Korean Dictionary
How to say "Colleague" in Korean
“Colleague” in Korean is 동료 (pronounced "Dongyo").
동료
Dongyo
Usage & Context
A coworker or work colleague. The Korean workplace has strong hierarchy: 사수 (senior who directly trains you), 선배 (senior colleague), 후배 (junior colleague). Work colleagues often become close friends in Korea due to frequent 회식 (company dinners) and after-work socializing.
Example Sentence
동료들과 회식을 자주 가요.
I often go to company dinners with colleagues.
How to use 동료 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Colleague” is 동료, romanized as Dongyo.
Usage tip
Relationship words can sound too direct if the social context is wrong. Check the age, closeness, and formality before using it.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 동료.
Pronunciation Guide
동 (dong) sounds like 'dong' in 'ding-dong'. 료 (ryo) sounds like 'ryo' in 'ryokan' (Japanese inn), or like 'ree-oh' said quickly. The 'ㄹ' (r) sound here is a light 'r' sound, almost like 'l'. The stress is fairly even.
More Example Sentences
Announcing a new team member at work.
새로운 동료가 우리 팀에 합류했어요.
A new colleague joined our team.
Talking about a successful team project.
동료들과 함께 프로젝트를 성공적으로 마쳤어요.
I successfully completed the project with my colleagues.
Describing after-work socializing.
퇴근 후에 동료들과 맥주 한잔 했어요.
I had a beer with my colleagues after work.
Cultural Context
동료 (dongnyo) refers to a coworker or colleague. While it's a general term, the Korean workplace is highly hierarchical, with distinct terms like '선배' (seonbae, senior colleague) and '후배' (hubae, junior colleague) often used instead of or alongside '동료' to reflect seniority. Company dinners (회식, hoesik) are a common part of Korean corporate culture, where colleagues socialize and build camaraderie, often leading to close bonds among '동료' outside of work tasks.
Editorial note
We check relationship words like 동료 against age, closeness, and politeness rules, because a literal English match often misses the social meaning.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
동료들과 회식하다
To have a company dinner with colleagues
직장 동료
Work colleague
친한 동료
Close colleague
Related Expressions
선배
seonbae
senior colleague
후배
hubae
junior colleague
직장 상사
jikjang sangsa
boss/superior
팀원
timwon
team member
More Relationships Words
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