songbun

S1O1N1G2B3U1N1
/ˈsɒŋbuːn/

noun

A system of ascribed status in North Korea, based on one's political, social, and economic background and the behaviour of relatives.

OriginKorean 성분(成分) →
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Meanings

nounsongbun (uncountable)
  1. uncountableA system of ascribed status in North Korea, based on one's political, social, and economic background and the behaviour of relatives.

    And to cap it all, both his family and hers had good songbun, which made their position in society secure. Songbun is a caste system that operates in North Korea.

    2015, Hyeonseo Lee, The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story

Origin

  1. Korean성분(成分)
  2. Englishsongbun

Borrowed from Korean 성분(成分) (seongbun), ellipsis of 출신성분(出身成分) (chulsinseongbun).

More words from Korean

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 出身成分
  • 出身成分 (chūshēn chéngfèn)a system of ascribed status in North Korea
Hungarian szongbun
  • szongbuna system of ascribed status in North Korea
Japanese 出身成分
  • 出身成分 (shusshin seibun)a system of ascribed status in North Korea
Korean 출신성분
  • 출신성분 (chulsinseongbun)a system of ascribed status in North Korea
Polish songbun
  • songbuna system of ascribed status in North Korea
Russian сонбу́н
  • сонбу́н (sonbún)a system of ascribed status in North Korea
Cite this entry
APA

songbun. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/songbun

MLA

“songbun.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/songbun. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “songbun,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/songbun.

Source: songbun on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.