Cute & Funny Korean Nicknames For Best Friends With Meanings

Koreans do not hand out chingu to anybody. Strictly speaking, a chingu is someone born in the same year. Example: an elder pal becomes hyeong, oppa, nuna or eonni. I have hand-picked the following Korean nicknames for a best friend.

List Of Korean Nicknames For Best Friend And Their Meanings:

Kombi (콤비)

“duo/double act.” Kombi is symbolizing two people who work as one.

Dubu (두부)

Tofu.

Bapchin

rice powder 밥심 / final consonant 받침

Bepeu (베프)

Bepeu is a diminutive of beseuteu peurendeu, a Konglish spelling of best friend.

Chijeu (치즈)

Chijeu, Korean form of cheese, that has roots in Latin caseus.

Wonsungi (원숭이)

‘Monkey’. Folk wisdom warns: “Even monkeys fall from trees.”

Kkomaengi (꼬맹이)

kid/shorty.squirt/tyke

Eoljjang (얼짱)

Eoljjang means best face or good looking.

Ttonggangaji (똥강아지)

“Poop puppy”.

Daejang (대장)

Daejang (大將) is a general or the chief of a gang of kids. Written 大腸, it is large intestine, and 臺帳 is a ledger.

Korean Nicknames For Family:

Name	Meaning	Pronunciation
Imo (이모)	mom’s sister	EE-mo
Geumjjogi (금쪽이)	kid worth gold	GUM-jjo-gee
Abuji (아부지)	“dad,” in dialect	AH-boo-jee
Cheoje (처제)	wife’s younger sister	CHUH-jeh
Oedong (외동)	only child	WEH-dong
Halmae (할매)	grandma, Gyeongsang style	HAL-meh
Keunappa (큰아빠)	dad’s elder brother	KEUN-ah-ppa
Ssangdungi (쌍둥이)	“twin”	SSANG-doong-ee
Yeobo (여보)	honey, between spouses	YUH-bo
Gomo (고모)	the paternal aunt	GO-mo
Neutdungi (늦둥이)	a late surprise	NEUT-doong-ee
Eomui (어무이)	mom, or mum	UH-moo-ee or uh-MOO-ee
Hyeongbu (형부)	sister’s husband	HYUNG-boo
Jangnyeo (장녀)	eldest daughter	JANG-nyuh
Samchon (삼촌)	“uncle.”	SAM-chon
Saeaga (새아가)	new daughter-in-law	SEH-ah-ga

The lsit continues.

Mulgae (물개)

Seal. Cho Oh-ryun (1952-2009) was also known as the Asian Seal and swam the Korea Strait.

Bamtol (밤톨)

Chestnut.

Jjolbo (쫄보)

“scaredy-cat/chicken.” It comes from jjolda, to shrink in fear.

Dolsoe (돌쇠)

A burly, guileless farmhand of folk stories. Save

Bitamin (비타민)

Vitamin.

Byeol (별)

Byeol is from native vocabulary and has a meaning that I like, star.

Yeonggam (영감)

An aged man. Yeonggam (令監) was a title for high officials in Joseon.

Ajae (아재)

Uncle and variation of ajeossi (아저씨), “middle-aged man”.

Ori (오리)

“Duck” in Seoul, and my light in Hebrew.

Uyu (우유)

Uyu (OO-yoo/OO-you) – Means “milk” or “milky white”

Momjjang (몸짱)

Great body, from mom (body) and jjang (best).

Gyul (귤)

Gyul (GYOOL) – Means “tangerine”.

Doryeonnim (도련님)

Young master, used for husband’s unmarried younger brother.

Deokhu (덕후)

Superfan. Japanese otaku became odeokhu online, and its first syllable is removed.

Gaegujaengi (개구쟁이)

Mischievous kid. North Koreans say balgaedori for one.

Bestie Korean Nicknames For Girl Best Friends:

Name	Meaning	Pronunciation
Ttoksuni (똑순이)	smart cookie	TTOK-soo-nee
Gongju (공주)	“princess”	GONG-joo
Jipsuni (집순이)	homebody, or couch potato	JIP-soo-nee
Nabi (나비)	butterfly	NAH-bee
Eomchinttal (엄친딸)	flawless one	UHM-chin-ttal
Ippeuni (이쁜이)	“pretty one.”	ee-PPEU-nee
Bokseonga (복숭아)	peach, in Korean	BOK-soong-ah
Geolkeureosi (걸크러시)	girl crush	gurl-KEU-ruh-shee
Kkamjjigi (깜찍이)	she is adorable	KKAM-jji-gee
Eonni (언니)	big sister	UHN-nee
Ppangsuni (빵순이)	girl of bread	PPANG-soo-nee
Yojeong (요정)	“fairy.”	YO-jung
Aegyojaengi (애교쟁이)	cute-act queen	AE-gyo-jaeng-ee
Ttalgi (딸기)	strawberry, mostly sweet	TTAL-gee
Yeosachin (여사친)	“girl pal, platonic”	yuh-SAH-chin

Scroll for more.

