ✓ 외사촌 (mother's brother's child) or 친사촌 (father's brother's child)
Why: 사촌 alone does not identify the family branch. 외사촌 points to the mother's side, specifically an uncle's child in traditional terminology. 친사촌 refers to a father's brother's child. To show relative age, use a title such as 사촌 형 or 사촌 동생.
사촌 Compared with Related Words
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 사촌 | cousin | The word on this page. |
| 외사촌 | maternal cousin | Traditionally a mother's brother's child. |
| 친사촌 | paternal cousin | A father's brother's child; 사촌 is more usual in conversation. |
Use 사촌 when the branch does not matter. Traditional terms also include 고종사촌 for a father's sister's child and 이종사촌 for a mother's sister's child, as explained in the National Institute of Korean Language's discussion of family titles.
Where Does the Word Come From?
사촌 is Sino-Korean, written 四寸 in hanja: 四 (four) plus 寸 (degree of kinship). The hanja spells out the "four degrees" counting described above.
Introducing a Cousin in a Photo
Mina and Jisu are looking at a family photo. Mina is a woman, so she uses 언니 for a female cousin who is older than her.
Jisu
이 사람은 누구예요?
I sarameun nuguyeyo?
Who is this person?
Mina
제 사촌 언니예요.
Je sachon eonniyeyo.
She is my older cousin.
Jisu
언니도 서울에 살아요?
Eonnido Seoure sarayo?
Does she live in Seoul too?
Mina
네. 저보다 두 살 많아요.
Ne. Jeoboda du sal manayo.
Yes. She is two years older than me.
The first reply identifies the relationship, and the next reply adds age and place. 사촌 언니 gives more information than 사촌 alone: both the cousin's gender and the fact that she is older than the speaker. 서울에 살아요 then says where she lives without adding anything about which side of the family she belongs to.
Choosing an Older Cousin's Title
The title after 사촌 follows the same pattern as older sibling titles. The speaker's gender matters as well as the cousin's gender. Use this table when introducing someone, rather than trying to translate “older cousin” with one fixed Korean expression.
| Korean | Meaning | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| 사촌 형 | older male cousin | A male speaker referring to an older male cousin. |
| 사촌 오빠 | older male cousin | A female speaker referring to an older male cousin. |
| 사촌 누나 | older female cousin | A male speaker referring to an older female cousin. |
| 사촌 언니 | older female cousin | A female speaker referring to an older female cousin. |
| 사촌 동생 | younger cousin | Either speaker; 동생 alone does not specify gender. |
The family vocabulary lesson teaches the sibling titles behind these combinations. When speaking directly to an older cousin, people often use the sibling title alone, such as 언니 or 형. 사촌 explains the relationship to someone else; it is not usually a greeting by itself. Younger cousins can be addressed by their names.
A Proverb about Someone Else's Success
사촌이 땅을 사면 배가 아프다 literally says, “When a cousin buys land, your stomach hurts.” Its real meaning is feeling jealous when someone else succeeds. The person who succeeds need not be a cousin, and no land purchase needs to happen. You might hear it after someone reacts bitterly to a friend's good news.
The National Institute of Korean Language's entry for 사촌 lists this proverb. It can criticize envy, so quoting it about another person may sound pointed. Recognizing it in a drama or conversation is useful even if you would not choose it for a friendly introduction.
Where 사촌 Gives You Useful Clues
Family introductions, holiday conversations and drama dialogue often use 사촌 together with a sibling title. If a speaker introduces someone as 사촌 오빠, you can identify an older male cousin and a female speaker from the phrase. It does not tell you whether the two cousins are close friends or see each other often.
사촌끼리 means “among cousins” or “just the cousins”. 끼리 groups people who share a relationship or feature. Around a family gathering, this phrase can distinguish an activity for the cousins from something the whole extended family does. It groups the people; it does not say they are all the same age.
Quick Self-Test
- What does a female speaker call an older female cousin?
- Does 사촌 동생 specify a male cousin?
- Is the proverb about a cousin buying land always about property?
Show answers
- 사촌 언니.
- No. It can refer to a younger cousin of either gender.
- No. It describes jealousy at another person's success.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "cousin" in Korean?
Cousin in Korean is 사촌 (sachon). It covers any cousin and is a neutral, everyday word.
How do I say "older cousin"?
Say 사촌 형 for an older male cousin when a man is speaking, and 사촌 동생 for a younger cousin of either gender.
Does 사촌 tell me which side of the family?
No. 외사촌 points to the mother's side, traditionally a mother's brother's child. 친사촌 refers to a father's brother's child. 사촌 alone leaves the branch open.
What does the 촌 in 사촌 mean?
촌 is the unit for degrees of kinship. A cousin is four degrees away, which is why the hanja starts with 四 (four).
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Family Words groups 사촌 with its neighbours.
- Index: find cousin beside every other single-word entry in Korean words A to Z.
- See also dad.