Key Facts
- Hangul: 방향; Revised Romanization: banghyang
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 方向 (方 direction + 向 toward)
- Register: Neutral, everyday word used in both spoken and written Korean.
Direction in Korean: What Does 방향 Mean?
방향 is a direction or heading: the way something faces or travels. It covers the direction a bus goes, the way you point someone, and an abstract direction such as the course of a plan. The tone is neutral and it works in speech and in writing.
How Do You Pronounce 방향?
방향 has two syllables: bang-hyang. Revised Romanization writes the ㅎ at the start of the second syllable as h, so the word is banghyang. The final ㅇ of the first syllable is the ng sound, so the join sounds like bang-hyang, with ng followed by a soft hy.
Example Sentences with 방향
이쪽 방향으로 가세요.
Ijjok banghyangeuro gaseyo.
Please go in this direction.
이쪽 means "this way", so the instruction points someone toward 방향으로 "in this direction".
버스가 어느 방향으로 가요?
Beoseuga eoneu banghyangeuro gayo?
Which direction does the bus go?
어느 means "which", so the question asks which heading the bus takes.
방향을 잘 몰라요.
Banghyangeul jal mollayo.
I don't know the direction well.
몰라요 means "do not know", and 잘 softens it to "not well".
Common Phrases and Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 반대 방향 | opposite direction |
| 방향을 바꾸다 | to change direction |
| 방향 감각 | sense of direction |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 방향이 어디예요?
Correct: ✓ 어디예요? or 어느 쪽이에요?
Why: Learners use 방향이 어디예요? to ask "where is it?". 방향 names the heading itself, so ask 어디예요? for a place, or 어느 쪽이에요? for a side.
방향 Compared with Related Words
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 방향 | direction | The word on this page. |
| 쪽 | side / direction | A simpler everyday word for direction, as in 이쪽. |
| 길 | way | A path or route you take, not the heading. |
You walk along a 길, face a 쪽 and choose a 방향.
Where Does the Word Come From?
방향 is Sino-Korean, written 方向 in hanja: 方 (direction) plus 向 (toward).
Finding the Right Subway Platform
A traveler wants to go toward Seoul Station. Another passenger helps them notice that they are heading the wrong way.
Traveler
서울역 방향은 이쪽이에요?
Seoullyeok banghyangeun ijjogieyo?
Is this the way toward Seoul Station?
Passenger
아니요, 반대 방향이에요.
Aniyo, bandae banghyangieyo.
No, it’s the opposite direction.
Traveler
그럼 저쪽으로 가면 돼요?
Geureom jeojjogeuro gamyeon dwaeyo?
Then should I go that way?
Passenger
네, 저쪽으로 가세요.
Ne, jeojjogeuro gaseyo.
Yes, go that way.
서울역 방향 names a heading using a station as the reference point. 이쪽 and 저쪽 depend on where the speakers are pointing. 반대 방향 corrects the heading without giving a full route. The traveler’s follow-up checks the practical next move, so a brief reply is enough.
Where Will You See 방향?
방향 appears beside arrows on station signs, on road signs and in navigation instructions. A place name followed by 방향 means “toward” that place. The name supplies a reference point for the route. It does not by itself promise that every bus or train in that direction stops at your destination.
On a platform, compare the direction information with the route or stop list. If two platforms serve opposite directions, 반대 방향 explains the difference between them. A location question asks where the station is; a direction question asks which way to travel once you are there.
In spoken help, 방향으로 describes movement in a direction. The ending is 으로 because 방향 ends in ㅇ. Compare the existing example 이쪽 방향으로 가세요 with a short pointing instruction, 이쪽으로: both direct movement, but the longer wording explicitly includes the noun “direction”.
Phrases beyond Finding Your Way
방향을 바꾸다 literally means “change direction”. It can describe a vehicle turning or a project taking a different course. In a work discussion, the object being redirected may be a plan rather than a moving person. Listen for the topic before imagining a physical turn.
방향 감각 means a sense of direction. 감각 refers to a sense or feel for something, so this phrase describes someone’s ability to keep track of where they are heading. 방향 감각이 없다 means to have no sense of direction. It is about navigating, rather than being unable to understand one particular instruction.
진행 방향 means the direction of travel or movement. You may see it when a sign explains which way people or vehicles move. 반대 방향 is relative to a heading already understood; it does not name a compass point. If you turn around, the same physical place can now be behind you instead of ahead.
방향을 묻다 means “ask for the direction”. 길을 묻다 is a common phrase for asking the way to a place. The second expression treats 길 as the route you need help finding, which is why it fits a traveler asking someone how to get somewhere.
Words for Following the Answer
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 왼쪽 | left | A side relative to the person or object described. |
| 오른쪽 | right | The opposite side from 왼쪽. |
| 직진 | going straight | Often used in short route instructions. |
| 반대편 | opposite side | Useful for the other side of a road or platform. |
| 목적지 | destination | The place you want to reach. |
The directions and position lesson groups the words needed to understand a reply. Notice the difference between 반대편 and 반대 방향: one identifies the other side, while the other identifies the reverse heading. Someone can stand on the opposite side of a street while facing the same direction as you.
Quick Self-Test
- Does a place name plus 방향 necessarily identify a stop?
- Which names a route or path: 길 or 방향?
- What does 방향을 바꾸다 mean in a discussion of a plan?
Show answers
- No. It identifies a heading toward that place; check the stops separately.
- 길 names the route or path. 방향 names the heading.
- To change the plan’s direction or course.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "direction" in Korean?
Direction in Korean is 방향 (banghyang), a neutral noun.
How do I say "opposite direction"?
Say 반대 방향.
How do I say "to change direction"?
Say 방향을 바꾸다. Sense of direction is 방향 감각.
How do I ask "which direction does the bus go?"
Say 버스가 어느 방향으로 가요?
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Korean Directions Vocabulary groups 방향 with its neighbours.
- Index: find direction beside every other single-word entry in Korean words A to Z.
- See also east.
- See also road.