Ajumma

Ajumma (Korean: 아줌마), sometimes spelled ajoomma, is a respectful Korean word for a married, or marriage aged woman. It comes from the Korean word Ajumeoni (Korean: 아주머니). Although it is sometimes translated "aunt", it does not actually refer to a family relationship. There is some indication that the word historically meant "wife of a professor". It is most often used to refer to any middle-aged or older woman since referring to an elder by name without a title in Korea is not socially acceptable. An ajumma is neither a young unmarried woman (agassi) or grandmother (halmoni). Typically she would be a married woman with children, although not necessarily so. On the other hand, the Korean word Samo'nim, was originally interpreted as "wife of mentor" or "wife of superior", describes a married woman of high social status. The Lonely Planet guide to Seoul describes ajumma as a term of respect, but it can be used in a mildly pejorative sense as well. An ajumma is often a restaurant worker, street vendor, or housewife.

Used in its pejorative sense, ajumma has connotations of pushiness, with ajumma described as hard-working and aggressive people who "push and shove their way through a crowd to find a seat in the bus or subway", "grab you by the arm and try to get you to eat at their place", or "push" friends and relatives to buy insurance.

When used in its pejorative sense ajumma can also have connotations of unfashionableness, with ajumma stereotypically described as wearing baggy pants, mismatched clothing and little makeup, being "pudgy", having unfashionably short hair in an "ajumma perm", and "wearing rubber shoes."

Ajumma have been described as having low status in the Korean job market, and as often being the last hired and first fired. In Looking for a Mr. Kim in Seoul: A Guide to Korean Expressions, the authors warn that calling a young or unmarried woman ajumma will cause offense.

An article in The New York Times describes ajumma as “aunties” and connotes matronly, working-class women known for no-nonsense warmth and authority, and introduced a look at the hilarious daily life of ajumma in South Korea. However, when ajumma is used in the sense of "aunties", it does not refer to a family relationship, and aunts in the family are not called "ajumma" in the Korean language.

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Wikipedia