Key Facts
- Hangul: 역; Revised Romanization: yeok
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 驛 (驛 station)
- Register: Neutral, everyday word used in both spoken and written Korean. Used for train and subway stations; names add 역 as in 서울역.
Station in Korean: What Does 역 Mean?
역 means a station, and in everyday use that means a train or subway station. It is a neutral word used in both speech and writing. Names simply add 역, as in 서울역 (Seoul Station) and 지하철역 (subway station). The phrase 역 앞 means "in front of the station", which is a common meeting-point instruction.
How Do You Pronounce 역?
One syllable. The final ㄱ is unreleased: the back of the tongue closes the sound and stops, giving [yeok]. Nothing is released after it, so the word ends silently on the k position.
Example Sentences with 역
역이 어디예요?
Yeogi eodiyeyo?
Where is the station?
이 after 역 is the subject marker, and 어디예요 asks "where is it". This is the question you ask a passer-by.
서울역에서 만나요.
Seoullyeogeseo mannayo.
Let's meet at Seoul Station.
Here 역 is attached to the name 서울, and 에서 marks the place where the meeting happens. Listen for the sound change: 서울역 is pronounced [seoul-lyeok], not seoul-yeok: an extra n sound is inserted before the yeo of 역, and it then becomes l after the final ㄹ of 서울.
집 앞에 지하철역이 있어요.
Jip ape jihacheollyeogi isseoyo.
There is a subway station in front of my house.
지하철역 stacks 지하철 (subway) in front of 역, and it has the same sound change as 서울역: [jihacheol-lyeok]. The phrase 집 앞에 places the station in front of the house.
Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 서울역 | Seoul Station |
| 지하철역 | subway station |
| 역 앞 | in front of the station |
The Mistake to Avoid
Many learners add a vowel after the final ㄱ, turning the one-syllable word into two.
- Wrong: "yeo-geu", with an extra vowel at the end.
- Correct: [yeok], one syllable, with the ㄱ held as a silent stop.
Before a vowel the ㄱ does carry over to the next syllable, so 역이 어디예요? sounds like yeo-gi eodiyeyo. That is normal linking, not the mistake.
역 Compared with 정류장 and 공항
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 역 | station | This page's word |
| 정류장 | bus stop | 정류장 is a bus stop, not a station. |
| 공항 | airport | 공항 is an airport. |
Origin and Culture
역 is Sino-Korean, written 驛 in hanja. The character means a station or post-stop, which fits transport stations.
Finding a Friend at a Station Exit
Two friends are arranging where to meet by phone. They have named the station already, but still need a precise meeting point.
Jisoo
지금 역에 있어요?
Jigeum yeoge isseoyo?
Are you at the station now?
Alex
네, 어디에서 만날까요?
Ne, eodieseo mannalkkayo?
Yes. Where shall we meet?
Jisoo
역 안에서 만나요.
Yeok aneseo mannayo.
Let’s meet inside the station.
Alex
좋아요. 어느 출구 근처예요?
Joayo. Eoneu chulgu geuncheoyeyo?
Okay. Near which exit?
역 안 means “inside the station”, while 역 앞 means “in front of the station”. Alex asks for an exit because “inside” is still a broad location. 어느 means “which”, and 근처 means “nearby” or “the area near”. Naming an exit makes the meeting point easier to find.
How Do You Use 역 with Location Markers?
역에 가요 means “I’m going to the station”. The marker 에 identifies the destination. 역에 있어요 means “I’m at the station”; with 있어요, the same marker gives the location of a person or thing. The verb tells you whether 에 marks arrival or position.
역에서 만나요 uses 에서 because meeting is an activity taking place there. 역에서 내려요 means “I get off at the station”. A station name can replace the general noun in these patterns. You can therefore understand the structure even when the particular station name is unfamiliar.
역까지 means “as far as the station” or “to the station”. It is useful when asking about the remaining journey. 역 근처 means “near the station”, so a café described this way is nearby rather than necessarily inside the building. 역 앞, 역 안, and 역 근처 are practical location phrases, not idioms.
Where Will You Hear 역 during a Journey?
다음 역 means “the next station”, a phrase used in train announcements. 이번 역 means “this station”, referring to the current stop in that announcement. The name that follows is the information you need to identify where you are. Both phrases concern stops, rather than the train's final destination.
환승역 means a transfer station, where passengers can change lines or services. 환승 is the transfer itself. A route may pass through several 역 without requiring you to change trains; hearing a station name alone is not an instruction to transfer.
출구 signs identify exits. 개찰구 identifies the ticket gates, while 승강장 is the platform where you board. These are different parts of a station. A friend waiting by the gates may be on a different side from someone who has already gone to the platform, even though both people are “at the station”.
The noun 역 is neutral in announcements, directions, and messages. You can ask a stranger 역이 어디예요? as in the existing example. Add the station name when several stations are nearby; the general word alone does not tell the listener which one you want.
Words to Use Alongside 역
| Korean | Meaning | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 출구 | exit | Helps specify a meeting point. |
| 개찰구 | ticket gates | Separates the paid area from the public area. |
| 승강장 | platform | Where you wait to board. |
| 환승 | transfer | Changing lines or services during a journey. |
The transportation vocabulary lesson gives the wider set for following a journey.
Quick Self-Test
- Which phrase means inside the station: 역 앞 or 역 안?
- What does 다음 역 identify?
- Does 환승역 mean you must change trains there?
Show answers
- 역 안. 역 앞 means in front of the station.
- The next station.
- No. It identifies a station where transfers are possible; your route determines whether you change.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "station" in Korean?
Say 역 (yeok). It covers train and subway stations.
How do you name a station in Korean?
Put 역 after the place name, for example 서울역 for Seoul Station.
Is 역 also used for a bus stop?
No. A bus stop is 정류장. 역 is for trains and subways.
What is the difference between 역 and 공항?
공항 is an airport, while 역 is a station for trains and subways.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: the Transportation page puts 역 beside its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 역 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next in the list is the word for subway: see subway.
- Compare with airport: 공항 is an airport.