What Does 이모 (Imo) Mean in Korean?
Written and reviewed by Jun and Jin, native Korean speakers
Published · Updated · How we write & review
After this page, you can recognize 이모 (imo) when you hear or read it, including its very common non-family use.
10-second answer
What does Imo mean?
이모 (imo) literally means "aunt" on the mother's side — a father's sister is the separate word 고모 (gomo) instead. But 이모 is just as common as a warm, non-literal way to address a restaurant worker, a family friend, or any older woman — almost the way "ma'am" works in English, but far friendlier. Hearing 이모 shouted across a Korean restaurant doesn't mean anyone's actual aunt is there.
Quick check — did that land?
1. Which side of the family does 이모 come from?
Wait—she’s not your aunt. So why do Koreans call her 이모? At restaurants, it can mean an older woman
Quick Examples
저희 이모는 요리를 정말 잘해요.
jeohui imoneun yorireul jeongmal jalhaeyo.
My aunt is a really good cook.
Literal family use — the mother's sister. Strictly, 이모 is an elder, so the honorific 잘하세요 (jalhaseyo) is correct: 저희 이모 요리 정말 잘하세요. In everyday conversation people often say it the plain way, as in the example, and drop the particles too. In formal settings, stick to the honorific form.
이모! 여기 물 좀 주세요.
imo! yeogi mul jom juseyo.
Excuse me! Water, please.
The single most common way to get a restaurant server's attention in Korea, regardless of any family tie.
이모, 이거 얼마예요?
imo, igeo eolmayeyo?
Ma'am, how much is this?
Same casual, warm address used with an older female shop owner.
See also: 삼촌 (Samchon) — uncle
이모 vs 고모 — Which Side of the Family
| Korean | English | Whose side |
|---|---|---|
| 이모 (imo) | Aunt | Mother's sister |
| 고모 (gomo) | Aunt | Father's sister |
Same logic as 삼촌 vs 외삼촌 — Korean consistently marks which side of the family someone belongs to, where English just says "aunt" or "uncle" for either side.
이모's Family — and Who You're Really Calling in a Restaurant
The Standard Korean Language Dictionary still defines 이모 only as your mother's sister — the restaurant use is everyday speech, not a dictionary sense. It does record the family around her: 이모부 (imobu) is 이모's husband, and 이모님 is the honorific form. When there's more than one, Koreans rank them — 큰이모, 둘째 이모, 막내 이모 — or name them by where they live, like 부산 이모 (more on extended family titles).
이모's children are your 이종사촌 (ijongsachon), but that's a relationship name you use when introducing them: 이쪽은 제 이종사촌이에요 ("This is my cousin on my mom's side"). To their face you use sibling words — 언니, 오빠, 누나 or 형 for an older cousin, and just the name for a younger one (사촌).
| In a restaurant, call out… | When |
|---|---|
| 저기요 (jeogiyo) | Safe with anyone — the neutral "excuse me" (저기요) |
| 이모 | Warm — an older woman serving at a casual restaurant or market stall |
| 사장님 (sajangnim) | The owner, or someone who may well be |
| 아주머니 (ajumeoni) | Softer than 아줌마, which can sound rude |
Talking about the staff rather than to them, say 직원 (jigwon, "staff member"): 직원한테 물어볼게요 — "I'll ask the staff." The older word 점원 ("store clerk") is fading from everyday speech.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Assuming someone yelling 이모 is talking about a real aunt
In restaurants and markets it's almost always a friendly, non-literal way to address an older woman — completely normal, not a special family claim.
Mistake #2 — Mixing up 이모 and 고모
이모 is the mother's sister; 고모 is the father's sister. They're not interchangeable, even though both translate to "aunt."
Mini Quiz
1. Which side of the family does 이모 come from?
2. Why might you hear "이모!" shouted in a Korean restaurant?
3. What's the father's-side equivalent of 이모?
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
이모 and 고모 are learned as a pair — see the father's-side counterpart next.
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