Key Facts
- Hangul: 삼촌; Revised Romanization: samchon
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 三寸 (三 three + 寸 degree of kinship)
- Register: neutral; strictly the father's unmarried younger brother, often used loosely for a young man close to the family
Uncle in Korean: What Does 삼촌 Mean?
삼촌 is a family title for your father's younger brother while he is unmarried. Once he marries, the correct word changes to 작은아버지. People also use 삼촌 loosely for a young man who is close to the family, but the strict meaning is the one to learn first.
Other uncles have their own names: 큰아버지 is the father's elder brother, 작은아버지 the father's younger brother who is married, and 외삼촌 the mother's brother. The prefix 외 in 외삼촌 marks the mother's side.
How Do You Pronounce 삼촌?
삼촌 is sam-chon. The ㅊ is aspirated, so it carries a burst of air, like ch in church said firmly. The ㅗ vowel is a rounded o, held steady with no glide, and the word ends in an n sound. The first syllable closes with m, so close your lips fully before moving to chon.
Example Sentences with 삼촌
삼촌이 우리 집에 왔어요.
Samchoni uri jibe wasseoyo.
My uncle came to our house.
우리 집에 is to our house, and 왔어요 is came. The sentence is a plain report that the uncle visited.
삼촌은 회사에 다녀요.
Samchoneun hoesae danyeoyo.
My uncle works at a company.
회사에 다녀요 means works at a company, where the verb in 다녀요 describes regular commuting. The topic particle 은 follows 삼촌.
삼촌과 같이 축구를 했어요.
Samchongwa gachi chukgureul haesseoyo.
I played soccer with my uncle.
과 means with, and it attaches to a word that ends in a consonant. 같이 reinforces the together idea. 축구를 했어요 is played soccer.
Common Phrases and Collocations
These collocations separate the different uncles of the family.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 외삼촌 | mother's brother |
| 작은아버지 | father's younger brother (married) |
| 큰아버지 | father's elder brother |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners use one word for every uncle.
Wrong: ✗ 삼촌 (for the father's older brother).
Correct: ✓ 큰아버지. Use 작은아버지 for a married younger brother of the father, and 외삼촌 for the mother's brother.
삼촌 is for the father's unmarried younger brother. Because Korean family terms depend on side and order, a single word does not cover all uncles.
삼촌 Compared with 작은아버지 and 외삼촌
These two come up most when you move from the strict meaning to the full family.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 삼촌 | uncle (father's unmarried younger brother) | The strict meaning is unmarried and on the father's side. |
| 작은아버지 | father's younger brother (married) | 작은아버지 is used once the uncle is married. |
| 외삼촌 | maternal uncle | 외삼촌 is the mother's brother. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
삼촌 is Sino-Korean, written 三寸 in hanja: 三 (three) plus 寸 (a unit of kinship distance). The word marks a relative three degrees away in the Korean count of family distance.
A Family Visit: Greeting an Uncle
A niece greets her uncle at the door. They already use 삼촌 within the family, so she can address him with the title alone.
Niece
삼촌, 안녕하세요!
Samchon, annyeonghaseyo!
Hello, Uncle!
Uncle
안녕! 엄마는 어디 계셔?
Annyeong! Eommaneun eodi gyesyeo?
Hi! Where is your mom?
Niece
부엌에 계세요.
Bueoke gyeseyo.
She is in the kitchen.
Uncle
그래? 같이 들어가자.
Geurae? Gachi deureogaja.
Oh? Let’s go in together.
The niece uses a polite greeting to an older relative. Her uncle answers casually to a child and uses 계셔 when asking where her mother is. This shows why the family title and the sentence ending are separate choices: 삼촌 names the relationship, while the ending shows how the speaker addresses the listener.
How Do You Use 삼촌 as a Title?
삼촌 can stand alone when you call your uncle, as in the greeting above. When telling someone about him, 우리 삼촌 means “my uncle” in ordinary Korean. The literal wording is “our uncle”, but 우리 often introduces family members even when the listener does not share that relative.
삼촌 댁 means “my uncle’s home”. 댁 is the respectful word for someone’s home, so this phrase fits a conversation about visiting an older relative. 삼촌 집 is the plainer alternative. Neither phrase tells you whether the visit has already happened; that comes from the verb.
Where Will You Hear 삼촌?
In family scenes in dramas, a child may call a familiar adult 삼촌 even when he is a parent’s friend. The title signals closeness in that scene. It does not establish a blood relationship, and it is not a useful default for addressing an unfamiliar man in a shop or on the street.
Family habits also matter. Some people keep using 삼촌 for an uncle after he marries, even though 작은아버지 is the more specific traditional title. When meeting a partner’s relatives, ask which title the family uses and follow their introduction. The family tree gives you the relationship; their usual title tells you how to address the person.
Family Words to Learn beside 삼촌
| Korean | Meaning | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 조카 | niece or nephew | The relationship viewed from the uncle’s side; the word alone does not specify gender. |
| 고모 | father’s sister | The father’s side has a separate word for an aunt too. |
| 이모 | mother’s sister | Pair it with 외삼촌 to remember the mother’s siblings. |
| 사촌 | cousin | An uncle’s child may be your cousin. |
The family vocabulary lesson puts these words into a wider family tree. Start with whose sibling the person is, then choose the title; translating the English word “uncle” alone leaves out that information.
Quick Self-Test
- What does 우리 삼촌 usually mean when you describe your own family?
- Which word names your mother’s brother?
- Does a child calling someone 삼촌 prove that he is a relative?
Show answers
- “My uncle”; 우리 does not require the listener to share that uncle.
- 외삼촌.
- No. A child may also use it for a familiar adult close to the family.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say uncle in Korean?
Say 삼촌 (samchon) for the father's unmarried younger brother. Other uncles have their own words.
What do I call my father's older brother?
Call him 큰아버지.
What do I call my mother's brother?
Call him 외삼촌. The prefix marks the mother's side.
Can 삼촌 mean any young man?
In loose use it can describe a young man close to the family, but the strict meaning is the father's unmarried younger brother.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: family vocabulary shows 삼촌 in the full family tree.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: Add 삼촌 to your review in the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next in the list is the word for wife.