Pengwin (펭귄)

In 2019 EBS launched a two-meter penguin called Pengsoo. Pengwin is penguin.

Dongchin (동친)

Neighborhood friend, short for dongne (neighborhood) chingu.

Daengdaengi (댕댕이)

Doggo. Online users swapped 멍 for look-alike 댕, so meongmeongi became daengdaengi.

Mungchi (뭉치)

Mungchi (MOONG-chee) – Means “bundle” or “wad”

Gimbap (김밥)

Gimbap is rice rolled in gim and served in bite-sized slices. It can be paired with tteokbokki or ramyeon.

Gwiyomi (귀요미)

“Cutie.” It is pronounced as gwee-YO-mee and is also spelled as kwiyomi.

Gomdori (곰돌이)

Teddy bear. A proverb says: “Even a bear has a rolling trick.”

Assa (아싸)

Assa (AH-ssa/AHS-sah) – Means “outsider” or “loner”

Sajangnim (사장님)

Boss. Locals call anyone running a shop sajangnim.

Ttorai (또라이)

A crazy one, said with a grin between friends.

Eumchi (음치)

“tone-deaf”/“off-key”/“flat singer”/“no pitch”

Bokdeongi (복덩이)

Symbolizing luck, Bokdeongi is a lump of good fortune.

Ajumma (아줌마)

She’s a married, middle-aged woman, and young friends use ajumma as a joke.

Ttolttori (똘똘이)

‘bright kid/clever clogs.’

Saessak (새싹)

Saessak is from native Korean and has a meaning that I love: sprout.

Sokkup chingu (소꿉친구)

Playmate from games of house. Sokkup are toy pots and dishes for sokkupjangnan.

Maknae (막내)

Youngest. Maknae, it is pronounced as MANG-nae, and is also spelled as mangnae.

Geopjaengi (겁쟁이)

Geopjaengi means coward and is from geop (怯), fear.

Jjakkkung (짝꿍)

“Partner,” or “deskmate.” Seoul classrooms seat pupils at double desks and you should know that the kid in the next seat is actually called a jjakkkung.

Boksiri (복실이)

Fluffy one, a classic dog name from boksilboksil, shaggy.

Jjokkomi (쪼꼬미)

tiny one/teeny.mini/wee one

Jeolchin (절친)

Jeolchin: Jeolchn comes from hanja 切親, closest of pals.

Nae pyeon (내 편)

“My side”, someone who backs a buddy in any possible situation.

Donggapnaegi (동갑내기)

A same-age peer. Gap (甲) opens the sixty-year cycle, so donggap means born in one cycle year.

Babo (바보)

Fool. In a Goguryeo legend, Ondal the Fool married Princess Pyeonggang and died a general.

Sachawon (사차원)

Fourth dimension.

Nojaem (노잼)

Nojaem is derived from English no andhas roots in jaemi, fun.

Wangja (왕자)

Wangja is meaning prince.

Bejjangi (베짱이)

Lazy person.

Gilchi (길치)

According to the National Institute of Korean Language, -chi in gilchi comes from 癡, foolish.

Wensu (웬수)

Its etymology is wonsu (怨讐), enemy.

Mandu (만두)

Mandu is meaning dumpling.

Gojipjaengi (고집쟁이)

Gojipjaengi means stubborn mule and is from gojip (固執), firm grip.

Geurimja (그림자)

Geurimja is a shadow.

Saida (사이다)

Lemon-lime soda in Korean as well as a Lebanon’s port of Sidon in Arabic.

Yeou (여우)

“Fox” or “a sly charmer.” Gumiho is a nine-tailed fox of folk tales who eats human livers.

Jungmagou (죽마고우)

Literally “bamboo-horse friend” and I believe you can try it as a substitute for a Korean boy’s name. Jin general Huan Wen (312-373) used it for Yin Hao, a boyhood friend he later had him exiled.

Gongbubeolle (공부벌레)

Study bug, a bookworm.

