지하철역
jihacheol-yeok
The English phrase "subway station" is 지하철역 (jihacheol-yeok) in Korean.
지하철역 refers to a place where passengers board or leave an underground train.
What does it mean word for word?
The term is a compound of 지하철 (jihacheol), which means subway and 역 (yeok), which means station.
How do you pronounce it?
jihacheol-yeok
Did you know?
- The syllable 역 in 지하철역 uses a Hanja character that originally referred to a postal relay station or a post house for horses. This historical connection links modern subway stations to the ancient system of transporting messages via horse-drawn relays.
- Korean subways often have 'digital signage' at the 지하철역 that displays real-time congestion levels for each train car, showing which parts of the train are the least crowded.
- While 지하철역 is the standard term, many Koreans colloquially refer to the subway itself as 지하철 even when they are not inside the train. You might hear someone say they are 'going to the subway' instead of saying they are going to the 'subway station'.
Examples in context
- 서울에는 많은 지하철역이 있어요.There are many subway stations in Seoul.
- 지하철역이 어디에 있어요?jihacheolyeogi eodie isseoyo?Where is the subway station?
- 이 지하철역은 아주 넓어요.i jihacheolyeogeun aju neolbeoyo.This subway station is very large.
- 집 근처에 지하철역이 있어요.jip geuncheoe jihacheolyeogi isseoyo.There is a subway station near my house.
Example conversation
Minjun and Seoyeon are meeting up in the city.
- 민준 Min-jun서연 씨, 지금 어디예요?Seoyeon ssi, jigeum eodiyeyo?Seoyeon, where are you now?
- 서연 Seo-yeon저는 지금 지하철역에 도착했어요.jeoneun jigeum jihacheollyeoge dochakhaesseoyo.I just arrived at the subway station.
- 민준 Min-jun출구 앞에서 기다릴게요.chulgu apeseo gidarilgeyo.I will wait in front of the exit.
- 서연 Seo-yeon네, 금방 나갈게요.ne, geumbang nagalgeyo.Okay, I'll be out soon.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 지하철역, CC BY-SA 4.0.
