What Does Samchon Mean in Korean?

Quick Summary

• Samchon means uncle and is used by everyone.
• While it literally means uncle, it can go far beyond family relations.
• If you want to be friendlier to an older man, call him samchon instead of ahjussi.

What Is the Meaning of Samchon?

Samchon directly translates to uncle. It technically refers to an uncle on the father’s side.

But it also includes a biological uncle on the mother’s side (“oe samchon“) because we often omit “oe” unless we have to specify.

For example, when I call my mom’s younger brother, I simply call him samchon.

Depending on each relation and status, Korean has specific words, which can be all… uncle in English.

• Samchon: Father’s unmarried brother
• Keun Abeoji: Literally “big dad” who is father’s married older brother
• Jageun Abeoji: Literally “little dad” who is father’s married younger brother
• Oe Samchon: Mother’s brother
• Emoboo: Aunt’s husband, more specifically mother’s sister’s husband
• Gomoboo: Aunt’s husband, more specifically father’s sister’s husband

I know this might get frustrating when you’re learning Korean. It can be a bit tricky because we love addressing people specifically without saying you in a general way.

That being said, we don’t just use samchon for actual uncles. It’s also a go-to way to refer to any middle-aged man, even if we’re not related.

When to Use Samchon?

Koreans use samchon not only for uncles but also as a casual and friendly way to address older men.

We usually call a guy who looks at least 20 years older than us samchon.

So, they’re way older than oppa or hyung, but not too old like grandpa.

Also, samchon feels closer, warmer, and nicer than ahjussi (middle-aged man).

For example,

• A Korean kid calls their father’s friend samchon.
• Korean kids often call store clerks, taxi drivers, or any men on the street samchon if they seem friendly.
• A woman might refer to a friendly middle-aged man as samchon.

I used to call older men samchon when I was a kid, but I rarely use that term with strangers anymore. These days, I usually say sajangnim (a polite way to say “boss” or “owner”) or gisanim (for bus or taxi drivers).

Another situation where we use this term is samchon fans. They’re Korean guys in their early 30s and above who are fans of young K-pop idols, especially girl groups like IVE.

What’s the Cultural Context?

In Korea, age and hierarchy matter a lot in communication.

Samchon is a polite yet friendly way to address an older man without using ahjussi, which can sometimes feel a bit distant, or even a little offensive depending on the context.

It’s pretty common to see my guy friends refer to themselves as samchon when they meet my other friends’ kids. It sounds warmer and more approachable like saying uncle.

In Korean culture, using family terms like uncle, aunt, older sister, or older brother with people who aren’t actually related is a way of expressing closeness.

So when someone says samchon instead of ahjussi, it’s a subtle way of saying, “Hey, I’m a friendly adult,” especially to kids. Of course, not in a creepy way.

Some younger people avoid using samchon with strangers because it can sound overly familiar.

As always with the Korean language, it’s all about reading the room!

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In summary, samchon literally means uncle and it naturally carries a warm feeling.

Samchon can mean a biological uncle, a dad’s friend, or just a friendly older guy.

Next time, try samchon instead of ahjussi in Korea or Koreatown. You’ll probably make his day!