Korean Dictionary
How to say "Senior citizen" in Korean
“Senior citizen” in Korean is 어르신 (pronounced "Eoreushin").
어르신
Eoreushin
Usage & Context
A respectful term for elderly people. Korean culture places enormous value on respecting elders (경로사상). Subway seats marked 노약자석 (priority seats) must be given to elderly, pregnant, and disabled passengers. Bowing lower to older people is a sign of deep respect.
Example Sentence
지하철에서 어르신께 자리를 양보해 드렸어요.
I gave up my seat for an elderly person on the subway.
How to use 어르신 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Senior citizen” is 어르신, romanized as Eoreushin.
Usage tip
Practice this word inside a full daily-life sentence, because particles and sentence endings make the Korean sound natural.
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 어르신.
Pronunciation Guide
The first syllable, 어 (eo), sounds like 'uh' in 'duh'. The second syllable, 르 (reu), sounds like 'ruh' with a light 'r' and the 'eu' vowel (like the 'u' in 'but'). The last syllable, 신 (shin), sounds like 'shin' in 'shiny'. Put it together: 'uh-ruh-shin'.
More Example Sentences
Politely asking an elder if they need assistance.
어르신, 불편한 점은 없으세요?
Elderly sir/ma'am, are you comfortable?
Describing the active elderly community.
우리 동네 어르신들은 항상 활기차세요.
The seniors in our neighborhood are always vibrant.
Discussing social issues related to the elderly.
어르신들을 위한 복지 정책이 필요해요.
Welfare policies for senior citizens are needed.
Cultural Context
Korean culture deeply values '경로사상' (gyeongno-sasang), the ideology of respecting elders. '어르신' is a highly respectful term used for any elderly person, regardless of familial relation. On public transport, '노약자석' (noya-kja-seok, priority seats) are designated for the elderly, pregnant women, and disabled individuals, and it's expected to yield your seat if an '어르신' is standing. Bowing lower to older people is also a common sign of respect.
Editorial note
We review entries like 어르신 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
어르신 공경
Respect for elders
어르신 복지
Senior welfare
어르신 자리
Seat for an elder (e.g., on public transport)
Related Expressions
노인
noin
Elderly person (more general, sometimes less respectful than 어르신)
할아버지
harabeoji
Grandfather (also used generally for older men)
할머니
halmeoni
Grandmother (also used generally for older women)
연세
yeonse
Age (honorific for older people's age)
More Daily Life Words
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