noona
1
9.9
An older sister or older woman a man calls in Korean
- noun
- /nuːnɑː/
:
noona
- Jin called his sister noona as a sign of respect.
Examples
-
The young boy admired his noona and sought her advice on many matters.
-
At the gathering, he referred to his friend as noona because she was older.
-
Janie Noona wasn't one of those.
Fiction book (2000) -
unni, bye -noona (big sis)!
Synonyms
nuna
vsnoona
6
9.9
A woman older than a younger man, used by men to show respect in Korean
has identical meaning but uses an alternative Roman spelling
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word noona comes from the Korean word 누나, which means 'older sister' and is used by boys and men to call an older sister or an older female friend as a sign of respect and closeness. A helpful way to remember it is to think of it like saying 'sis' but with more respect.