Dictionary — Entry No. 0953
이모
imo · noun
이모
imo
[EE-muh]
nounbeginner
Meaning
Your mother’s sister — a specific family relationship term crucial to Korean kinship terminology. Reflects Korean culture’s emphasis on precise family relationships and generational hierarchy.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
K-Dramas frequently feature aunts (imo) as supporting characters providing wisdom, comic relief, or motherly care to protagonists. K-Pop idols mention their imos in variety show interviews and family stories. Family relationships are central to K-Culture, and properly identifying imo vs. other aunts shows cultural respect.
Example Sentences
제 이모는 서울에 살아요.
Je imoneun Seoulle sarayo.
My aunt lives in Seoul — standard family introduction
이모가 우리를 도와주셨어요.
Imoga urireul dowajusyeosseoyo.
My aunt helped us — showing family bonds and gratitude for maternal aunt’s support
우리 이모네 집에 가요.
Uri imonek jibe gayo.
We’re going to my aunt’s house — familiar statement about visiting extended family
⚠️ Don’t use imo when…
Imo is specifically mother’s sister — father’s sister is ‘gomo’ (고모). Using the wrong aunt term is disrespectful. Always use respectful form ‘imo-nim’ or ‘imo-yeo’ when speaking to/about aunts directly.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: It’s Okay to Not Be Okay features an aunt character providing emotional support and wisdom to the protagonist dealing with family trauma
- K-Pop: IVE members have mentioned their aunts in variety show appearances, showing close family bonds typical of K-Pop idol families
ℹ️ Editorial Note: The cultural context and example usage are for educational reference only. Artist names, song titles, and drama references are used descriptively to illustrate vocabulary in context. This content is AI-assisted and reviewed for accuracy. For official information, please refer to the respective artists’ or studios’ official channels.