Korean Dictionary
How to say "Representative" in Korean
“Representative” in Korean is 대표 (pronounced "Daepyo").
대표
Daepyo
Usage & Context
A person elected to represent a constituency in government. In South Korea, National Assembly members are representatives of their districts.
Example Sentence
그는 지역 대표로 선출되었습니다.
He was elected as a regional representative.
How to use 대표 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Representative” is 대표, romanized as Daepyo.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
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 대표.
Pronunciation Guide
대 (Dae) sounds like 'day' in English. 표 (pyo) sounds like 'pyoh' or 'pyo' as in 'pyramid' but with a 'yo' sound. Combine them as 'Dae-pyoh', with a slightly aspirated 'p' sound.
More Example Sentences
In a business setting, referring to the company head.
우리 회사의 대표이사님은 오늘 출장 가셨습니다.
Our company's CEO (representative director) went on a business trip today.
Describing a school event with a student speaker.
학생 대표가 졸업식에서 연설했습니다.
The student representative gave a speech at the graduation ceremony.
Talking about a national athlete or figure.
그는 한국을 대표하는 축구 선수입니다.
He is a soccer player who represents Korea.
Cultural Context
The word '대표' is highly versatile in Korean, extending beyond political contexts. It's commonly used in business (e.g., 대표이사 - CEO/representative director), sports (e.g., 국가대표 - national representative/team member), and various organizations to denote someone who acts or speaks on behalf of a group. In K-pop, a group's '대표곡' (daepyo-gok) refers to their signature or most representative song.
Editorial note
We review entries like 대표 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
대표 이사
CEO, Representative Director
국가 대표
National representative (e.g., in sports)
대표적인 예
A representative example
Related Expressions
대리인
Daeriin
Agent, proxy
대표하다
Daepyohada
To represent (verb form)
대표팀
Daepyotim
Representative team (e.g., national team)
국회의원
Gukhoe uiwon
National Assembly member (specific political representative)
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