What Does 형 (Hyung) Mean in Korean?
10-Second Answer
형 (hyung) is the word a male speaker uses for an older male he is close to — his older brother, an older male friend, or an older male he looks up to. Women do not use 형; they say 오빠 (oppa) instead.
Quick Examples
형, 지금 어디야?
hyeong, jigeum eodiya?
Hyung, where are you right now?
우리 형은 대학생이에요.
uri hyeong-eun daehaksaeng-ieyo.
My older brother is a university student.
형이 밥 사줄게.
hyeong-i bap sajulge.
I'll buy you food.
An older male can refer to himself as 형 when talking to a younger male — like "your hyung will buy."
Who Can Say 형?
| Speaker | Can use 형? |
|---|---|
| Man → older male | Yes |
| Woman → older male | No (she says 오빠) |
| Man → older female | No (he says 누나) |
형 is not only for blood brothers. A younger man commonly calls an older male friend, senior, or even a favorite male celebrity 형 once they are close.
형 vs 형님
형님 (hyeongnim) adds the honorific 님 and sounds more respectful or more formal. You will hear it toward a noticeably older man, a brother-in-law, in workplaces with strong hierarchy — and, in K-dramas, among gangsters, where it works like "boss."
형님, 먼저 드세요.
hyeongnim, meonjeo deuseyo.
Hyungnim, please eat first.
Respectful — note the polite verb ending.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Female fans calling a male idol 형
Female speakers use 오빠, not 형. Saying 형 as a woman sounds unnatural (though some female fans do it jokingly on purpose, imitating male fans).
Mistake #2 — "형 = brother, so it's only family"
형 extends to close older male friends and seniors. In fact, being allowed to call someone 형 instead of a formal title is a sign the relationship has become close.
Mistake #3 — Calling any older man 형
A stranger or a much older man is not 형 — that would be 아저씨 or a proper title. 형 implies closeness and a relatively small age gap.
The Full Set of Sibling Terms
| Word | Used by | Refers to |
|---|---|---|
| 형 (hyeong) | Male | Older male |
| 오빠 (oppa) | Female | Older male |
| 누나 (nuna) | Male | Older female |
| 언니 (eonni) | Female | Older female |
| 동생 (dongsaeng) | Anyone | Younger sibling/friend |
Mini Quiz
1. Who normally uses 형?
2. A 25-year-old man wants to address his 28-year-old close friend Minho. What sounds natural?
3. What does 형님 add compared to 형?
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
오빠 vs 형: Which One Should You Use?
The two words point at the same person — an older male — and the only thing that decides between them is who is speaking.
Last updated: 2026-08-10 · Written and reviewed by a native Korean speaker.