Pop
oppa
What does oppa mean?
A Korean term a girl or woman uses to address an older male — literally 'older brother,' but also for older male friends, partners, or idols.
"She always calls her older cousin oppa."
Origin
A native Korean kinship term (오빠) meaning 'older brother' from a female speaker's perspective; spread globally through K-dramas and K-pop as fan vocabulary.
Frequently asked questions
What does oppa mean?
It's Korean for 'older brother' used by women, but in K-pop it's how female fans affectionately refer to an older male idol.
Can guys say oppa?
No — guys use 'hyung' for an older male. 'Oppa' is specifically a female speaker addressing an older male.
What does oppa mean in slang?
Online it often gets used flirtatiously to mean a cute or admired older Korean man, sometimes ironically.
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