Jjandori (짠돌이)

Cheapskate. Jjada is salty, and salty is stingy in Seoul slang.

Baksa (박사)

Doctor, the walking encyclopedia of a group. Cheokcheok baksa is a know-it-all with an answer on the spot.

Daebak (대박)

Jackpot! That’s what people in Seoul yell after a huge win.

Dallim (달님)

Moon, with honorific -nim.

Hotteok (호떡)

Pancake, sweet and filled. Ho (胡) is an archaic word for foreigners.

Nyangi (냥이)

Nyangi means kitty and is a diminutive of goyangi.

Agassi (아가씨)

Young lady, and what a wife calls her husband’s younger sister.

Byeongari (병아리)

Chick, and also a rookie at a new job.

Geumson (금손)

“golden hands”/“deft one”/“handy pal”/“skilled maker”

Ojingeo (오징어)

Ojingeo (oh-JING-uh): squid, and this also means a homely guy. North Koreans call a long-armed octopus ojingeo.

Dongsaeng (동생)

Dongsaeng means younger sibling and is from Sino-Korean 同生, same birth.

Haebaragi (해바라기)

Haebaragi is symbolizing devotion to one person, like a sunflower facing a single sun.

Biggeul (비글)

Beagle, for a hyper chum. BTOB were dubbed the beagle idols for their chaos on radio shows.

Pposiraegi (뽀시래기)

Crumbs, in Jeolla and Gyeongsang dialect, and now a cute human. Grandparents call a toddler grandchild their pposiraegi.

Gaemi (개미)

Ant, and this also means a small retail investor. In 2020 become the biggest force in the country’s stock market and earned the label Donghak ants. They also owned 33.5% of the $1.18 trillion Kospi market at the end of 2019.

Cheonsa (천사)

“Angel” in Korean, tenshi in Japanese, tiānshǐ in Mandarin and thiên sứ in Vietnamese. Number 1004 is also said cheonsa, so shops love 1004 phone numbers.

Bunwigi meikeo (분위기 메이커)

Mood maker.

Jjanggu (짱구)

Head, bulging at the forehead or back.

Beot (벗)

Friend in a literary register.

Ttungi (뚱이)

Chubby one, a more cuter way to say fat. Patrick Star from SpongeBob is Ttungi in the dubbed cartoon.

Yoksimjaengi (욕심쟁이)

Greedy guts.

Jjinchin (찐친)

Jjinchin is a form of jinjja chingu, meaning “real friend,” “true pal,” “ride-or-die” and “day-one buddy”.

Kidari (키다리)

Kidari is simbolizing a tall person.

Danjjak (단짝)

Inseparable pair.

Sundungi (순둥이)

Never the one to start a fight.

Baekseolgi (백설기)

Cake, white and steamed, that is served on a baby’s hundredth day.

Sulgorae (술고래)

Sulgorae is derived from sul, alcohol, and has origins in a whale gulping the sea.

Meotjaengi (멋쟁이)

“Stylish dresser”

Chaltteok (찰떡)

Symbolizing a bond that never comes apart, Chaltteok is sticky rice cake.

Satang (사탕)

Satang is meaning candy, with origins in 沙糖, sand sugar.

Kkonminam (꽃미남)

Pronounced kkon-MEE-nam, Kkonminam has roots in kkot, flower, and minam, handsome man.

Euri (의리)

Euri is pronounced as UI-ree and is meaning loyalty. A 2014 sikhye ad made eu-ri a national catchphrase.

Kkondae (꼰대)

Students used kkondae for fathers and teachers.

Daramjwi (다람쥐)

Its a chipmunk (I almost wrote squirrel). Koreans call a tree squirrel cheongseolmo.

Hunnam (훈남)

Warm-looking guy, from hunhunhan namja.

Beuro (브로)

Beuro, Korean form of bro, which is from English brother.

Haetsal (햇살)

Here, a native choice with a cheerful meaning of “sunshine.”

Goguma (고구마)

Sweet potato and slang for someone as stifling as dry sweet potato.

Heodang (허당)

A capable-looking type who fumbles at small things. Singer Lee Seung-gi was called the national heodang on 1 Night 2 Days.

Ttongson (똥손)

Hands, clumsy ones. Literally poop hands.

Geobugi (거북이)

Turtle, for a slowpoke. Admiral Yi Sun-sin (1545-1598) fought with armored geobukseon.

Jigap (지갑)

Who pays tonight? Jigap, the wallet friend. It has origins in 紙匣, paper box.

