Dictionary — Entry No. 0597
아내
anae · noun
아내
anae
[ah-NAE]
nounbeginner
Meaning
The Korean word for ‘wife,’ used to refer to one’s own wife or another person’s wife in standard, neutral speech. 아내 is the everyday term — polite but not stiff. In Korean culture, the 아내 is traditionally regarded as the emotional and practical center of the household, a role that K-Dramas have explored with both reverence and critical nuance.
K-Pop & K-Drama Context
‘The World of the Married’ (부부의 세계) exploded onto Korean screens with its raw portrayal of an 아내’s strength and fury after betrayal, becoming one of the highest-rated Korean cable dramas in history and sparking nationwide conversations. EXO’s tender ballad ‘What Is Love’ (사랑이 무엇인지) explores the all-consuming devotion that mirrors the emotional depth of a spousal bond. The ‘wife’s revenge’ subgenre (아내의 복수 드라마) remains one of the most enduringly popular formats in Korean television.
Example Sentences
제 아내는 의사예요.
Je anaeneun uisayeyo.
My wife is a doctor. (polite register using 제 and -예요 — suitable for formal or semi-formal introductions)
아내 생일 선물 뭐 사면 좋을까?
Anae saengil seonmul mwo samyeon joeulkka?
What should I buy for my wife’s birthday gift? (casual question among friends — a very natural everyday conversation)
그의 아내는 정말 강한 사람이야.
Geuui anaeneun jeongmal ganghan saramiya.
His wife is a really strong person. (강하다 = strong/resilient — an admiring description, particularly resonant after dramas like ‘The World of the Married’)
⚠️ Don’t use anae when…
Avoid addressing your wife directly as ‘아내’ — use her name, 여보 (yeobo), or 자기야 (jagiya) for direct address. Note that 와이프 (waipeu, borrowed from English ‘wife’) is common in casual modern Korean — both are correct, but 아내 is the standard formal term.
🎵 Heard In
- K-Drama: The World of the Married (부부의 세계) — a gripping examination of an 아내’s resilience and revenge after betrayal, one of the highest-rated Korean cable dramas ever made
- K-Pop: EXO — What Is Love (사랑이 무엇인지)
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.