noun
sunbae
Sunbae (noun) means In Korean culture, someone senior to you — an older classmate, colleague, or more experienced person in your field. Example: “She always bows respectfully to her sunbae at university.”
noun
1
In Korean culture, someone senior to you — an older classmate, colleague, or more experienced person in your field.
"She always bows respectfully to her sunbae at university."
"As his sunbae in the company, he offered some career advice."
How to use sunbae
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA respectful term for someone more senior or experienced than you, from Korean culture.
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Word forms
- Plural
- sunbaes
Fill the gap
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She always bows respectfully to her _____ at university.
Etymology
Borrowed from Korean seonbae ("senior"), and closely related to the Japanese word senpai.
Rhymes for sunbae
See all rhymes for sunbae →Frequently asked questions
What does “sunbae” mean?
The word “sunbae” means in Korean culture, someone senior to you — an older classmate, colleague, or more experienced person in your field. In plain terms, a respectful term for someone more senior or experienced than you, from Korean culture.
How do you use “sunbae” in a sentence?
Here is “sunbae” used in a sentence: “She always bows respectfully to her sunbae at university.”
What part of speech is “sunbae”?
“Sunbae” is a noun.
Where does the word “sunbae” come from?
The word “sunbae” comes from Japanese. Borrowed from Korean seonbae ("senior"), and closely related to the Japanese word senpai.
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