Jeonu (전우)

Comrade-in-arms, Jeonu has roots in hanja 戰友, war friend. Men who did military service together call each other jeonu.

Haemjji (햄찌)

Haemjji (HAEM-jjee) – Means “hamster,” a variation of haemseuteo

Neoguri (너구리)

Raccoon dog. In 1982 Nongshim named its udon ramyeon Neoguri.

Gemchin (겜친)

Gemchin (GEM-chin/GAME-chin) – Means “gaming friend”

Hoejangnim (회장님)

Chairman, for a pal who (on a part-time salary) orders like a chaebol heir.

Jangnankkureogi (장난꾸러기)

“Prankster.”

Tokki (토끼)

Rabbit. In Byeoljubu-jeon, a rabbit talks its way out of losing its liver to the Dragon King.

Nuna (누나)

A younger guy’s word for his elder sister.

Sudajaengi (수다쟁이)

Chatterbox, from suda (chatter) and -jaengi, a term for habits.

Momchi (몸치)

Someone with two left feet on a dance floor at a wedding.

Deolleongi (덜렁이)

Scatterbrain, from deolleongdaeda, to act hastily.

Dolgorae (돌고래)

Dolphin, for a mate with a dolphin-pitch voice.

Bungeoppang (붕어빵)

Bread, carp-shaped, with red bean inside.

Jamkkureogi (잠꾸러기)

Sleepyhead.

Keunson (큰손)

Big hand, a big spender.

Tteokbokki (떡볶이)

Spicy rice cakes. Seoul’s Sindang-dong has an entire alley of tteokbokki shops.

Inssa (인싸)

Social butterfly, a form of English insider. Its mirror is Assa.

Gamja (감자)

‘Potato’.

Dongji (동지)

Though different by one syllable from dongmu, dongji is hanja 同志, comrade of one will.

Kkangpae (깡패)

Thug, from English gang with pae (牌). I’d keep this one for a villain.

Chontteugi (촌뜨기)

Bumpkin, from chon (村), village.

Panda (판다)

Panda. Fu Bao, Korea’s first naturally bred panda, weighed one hundred ninety-seven grams at birth. In 2024 she left Everland for Sichuan.

Oppa (오빠)

Elder brother and is usually said by Korean girls. Psy shouted it at the start of Gangnam Style.

Ulbo (울보)

“Crybaby.”

Simsuljaengi (심술쟁이)

Grouch. Nolbu, Heungbu’s brother, is Korea’s model of simsul.

Kkeomttakji (껌딱지)

stuck like glue

Jjangchin (짱친)

bestie or super close friend with jjang 짱 meaning the best and chin 친구 is friend.

Myeolchi (멸치)

Anchovy, for a skinny buddy..

Chingu (친구)

Friend, written 親舊 in hanja. A proverb says: “Follow a friend to Gangnam.” That Gangnam is land south of China’s Yangtze.

Jelli (젤리)

Jelli, Korean form of jelly, which has origins in French gelée.

Aegi (애기)

Its etymology is agi (아기), baby, and aegi is a spoken variant of it.

Kkanbu (깐부)

Teammate or a close friend. Player 001 asked Gi-hun to be his kkanbu in Squid Game.

Dongmu (동무)

Native word for friend or comrade. South Koreans avoid it because North Korea uses dongmu as a political form of address.

Haegyeolsa (해결사)

Fixer, troubleshooter, problem solver, go-to person.

Hoppang (호빵)

Bun, steamed.

Malsseongkkureogi (말썽꾸러기)

troublemaker/pest.rascal/handful

Olppaemi (올빼미)

Olppaemi is symbolizing owl.

Meongcheongi (멍청이)

dummy/dimwit.blockhead/dope

Ttangkong (땅콩)

If you’re looking for a short and cute nickname for a pint-sized pal, Ttangkong means peanut.

Kkuldanji (꿀단지)

Jar of honey.

Bomul (보물)

Treasure in Korean, hōmotsu in Japanese, bǎowù in Mandarin, and bảo vật in Vietnamese.

Meokbo (먹보)

Glutton or big eater.

Hyeong (형)

Hyeong means elder brother and is from hanja 兄. Younger men use it for senior male comrades outside family as well.

Dwaeji (돼지)

Pig. A proverb mocks waste: “A pearl necklace on a pig’s neck.”

Kkakjaengi (깍쟁이)

Tightwad. Seoul kkakjaengi is a stock tease for peoples from the capital.