Key Facts
- Hangul: 이웃; Revised Romanization: iut
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Native Korean (no hanja)
- Register: Neutral everyday word.
Neighbor in Korean: What Does 이웃 Mean?
이웃 means a person, or a household, that lives close by. It is a neutral word and works in conversation, in notices and in writing. A phrase like 이웃과 사이좋게 지내다 describes getting along with those who live around you, and it is the usual way to talk about good neighbourly relations.
Two compounds are worth knowing early. 이웃집 is the neighbor's house, and 이웃 사람 spells out "neighbor" as a person. Use 이웃 when you mean neighbors in general. When you mean the house or flat directly next door, Korean prefers 옆집.
How Do You Pronounce It?
이웃 has two syllables, i-ut. The first is just the vowel "ee", so there is no consonant sound at the start.
The trap is the ending. The final ㅅ is not an "s". It is an unreleased t, so the word stops as [i-ut] with the tongue closing behind the teeth. When a vowel particle follows, the sound moves across and you hear [i-u-si], which is what 이웃이 sounds like in the third example.
Listen to the headword here.
Example Sentences with 이웃
이웃과 인사해요.
Iutgwa insahaeyo.
I greet my neighbors.
과 means "with" here, and 인사해요 is the verb for greeting, so you exchange hellos with your neighbors. The sentence describes a habit of saying hello to those around you.
우리 이웃은 친절해요.
Uri iuseun chinjeolhaeyo.
Our neighbors are kind.
우리 means "our" and 친절해요 means kind. A short, warm sentence you can say about almost any neighbourhood.
이웃이 떡을 줬어요.
Iusi tteogeul jwosseoyo.
A neighbor gave me rice cakes.
Sharing rice cakes with the people next door is a familiar picture in Korean life. 줬어요 is the past tense of giving, and 이웃이 is the subject, which you hear as i-u-si.
Common Phrases and Collocations
The collocations show three levels of closeness: a house, a person and a relationship.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 이웃집 | neighbor's house |
| 이웃 사람 | neighbor |
| 이웃과 사이좋게 지내다 | to get along with neighbors |
The Mistake to Avoid
- Wrong: Saying the final ㅅ of 이웃 with an audible s sound.
- Correct: The ㅅ is an unreleased t, so say [i-ut]. Before a vowel particle it becomes [i-u-si].
The same rule applies to many nouns that end in ㅅ, so practising this one word trains the habit for others.
이웃 Compared with 옆집 and 동네 사람
Korean has several words for the people around you, and they point at different distances.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 이웃 | neighbor | People living near you, in general. |
| 옆집 | next-door house | The house right next door. |
| 동네 사람 | local resident | Someone from the same neighborhood. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
이웃 is a native Korean word with no hanja. Nothing in it needs breaking down, so learn it as a whole and watch the final consonant.
Meeting Someone Who Has Just Moved In
Two residents meet in the hallway. One introduces herself as a new neighbor, and the other checks which home she has moved into.
Mina
안녕하세요. 새로 이사 온 이웃이에요.
Annyeonghaseyo. Saero isa on iusieyo.
Hello. I’m your new neighbor.
Jisu
반가워요. 옆집에 이사 오셨어요?
Bangawoyo. Yeopjibe isa osyeosseoyo?
Nice to meet you. Did you move in next door?
Mina
네. 앞으로 잘 부탁드려요.
Ne. Apeuro jal butakdeuryeoyo.
Yes. I look forward to being good neighbors.
새로 이사 온 identifies someone who has recently moved in. 옆집 narrows the location to the home directly next door. 잘 부탁드려요 is a courteous phrase for starting an ongoing relationship; the natural English translation changes with the situation.
What Do Common Neighbor Expressions Imply?
이웃과 사이좋게 지내다 means to get along with neighbors. 사이 concerns the relationship between people, and 사이좋게 describes being on good terms. The expression can cover greeting each other, being considerate and avoiding friction; it does not mean the neighbors must become close friends.
이웃사촌 is a set expression for neighbors who are as close as relatives. 사촌 literally means cousin, but the full word does not establish a family connection. You might hear it about neighbors who regularly help one another or share daily life.
이웃집 names a neighboring home or household. In an expression about a sound from 이웃집, the point is where the sound comes from. 이웃 사람 makes the person explicit. Neither expression necessarily means the closest house unless the context supplies that detail.
Where Will You See 이웃 in Writing?
Apartment notices may ask residents to be considerate of their 이웃. Here the word includes people nearby whom you may never have spoken to. It identifies a shared living environment, rather than a personal friendship.
어려운 이웃 appears in donation appeals and community messages for people in need. In this phrase 이웃 has a broader community sense. The people receiving help need not live in the home directly beside the donor. A notice's purpose helps you recognize when the word reaches beyond immediate neighbors.
Online, 블로그 이웃 refers to a blog's connected neighbors or contacts. The local-community image has been extended to a digital relationship. You do not need to assume that those users live near one another.
Which Nearby Word Gives the Location You Need?
| Korean | Meaning | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| 옆집 | next-door home | Directly beside your home. |
| 윗집 | upstairs home or household | Above yours in a building. |
| 아랫집 | downstairs home or household | Below yours in a building. |
| 동네 | neighborhood | The surrounding local area. |
| 주민 | resident | A person who lives in the area or building. |
The relationship vocabulary lesson teaches 이웃 with other social relationships. Choose 윗집 or 아랫집 when the floor matters, and 이웃 when the general relationship matters. 주민 is useful in notices addressing residents as a group, including people with no personal connection.
Quick Self-Test
- Must an 이웃 live directly next door?
- Does 이웃사촌 mean the neighbors are actual cousins?
- Which word identifies the household above yours?
Show answers
- No. 이웃 can mean people or households living nearby.
- No. It describes neighbors who are close like relatives.
- 윗집.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say neighbor in Korean?
Say 이웃 (iut). It is a neutral word that suits both speech and writing.
How is the final ㅅ in 이웃 pronounced?
As an unreleased t, [i-ut]. Before a particle that starts with a vowel it is heard as s, [i-u-si].
What is the difference between 이웃 and 옆집?
이웃 is the neighbor in general, while 옆집 is the house right next door.
How do you say "neighbor's house"?
Use 이웃집. It combines 이웃 with the word for house.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: relationship vocabulary. 이웃 is part of the relationship vocabulary list.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 이웃 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next: the word for people. The next entry in that list is the word for people.