songbun means A system of ascribed status in North Korea, based on one's political, social, and economic background and the behaviour of relatives. It carries an Arena rating of 1226, earned across 9 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, songbun ranks #393 of 17,131 for Scariest Words, #1,161 of 17,138 for Most Incisive Words, #2,435 of 17,149 for Most Exacting Words, #3,016 of 17,128 for Most Ponderous Words.
songbun is pronounced /ˈsɒŋbuːn/.
Why “songbun” is a great word
A system that ascribes a hereditary sociopolitical status to individuals based on their family background and perceived loyalty to the regime. Borrowed from Korean 성분 (seongbun, "ingredient, composition"), an ellipsis of 출신성분 (chulsinseongbun, "origin/background composition"). Unlike a caste, bound by religious law and occupation, or a class, defined by wealth and education, songbun is a modern political taxonomy, engineered and enforced by the state. It is the invisible ledger that determines who may live in Pyongyang, who may attend university, and who is dispatched to a desolate mining town—a birthright of suspicion or favor inscribed not in law, but in the indelible ink of political genealogy.
Etymology
Borrowed from Korean 성분(成分) (seongbun), ellipsis of 출신성분(出身成分) (chulsinseongbun).
noun
- A system of ascribed status in North Korea, based on one's political, social, and economic background and the behaviour of relatives.e.g.“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:
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- yangban 50% match — A member of the ruling class of male Confucian intellectuals in Korea at and before the time of the Korean Empire. vs songbun →
- kibun 46% match — emotion; feeling; mood vs songbun →
- botlhanka 45% match — A hereditary form of slavery. vs songbun →
- hoju 44% match — A patriarchal family registration system in Korea. vs songbun →
- bugun 44% match — An Asian tribe found in India and listed under the Scheduled Tribes of India. They speak Bugunish. vs songbun →
- bungi 44% match — A member of an Ojibwe people of central North America, the Manitoba Saulteaux. vs songbun →
- bornness 43% match — The state or condition with which one is born; one's inherent quality; natural ability or inclination. vs songbun →
- belongership 42% match — The status of belonger. vs songbun →