K-Wave KitK-Wave Kit
Copied!
K-Pop slang term

What does Unnie (언니) mean?

Term

언니

Unnie

Phonetic

un-nee

Definition

What a woman or girl calls an older sister, or an older female friend/idol she is close to. International fans often use unnie for older girl-group members.

Context / Example

“She called the leader "unnie" even though they only met at a fansign.”

Also searched as

eonni · 언니

Tags

FandomBeginnerCulture

About this term

Unnie (언니) is what a woman or girl calls an older sister, or an older female friend she is close to. International fans often use it for older girl-group members in a warm, familiar way.

It pairs with noona, hyung, and oppa in beginner Korean address sets. Searching "unnie meaning" is common after variety clips and Weverse lives.

Frequently asked questions

Unnie vs noona?

Unnie is used by women/girls; noona is used by men/boys toward an older female.

Can fans call idols unnie?

In casual fan talk yes, especially for older girl-group members — but real-life politeness still depends on context.

Related terms