Korean culture places a strong emphasis on building relationships, particularly friendships. There are many different words for friend in Korean, each with its own unique meaning and usage. The most commonly used term is "chingu," which can be used in casual or formal situations and to refer to friends of all ages. Other terms include "jeonhaeng" for more formal settings, "hyeong" for older male friends, "nuna" and "unnie" for older female friends, "dongseng" for younger friends or siblings, and "yeojachingu" and "namjachingu" specifically for female and male friends respectively. Among close friends, terms like "busu," "gyosu," and "gireum" are also used in playful ways to refer to someone's skills or competitiveness.