Key Facts
- Hangul: 북쪽; Revised Romanization: bukjjok
- Part of speech: noun (direction)
- Origin: Mixed (native and Sino-Korean), hanja 北 (north) + native 쪽 (side)
- Register: Neutral, everyday word used in both spoken and written Korean.
North in Korean: What Does 북쪽 Mean?
북쪽 means north, the compass direction. It is neutral in speech and writing, and it works like the other direction nouns: 에 for a location, 으로 for a direction of travel.
How Do You Pronounce 북쪽?
Say buk-jjok; the RR is bukjjok. The second syllable starts with a tense ㅉ, and the final ㄱ in both syllables stays unreleased.
Example Sentences with 북쪽
서울은 부산의 북쪽에 있어요.
Seoureun Busanui bukjjoge isseoyo.
Seoul is north of Busan.
부산의 북쪽에 says 'to the north of Busan', and 있어요 gives the location.
북쪽은 겨울에 아주 추워요.
Bukjjogeun gyeoure aju chuwoyo.
The north is very cold in winter.
북쪽은 is the topic. The sentence describes the climate with 추워요, the polite form for cold.
북쪽으로 가면 산이 많아요.
Bukjjogeuro gamyeon sani manayo.
If you go north, there are many mountains.
북쪽으로 uses 으로 for direction of travel. 산이 많아요 describes what you will find.
Phrases That Use 북쪽
북쪽으로 가다 means to go north, 북쪽 지방 is the northern region, and 북쪽 하늘 is the northern sky.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 북쪽으로 가다 | to go north |
| 북쪽 지방 | northern region |
| 북쪽 하늘 | the northern sky |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners use the direction word for the country.
Wrong: 북쪽 for "North Korea".
Correct: 북한. 북쪽 is the direction north; 북한 is the name South Koreans use for the country.
북쪽 Compared with Similar Words
남쪽 is the opposite direction, south. 북한 is the country North Korea, and 북쪽 is the compass point.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 북쪽 | north | This page's word |
| 남쪽 | south | 남쪽 is the opposite. |
| 북한 | North Korea | 북한 is the country North Korea; 북쪽 is the direction. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
북쪽 is a mixed word: 北 (north) from hanja plus the native word 쪽 (side).
Finding a Museum on a Map
A visitor is looking at a park map with a local resident. The map has north marked at the top.
Visitor
박물관이 어디에 있어요?
Bangmulgwani eodie isseoyo?
Where is the museum?
Resident
공원 북쪽에 있어요.
Gongwon bukjjoge isseoyo.
It’s on the north side of the park.
Visitor
여기서 북쪽으로 가면 돼요?
Yeogiseo bukjjogeuro gamyeon dwaeyo?
Should I go north from here?
Resident
네, 이 길로 쭉 가세요.
Ne, i gillo jjuk gaseyo.
Yes, go straight along this road.
The resident first gives a location with 북쪽에. The visitor then asks about movement with 북쪽으로. 여기서 supplies the starting point, ‘from here’. The same place word works in both sentences, but the particle tells you whether someone is locating a building or travelling toward it.
How Do 북쪽에 and 북쪽으로 Differ?
북쪽에 있어요 tells you where something is: it is to the north or on the north side. 북쪽으로 가요 tells you which way someone travels: they go north. 북쪽 ends in ㄱ, so the direction particle takes the form 으로. The extra syllable belongs to the particle, not to the word 북쪽.
A reference place makes the location clearer. 학교 북쪽 means north of the school or the school’s north side, depending on the setting. In 부산의 북쪽, 의 explicitly connects Busan with the north-side location. The reference place comes first in Korean, which reverses the order of English ‘north of Busan’.
북쪽 문 is a gate or door on the north side. It does not necessarily say which way the door faces. 북쪽을 향하다 means to face north and identifies orientation instead. A building can stand north of a park while its entrance faces south, so location and facing direction answer separate questions.
Where Will You See North on Maps and Signs?
A map legend or compass may use the single syllable 북, or the English letter N, where conversation would use 북쪽. The short form is a label, not a different direction. Look for the north marker before using a phone map: a rotated screen can put north somewhere other than the top.
Public signs may use 북문, ‘north gate’, as a place name within a campus, palace, or park. 북문 identifies a particular entrance; 북쪽 is the direction or side. If you arrange to meet someone, naming the gate is more precise than saying only that you are on the north side.
북쪽 지방 and 북쪽 하늘 are literal combinations, not idioms. The first describes a northern region; the second identifies the northern part of the sky. In a weather report, the relevant region depends on the area being discussed. The phrase does not automatically refer to another country.
Build the Compass Set
| Korean | Meaning | One thing to remember |
|---|---|---|
| 남쪽 | south | The opposite of 북쪽. |
| 동쪽 | east | A compass direction, independent of where you stand. |
| 서쪽 | west | The opposite of 동쪽. |
| 오른쪽 | right | Changes when the person or vehicle turns. |
| 왼쪽 | left | A relative direction, unlike north. |
The directions and position lesson teaches both sets. In spoken street directions, left and right are often easier to follow, while north and south are useful when both people can see a map.
Quick Self-Test
- Which particle fits ‘go north’: 에 or 으로?
- Does the top of a rotated phone map always mean north?
- How does 북문 differ from 북쪽?
Show answers
- 으로: 북쪽으로 가다.
- No. Check the north marker.
- 북문 names a north gate; 북쪽 names the direction or side.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say north in Korean?
Say 북쪽 (bukjjok). Put the reference place first for "north of": 서울은 부산의 북쪽에 있어요 means Seoul is north of Busan.
What is the opposite of 북쪽?
The opposite is 남쪽, south. The two words share the native ending 쪽 (side), so only the first syllable changes.
Does 북쪽 mean North Korea?
No. North Korea is 북한. 북쪽 is only the compass direction, so 북쪽은 겨울에 아주 추워요 is about the northern part of an area, not about the country.
How do I say go north?
Say 북쪽으로 가다, with 으로 marking the direction. 북쪽으로 가면 산이 많아요 means if you go north, there are many mountains.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: direction words groups 북쪽 with its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: the vocabulary flashcard decks take this word.
- Compare: south.
- Compare: North Korea in Korean.