NOTE: The terms fall in descending order for convenience.
Family – 가문
ALSO: Clan
(Romanized: gamun)
Employers
Patriarch – 가주
ALSO: Matriarch, Head (neutral)
(Romanized: gaju)
Used to refer to the leader of the family. Typically used for noble families, as well as wealthier commoners with generational wealth and/or standing.
Mistress – 안주인
ALSO: Hostess
(Romanized: an-juin)
Used to refer to the highest-ranking woman in the family who oversees running the household. They are typically the wife of the patriarch.
TIP: This title quite literally means the woman who owns and/or resides in the master bedroom.
Madam – 마님
(Romanized: ma-nim)
Used to refer to a married woman who typically oversees running the household. Generally used by commoners, as well as visitors to the house.
Employees
Housekeeper – 식모, 가정부
ALSO: Mrs, Missus
(Romanized: shik-mo, gajung-bu)
Used to refer to the woman in charge of all the staff in the household. They generally report directly to the wife of the patriarch, and all staff report directly to her. In some cases, when the wife of the patriarch is indisposed or the position is vacant, the housekeeper may take on additional responsibilities, as well as wield additional powers, to help run the household.
In many noble families, the housekeeper is usually a commoner whose family has served their master’s family for generations. For royal families, the housekeeper is usually a noble the empress consort handpicks from a vassal family to serve them.
Head Butler – 주임 집사
ALSO: Chief Butler
(Romanized: ju-im jipsa)
Typically used to refer to the man in charge of all staff in the household. They may assist the mistress with the financial management related to the household. They are usually the person who directly assists the head of the household.
Like the housekeeper, the butler is usually a commoner whose family has served their master’s family for generations. In some cases, typically when the master is of a high status, butlers can be awarded with a low-ranking noble status, like a barony, for their service. Despite the status elevation, the newly minted barons still continue to assist their master.
Nanny – 유모
(Romanized: yumo)
Used to refer to the woman who is in charge of the head of the household’s children. In some cases, they are also the proxy madam when the children do not have a mother and/or the mother is unavailable to run the household herself. As a result, they can wield a lot of power and can be influential in the direction the children grow, as well as the way the household runs.
Head Chef – 요리장
(Romanized: yori-jang)
Used to refer to the person who oversees the cooking in the household. In some cases, they are successful chefs who are specially scouted to work for a family because of their abilities.
Butler – 집사
(Romanized: jip-sa)
Personal Maid – 전속 하녀
(Romanized: jeonsok ha-nyeo)
Used to refer to a maid that serves one person. They are typically higher in rank and oversee serving maids who assist in serving the person the personal maid is in charge of. Although they serve one person, they still fall under the housekeeper.
Serving Maid – 시중 하녀
(Romanized: sijoong ha-nyeo)
Used to refer to a maid who helps a personal maid serve one person.
Maid – 하녀
(Romanized: ha-nyeo)
Servant – 하인
(Romanized: ha-in)
Employee – 고용인
(Romanized: goyong-in)
Used to refer to any hired help.
tags: glossary, rofan glossary, romance fantasy glossary, ropan glossary, manhwa notes glossary, translation, translations, manhwa notes translations, manhwa notes translation, korean, english, romance fantasy, rofan, ropan, January 28, 2024, manhwa notes, manhwanotes
