Korean Dictionary
How to say "Teenager" in Korean
“Teenager” in Korean is 십대 (pronounced "Sipdae").
십대
Sipdae
Usage & Context
A person aged 13 to 19 years old. Korean teenagers face significant academic pressure and often attend hagwons (private academies) for extra tutoring.
Example Sentence
십대 자녀와의 관계가 어렵습니다.
The relationship with teenage children is difficult.
How to use 십대 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Teenager” is 십대, romanized as Sipdae.
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 십대.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'ship-dae' — 'ship' like the English word 'ship' but with a soft closing 'p', and 'dae' rhymes with 'day'. Literally means 'tens-generation', i.e., someone in their teens.
Formal & Casual Forms
Casual (반말)
십대
sipdae
Same word — but when speaking casually, many people just say '중고등학생' (middle/high schooler) instead of 십대.
More Example Sentences
Commenting on generational media habits
요즘 십대는 유튜브를 많이 봐요.
Teenagers these days watch a lot of YouTube.
Reflecting on adolescent behavior
십대 때는 반항심이 강해요.
During teen years, there's strong rebelliousness.
Discussing K-pop demographics
그 가수는 십대에게 인기가 많아요.
That singer is popular with teenagers.
Cultural Context
십대 in Korea is heavily associated with the intense pressure of school life — middle school (중학생) and high school (고등학생) years dominated by studying for 수능 (college entrance exam). Korean teens are often described by specific sub-categories like '중2' (middle school second year, famous for 중2병 — 'eighth grader syndrome'). K-pop culture, academy attendance (학원), and smartphone-driven social life shape the modern 십대 experience.
Editorial note
We review entries like 십대 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
십대는 감정 기복이 심해요.
Teenagers have intense mood swings.
십대 아이를 이해하기 어려워요.
It's hard to understand teenage kids.
십대 사이에서 유행이에요.
It's trending among teenagers.
Related Expressions
청소년
cheongsonyeon
youth / adolescent (formal)
중학생
junghaksaeng
middle school student
고등학생
godeunghaksaeng
high school student
사춘기
sachungi
puberty / adolescence
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