남사친 (namsachin) — A male friend rather than a boyfriend.
Lesson 91 in our Korean Slang series, adapted from Korean Your Teacher Doesn’t Teach You by Injin Hwang. This expression appears in the book’s shortened expressions section.
What 남사친 means
남사친 stands for 남자 사람 친구, spelling out that the man is a platonic friend when someone assumes a romantic relationship. The situation and tone help determine how natural the expression sounds.
A short conversation
A: 같이 온 사람 남자 친구야?
B: 아니, 대학 때부터 남사친이야.
A: Is the man with you your boyfriend?
B: No, we have been friends since college.
Use it with care
Relationship labels belong to the people involved. Use it only when the distinction is relevant; 남자 친구 with a space can be ambiguous in speech.
A neutral or polite alternative: 남자 사람 친구예요. — He is a male friend.
Try it yourself
Does 남사친 automatically mean boyfriend?
Answer: No. It specifically distinguishes friendship. Read the Korean exchange aloud, then replace one detail with something from your own life.
Learn the rest of the series in Basic Korean Grammar. Find more expressions in the Korean slang book on Amazon.
