고향
gohyang[ko̞ʝa̠ŋ]
The Korean word for hometown is 고향 (gohyang).
고향 is a noun used to refer to one's place of birth or residence. To ask someone where their hometown is, you can use the phrase 고향이 어디예요?
Meaning: place of birth or residence (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
When traveling to one's hometown from a major city like Seoul, Koreans often use the verb 내려가다 (to go down) instead of just 'to go'. This results in the expression 고향에 내려가다.
How do you pronounce it?
gohyang
Did you know?
- During the Lunar New Year, the mass movement of people returning to their 고향 is known as 민족대이동, which literally translates to 'the great migration of the people'.
- In Korea, the phrase 고향 사람 is used to identify someone from the same hometown, creating an immediate social bond of trust and kinship.
- The word 고향 is a Sino-Korean term, meaning it is built from two Chinese characters: 故 meaning 'old' and 鄕 meaning 'village'.
Examples in context
- 고향에 내려가야 한다.I need to go down to my hometown.This sentence is useful for expressing the need to travel to one's 고향.Tatoeba #11104767 by intertime, translation #11461345 by camouat
- 해를 거듭할수록 고향 생각이 간절하다As years pass by, I long for my hometown more and more.This sentence is useful for expressing a longing for one's 고향.Tatoeba #2655629 by KoreanBeaver, translation #3657575 by rbbrbb
- 저는 고향이 서울입니다.My hometown is Seoul.
- 제 고향은 부산이에요.je gohyangeun Busan-ieyo.My hometown is Busan.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are talking about their backgrounds during a break.
- 수빈 Su-bin지훈 씨, 고향이 어디예요?jihun ssi, gohyang-i eodiyeyo?Jihoon, where is your hometown?
- 지훈 Ji-hun제 고향은 광주예요.je gohyang-eun gwangju-yeyo.My hometown is Gwangju.
- 수빈 Su-bin정말 멀리서 오셨네요.jeongmal meolliseo osyeonneyo.You came from really far away.
- 지훈 Ji-hun네, 그래서 고향이 가끔 그리워요.ne, geuraeseo gohyang-i gakkeum geuriwoyo.Yes, so I miss my hometown sometimes.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hometown” translations and entries 고향, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 고향, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
