어버이

Korean

Etymology

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 어버ᅀᅵ〮 (Yale: èpèzí), originally from *업 (Yale: *èp, “father”) + 어ᅀᅵ〮 (Yale: èzí, “mother”) but no longer perceivable as such.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ʌ̹bʌ̹i]
• Phonetic hangul: [어버이]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	eobeoi
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	eobeoi
McCune–Reischauer?	ŏbŏi
Yale Romanization?	epei

Noun

어버이 • (eobeoi)

1. (now literary) parent, parents

   Synonym: (more common) 부모(父母) (bumo)

   어버이날 ― eobeoinal ― Parents' Day

2. A title of the Supreme Leader of North Korea.