Key Facts
- Hangul: 아저씨; Revised Romanization: ajeossi
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Native Korean (no hanja)
- Register: Casual and can sound rude to strangers; used for middle-aged men or service workers. 아저씨 can offend young men.
Middle-Aged Man in Korean: What Does 아저씨 Mean?
아저씨 is the word for a middle-aged man and, in casual speech, a bit like "mister". It is casual and can sound rude to a stranger. It is also used for service workers, so a taxi driver is 택시 아저씨 and a man from the area is 동네 아저씨.
A young man may not enjoy being called 아저씨, because it makes him sound older than he is. The word is best used about someone, or to someone you already know, rather than to catch a stranger's attention.
How Do You Pronounce It?
아저씨 has three syllables: a-jeo-ssi. The second syllable uses ㅓ, a vowel somewhere between "uh" and "aw". The third starts with ㅆ, a tense s: push it out firmly, with no breath of air after it.
The romanization ajeossi shows both s letters, but the sound is one tight s at the start of the last beat.
Listen to the headword here.
Example Sentences with 아저씨
아저씨가 길을 물어요.
Ajeossiga gireul mureoyo.
The man is asking for directions.
This sentence describes a man asking the way. 길을 물어요 is the pattern for asking directions, and 아저씨가 is the subject.
저 아저씨는 택시 기사예요.
Jeo ajeossineun taeksi gisayeyo.
That man is a taxi driver.
저 means "that" for something at a distance. 택시 기사예요 says he is a taxi driver, so the sentence uses 아저씨 as a neutral label.
아저씨, 이거 주세요.
Ajeossi, igeo juseyo.
Sir, give me this please.
Said to a vendor or a driver. The word works as an address in this casual setting, and 주세요 turns the request polite.
Common Phrases and Collocations
Notice how often 아저씨 is attached to a place or job. It acts like a short label.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 옆집 아저씨 | neighbor man |
| 택시 아저씨 | taxi driver (casual) |
| 동네 아저씨 | man from the neighborhood |
The Mistake to Avoid
- Wrong: Calling every adult man 아저씨.
- Correct: With strangers use 선생님, 손님, 사장님 or 저기요. Save 아저씨 for casual situations with workers and neighbours.
The word is casual rather than banned. The risk is a younger man, who may hear it as an age comment.
아저씨 Compared with 아줌마 and 선생님
Two nearby words show you what to say instead and what to say for a woman.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 아저씨 | middle-aged man | Casual; can offend young men. |
| 아줌마 | middle-aged woman | The female counterpart. |
| 선생님 | teacher or polite title | A safer polite address. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
아저씨 is a native Korean word with no hanja. It forms a pair with 아줌마, and the two are usually learned together.
Pointing out a Neighbour’s Lost Umbrella
Two adult neighbours notice an umbrella left by a man who has just walked away. They first identify him, then decide how to get his attention.
Jisu
저 아저씨 우산 아니에요?
Jeo ajeossi usan anieyo?
Isn’t that that man’s umbrella?
Mina
맞아요. 옆집 아저씨 거예요.
Majayo. Yeopjip ajeossi geoyeyo.
Yes. It belongs to the man next door.
Jisu
제가 가져다드릴게요.
Jega gajyeodadeurilgeyo.
I’ll take it to him.
Mina
네. 감사합니다.
Ne. Gamsahamnida.
Okay. Thank you.
The speakers use 아저씨 about a neighbour. They are not calling out to him in these lines. 옆집 아저씨 identifies which man they mean, while 거예요 says the umbrella belongs to him. If Jisu needs his attention, 저기요 can open the conversation without repeating an age-related label directly to his face.
Which Titles Fit Which Situations?
기사님 is a respectful way to address a driver. The title recognises the person’s work and avoids guessing whether they feel middle-aged. 택시 아저씨 remains a phrase you will hear in everyday talk, especially in descriptions, but 기사님 is useful when you are speaking to the driver yourself.
사장님 addresses an owner or boss, and 손님 means a guest or customer. These are not replacements for every use of 아저씨: a shopper should not call a shop worker 손님, because that reverses their roles. If you do not know the person’s role, 저기요 simply gets their attention.
선생님 literally means “teacher” and can also work as a respectful address. In a workplace where you know someone’s name or job title, use the established form of address there. The goal is to recognise the relationship you actually have, rather than choosing a word only from the person’s appearance.
What Does 아저씨 Suggest in Dramas and Everyday Talk?
Children may use 아저씨 for an unrelated adult man who is much older than they are. English subtitles sometimes render this as “uncle”, but the Korean word does not establish that he is a parent’s brother. In a family tree, an actual uncle needs the title for his relationship to the family.
Between adults, calling someone 아저씨 can draw attention to age or social distance. A drama character may react badly because they hoped to seem young or close to the speaker. The reaction is part of the scene: 아저씨 does not carry the same emotional force in every conversation.
옆집 아저씨 literally means the man from the next house; naturally, it can be “the man next door”. 동네 아저씨 identifies a man from the neighbourhood. These combinations describe familiarity or location, while 택시 아저씨 identifies him through his job. None tells you his exact age.
Words for Choosing an Address
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 기사님 | driver, respectful title | Useful when speaking directly to a taxi or bus driver. |
| 사장님 | owner, boss | Fits a business owner or a workplace relationship. |
| 손님 | customer, guest | Staff can use it for the person they are serving. |
| 저기요 | excuse me | Gets attention when you do not know a suitable title. |
The relationship vocabulary lesson explains more ways of referring to people. The title and the sentence ending work together: 주세요 makes a request polite, but it does not erase the social meaning of the title before it.
Quick Self-Test
- Which title recognises a taxi driver’s job respectfully?
- If staff call someone 손님, who is being addressed?
- Does 아저씨 in a child’s dialogue prove a biological uncle relationship?
Show answers
- 기사님.
- A customer or guest.
- No. A child can use it for an unrelated adult man.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say middle-aged man in Korean?
Say 아저씨 (ajeossi). It is casual and common for middle-aged men and service workers.
Is 아저씨 rude?
It can sound rude to a stranger, and it can offend a young man. Choose 선생님 for a safer polite address.
What is the female equivalent?
아줌마 is the female counterpart.
Can I call a taxi driver 아저씨?
You will hear it, and the phrase 택시 아저씨 is common. 아저씨 is casual, so a polite title is the cautious choice.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: relationship vocabulary. 아저씨 is on the relationship vocabulary list.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 아저씨 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next: the word for teacher. After that the list moves on to the word for teacher, 선생님.
- Compare: 아줌마. Pair it with 아줌마, the female counterpart.