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What Does “Maknae” Mean?

Confusing slang in
Maknae
noun · Korean slang
translates to
Plain English out

The youngest member of a group — the baby of the family, team, or band.

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The full meaning

Maknae means the youngest person in any group: family, friend circle, office team, or K-pop group. The maknae is traditionally doted on and teased in equal measure. A "golden maknae" is a youngest member who is somehow the most talented at everything.

Where “maknae” comes from

A standard Korean word for youngest sibling that K-pop fandom globalized, since every group's youngest member holds the official maknae role. International fans now apply it to their own friend groups and workplaces.

How it’s actually used

Used with affection: the maknae gets babied, gets away with things, and gets teased about being the baby forever. "Maknae energy" describes youngest-sibling chaos regardless of actual age.

As the maknae of the family, he has never once washed the dishes.
She's the office maknae, so everyone saves her the last slice of cake.
Golden maknae: youngest in the group and still beats everyone at everything.
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✔ For parents & teachers

Entirely harmless and affectionate. If your child calls their younger sibling the maknae, K-pop vocabulary has entered the household.

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Last updated: 2026-07-06. Slang evolves fast — we review definitions regularly.