Key Facts
- Hangul: 남자; Revised Romanization: namja
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean
- Register: Neutral; 남성 is the more formal/written word.
- Hanja: 男子 (男 male + 子 child/person)
Man in Korean: How Do You Pronounce 남자?
Two syllables, nam-ja, with no sound changes: you say it as it is spelled. The Revised Romanization is namja.
Example Sentences with 남자
저 사람은 남자예요.
jeo sarameun namjayeyo.
That person is a man.
An identification sentence. 예요 ties the word to a person, and 저 points to someone away from both speaker and listener.
남자가 문을 열었어요.
namjaga muneul yeoreosseoyo.
The man opened the door.
The word works as a subject here. It names an anonymous man doing an action, in the past tense, with 문 as the door he opened.
이 옷은 남자용이에요.
i oseun namjayongieyo.
This clothing is for men.
The suffix 용 turns 남자 into a category label, as on a store tag meaning "for men".
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 남자 화장실 | men's restroom |
| 남자아이 | boy |
| 남자답다 | to be manly |
Notice 남자답다, which turns the noun into an adjective meaning "to be manly", and 남자아이, written as one word, an everyday way to say "boy".
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: calling out 남자 to get a man's attention, the way English speakers might say "Sir!".
Right: 남자 is a plain noun, not a title. Use 아저씨 for a middle-aged man in casual settings, 선생님 as a safe polite title, or 손님 if he is a customer.
남자 Compared with Similar Words
남자 has a formal synonym and a natural counterpart.
| Word | Meaning | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|---|
| 남자 | man | This page's word |
| 남성 | male (formal) | 남성 is the formal/written term, used on forms and in news. |
| 여자 | woman | 여자 is the counterpart. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
남자 comes from the hanja 男子, built from 男 (male) and 子 (child or person).
Finding a Friend outside a Café
Two acquaintances are looking for a friend they have not both met. They use clothing to identify him, then clarify the relationship.
Yuna
어느 사람이 친구예요?
Eoneu sarami chinguyeyo?
Which person is your friend?
Sora
저기 파란 옷을 입은 남자예요.
Jeogi paran oseul ibeun namjayeyo.
He’s the man over there wearing blue.
Yuna
남자 친구예요?
Namja chinguyeyo?
Is he your boyfriend?
Sora
아니요, 그냥 친구예요.
Aniyo, geunyang chinguyeyo.
No, he’s just a friend.
남자 describes the person being identified; it is not what Sora calls out to him. 옷을 입은 means “wearing clothes” and describes the noun that follows. The follow-up question shows why 남자 친구 can need clarification: a male friend is not necessarily a romantic partner.
남자 친구 and a Friend Who Is Male
남자 친구 commonly means boyfriend. Its parts are 남자, male, and 친구, friend, but the everyday relationship meaning can be romantic. If you mean simply a friend who is male, context or a clarification such as 그냥 친구, “just a friend,” prevents the misunderstanding illustrated in the dialogue.
남자 사람 친구 is a conversational way to spell out a non-romantic male friend. You may also see the shortened slang 남사친 in messages and entertainment talk. These expressions are useful for recognizing how people clarify relationships; they are not polite titles to use when calling someone over.
남자아이 means boy, with 아이 meaning child. It specifies age more clearly than 남자 alone. In a school story, a male child may be described as 남자아이, while an adult is more naturally called 남자. The word 남자 itself does not mean husband or boyfriend without additional context.
What Do Labels and Character Descriptions Mean?
남자 화장실 is a restroom label. In this phrase 남자 identifies who the facility is for. 남자용 works similarly on goods: 용 means “for use by,” so the clothing example above describes a product category. Neither phrase is addressing a person directly.
남성 appears in written categories such as clothing departments, surveys and news reports. It is a more formal alternative for describing males, but replacing 남자 with 남성 does not create a title like “sir.” Both words describe a category. To attract a stranger's attention without choosing a title, 저기요 is often useful; it means roughly “excuse me.”
In dramas and personal stories, 남자답다 means to be manly or act in a way the speaker associates with being a man. The ending 답다 means having the qualities expected of the noun. This describes the speaker's expectations, rather than an objective rule about how all men behave. Tone and situation can make the comment approving, teasing or critical.
Describing One Man without Implying “All Men”
그 남자 means “that man,” and 저 남자 points to a man over there. Adding a pointing word helps identify one individual. 남자가 문을 열었어요, from the examples, can introduce a man whose identity has not been given. Korean has no separate word corresponding exactly to the English article “a” in that sentence.
남자는 can introduce men as a general topic, or contrast one man with someone else already mentioned. The marker 는 does not force a statement to apply to every man. Before reading a sentence as a generalization, check whether the speakers are discussing a particular person.
Related People and Relationship Words
| Korean | Meaning | One useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 여자 | woman; female | The everyday counterpart to 남자. |
| 사람 | person | Useful when gender is not the point of the description. |
| 남편 | husband | Names a marital relationship, rather than any man. |
| 남자아이 | boy | Makes clear that the person is a child. |
The people and relationships lesson groups these descriptions with family and relationship terms. Compare 여자 for the matching everyday noun.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 남자 친구 always clearly mean a non-romantic male friend?
- Which word specifically means husband: 남자 or 남편?
- In 남자 화장실, is 남자 a form of address?
Show answers
- No. It commonly means boyfriend, so clarify if you mean just a friend.
- 남편 means husband.
- No. It identifies the restroom category.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "man" in Korean?
Say 남자 (namja). It also means "male".
Can I call out 남자 to get a man's attention?
No. It is a noun, not a title. Use 아저씨, 선생님 or 손님 instead.
When is 남성 better than 남자?
남성 is the formal, written word, so it suits forms and news.
How do I say "men's restroom"?
Say 남자 화장실, using 남자 as a modifier.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: People and relationships word list groups 남자 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Compare with the woman page.