noun Pop Culture

Unnie

/ˈʌn.i/ · noun · informal

Korean for 'older sister' used by women — fandom-speak for an older female idol.

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Definitions

1

Used loosely online as a warm term for an admired older woman, even outside Korean contexts.

“The way she handled that interview — unnie behavior.”
by community
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2

A Korean term a girl or woman uses for an older female — literally 'older sister,' also for older female friends.

“My unnie taught me how to do my eyeliner.”
by community
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3

In K-pop fandom, an endearing way fans refer to an older female idol they look up to.

“Unnie's vocals carried that whole album.”
by community
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Unnie In A Sentence

unnie really said girl power and ate every single time
calling her unnie even though we've never met but that's love
the unnies in this group could run a country honestly

Origin & Usage

A native Korean kinship term (언니) meaning 'older sister' from a female speaker's perspective; entered global fan use through K-pop and K-dramas.

Variants noonaoppaeonni
Tags #kpop#korean#pop#fandom

People Also Ask

What does unnie mean?

It's Korean for 'older sister,' used by a female speaker, and in K-pop it's an affectionate label for an older female idol.

Do men say unnie?

No — a male speaker uses 'noona' for an older female. 'Unnie' is woman-to-woman.

What does unnie mean in slang?

Online it's used to praise an admired, slightly older woman — like calling someone the cool big sister you wish you had.

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