Key Facts
- Word: 버스 정류장 (beoseu jeongnyujang)
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: mixed (loanword 버스 + Sino-Korean 정류장)
- Hanja: 停留場 (停 stop + 留 stay + 場 place) for 정류장
- Register: Neutral; in speech people also say 버스 정류소 or 버스 정거장.
- Senses: bus stop
Bus Stop in Korean: Meaning and Register
버스 정류장 joins the loanword 버스 to the Sino-Korean 정류장. The hanja for 정류장 is 停留場: 停 means stop, 留 means stay and 場 means place, so the whole thing is a place to stop and stay.
The register is neutral, and people also say 버스 정류소 or 버스 정거장. You may hear any of the three at a bus stop, and they all refer to the same place.
Spacing between 버스 and 정류장 varies: you will see both 버스 정류장 and 버스정류장. This page writes it with a space.
Pronunciation
The RR is beoseu jeongnyujang. The key rule: after the ㅇ of jeong, the ㄹ of 류 turns into ㄴ, so the word is [jeong-nyu-jang], and the romanization already shows this. Learners who read it as 'jeong-ryu-jang' are using the spelling, not the sound.
Example Sentences
버스 정류장이 어디예요?
Beoseu jeongnyujangi eodiyeyo?
Where is the bus stop?
버스 정류장이 어디예요? (Where is the bus stop?) This question uses 어디예요 for where is. The particle 이 attaches to 정류장 as the subject. It is the practical question you ask when you are lost.
버스 정류장 앞에서 기다려요.
Beoseu jeongnyujang apeseo gidaryeoyo.
I wait in front of the bus stop.
버스 정류장 앞에서 기다려요. (I wait in front of the bus stop.) 앞에서 means in front of, so you wait in front of the stop. 기다려요 is the polite form of wait, and the example shows a simple place-plus-action pattern.
집 근처에 버스 정류장이 있어요.
Jip geuncheoe beoseu jeongnyujangi isseoyo.
There is a bus stop near my house.
집 근처에 버스 정류장이 있어요. (There is a bus stop near my house.) 근처에 means near, and 있어요 says there is. The sentence tells a listener where the stop is in relation to a home.
Collocations
- 버스 정류장에서 기다리다: to wait at the bus stop
- 버스 정류장 이름: bus stop name
- 정류장 앞: in front of the stop
버스 정류장에서 기다리다 combines the stop with the place particle 에서 and the verb wait. 버스 정류장 이름 is the name of a stop, and 정류장 앞 shows that you can drop 버스 once the context makes it clear.
Common Mistake
Learners pronounce 정류장 the way it is spelled.
Wrong: jeong-ryu-jang, with an r sound.
Correct: jeong-nyu-jang. Korean changes ㄹ to ㄴ after ㅇ. A listener may still understand the r version, but it sounds like reading the spelling aloud.
버스 정류장 vs 역
| Word | Meaning | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|---|
| 버스 정류장 | bus stop | this page's word |
| 역 | station | 역 is a train or subway station; 정류장 is for buses. |
| 정거장 | stop / station | 정거장 is a broader word used for any stop, now less common. |
역 is a station for trains or the subway; 정류장 is for buses. 정거장 is a broader stop or station word, now less common. If you are standing on a pavement under a bus sign, 정류장 is the right choice.
Finding the Stop across the Road
A traveler can see a bus stop but is unsure whether it serves the right direction. A passerby points out the stop on the other side.
Traveler
버스 정류장이 어디예요?
Beoseu jeongnyujangi eodiyeyo?
Where is the bus stop?
Passerby
길 건너편에 있어요.
Gil geonneopyeone isseoyo.
It is across the road.
Traveler
저쪽이요?
Jeojjogiyo?
Over there?
Passerby
네, 저기서 기다리세요.
Ne, jeogiseo gidariseyo.
Yes, please wait over there.
건너편 means “the opposite side”. 저쪽이요? checks the direction the passerby has indicated; the ending 요 keeps that short follow-up polite. 저기서 means “over there”, where the waiting happens. Once the stop is clear, neither speaker needs to repeat the full phrase 버스 정류장.
Reading the Stop Name and the Next-Stop Announcement
이번 정류장 means “this stop”, and 다음 정류장 means “the next stop”. These phrases help you follow announcements even if the place name after them is unfamiliar. 다음 points ahead in the route; it does not mean the bus's final destination.
정류장 이름 means “stop name”, while 정류장 번호 means “stop number”. The stop number identifies the boarding location. A bus route number identifies the bus service, so copying one in place of the other can produce a different result in a journey search. Look at the label beside the number.
버스 정류장까지 means “as far as the bus stop”. 까지 marks an endpoint, so the phrase can describe a walk that ends at the stop. 버스 정류장에서 기다리다 instead tells you where the waiting happens. These are useful distinctions when arranging to meet someone before boarding.
Related Words for Finding the Correct Stop
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 건너편 | opposite side | Helps distinguish stops across the road from each other. |
| 방향 | direction | Check which way the bus will travel. |
| 노선도 | route map | Shows stops along a service. |
| 종점 | terminus | An endpoint of the route, rather than the next stop. |
The transportation vocabulary lesson connects these words with buses and stations. For a meeting point, give the stop name and the side of the road. “At the bus stop” may still leave two people waiting opposite each other.
Quick Self-Test
- Does 다음 정류장 mean the next stop or the final stop?
- What does 건너편 tell you about the stop’s location?
- Is a 정류장 번호 the same thing as a bus route number?
Show answers
- The next stop.
- It is on the opposite side, such as across the road.
- No. It identifies the stop rather than the bus service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I say bus stop in Korean?
Say 버스 정류장. You can also hear 버스 정류소 or 버스 정거장. To ask the way, say 버스 정류장이 어디예요? (Where is the bus stop?)
How is 정류장 pronounced?
It is [jeong-nyu-jang]. The ㄹ of 류 becomes ㄴ after the ㅇ of 정, so there is no r sound in the spoken word.
What is the difference between 정류장 and 역?
역 is a train or subway station, while 정류장 is a stop for buses. If you are standing on the pavement under a bus sign, 정류장 is the right word.
Should I write 버스 정류장 with a space?
Both 버스 정류장 and 버스정류장 are common in print and on signs. This page uses the spaced form, which is a safe default for learners.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: places transportation vocabulary puts 버스 정류장 next to its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z lists every word page.
- Practice: vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next word: Car in Korean