Key Facts
- Hangul: 지하철; Revised Romanization: jihacheol
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean, hanja 地下鐵 (地 ground + 下 below + 鐵 iron)
- Register: Neutral, everyday word used in both spoken and written Korean. 전철 is a near-synonym.
Subway in Korean: What Does 지하철 Mean?
지하철 means subway or metro. It is neutral and used in both speech and writing. Common phrases include 지하철을 타다 (to take the subway), 지하철역 (subway station) and 지하철 노선도 (subway map). 전철 (electric train) is a near-synonym that also covers above-ground commuter lines. In everyday speech many people use the two words interchangeably for the metro.
How Do You Pronounce 지하철?
Three syllables: ji, ha, cheol. The last begins with an aspirated ㅊ, which has a strong puff of air, and ends with ㄹ. Each syllable gets a similar length, so there is no heavy stress.
Example Sentences with 지하철
지하철을 타요.
Jihacheoreul tayo.
I take the subway.
타요 means "ride" or "take", and 을 marks the subway as the thing you board. This is the model pattern for any vehicle.
지하철은 아주 빨라요.
Jihacheoreun aju ppallayo.
The subway is very fast.
아주 means "very", and 빨라요 means "is fast". It is a simple way to compare the subway with other ways of getting around.
저는 지하철로 학교에 가요.
Jeoneun jihacheollo hakgyoe gayo.
I go to school by subway.
로 after 지하철 means "by means of". 학교에 가요 is "go to school", so the whole sentence reads "I go to school by subway".
Collocations
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 지하철을 타다 | to take the subway |
| 지하철역 | subway station |
| 지하철 노선도 | subway map |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners often pair 지하철 with the verb "go".
- Wrong: 지하철을 가요.
- Correct: 지하철을 타요. (I take the subway.)
You ride a vehicle with 타다. The verb 가요 (go) takes a destination, as in 학교에 가요, and the vehicle is added with 로: 지하철로 학교에 가요.
지하철 Compared with 전철 and 기차
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 지하철 | subway | This page's word |
| 전철 | electric train | 전철 (electric train) is a near-synonym that also covers above-ground commuter lines. In everyday speech many people use the two words interchangeably for the metro. |
| 기차 | train | 기차 is a long-distance train. |
Origin and Culture
지하철 is Sino-Korean, written 地下鐵 in hanja: 地 (ground), 下 (below) and 鐵 (iron). It reads as "iron below the ground".
Finding the Station Entrance
A visitor asks Jisu for directions outside a subway entrance. The conversation separates finding the station from choosing a way to travel.
Visitor
지하철역이 어디에 있어요?
Jihacheollyeogi eodie isseoyo?
Where is the subway station?
Jisu
저기 있어요. 어디에 가세요?
Jeogi isseoyo. Eodie gaseyo?
It’s over there. Where are you going?
Visitor
서울역에 가요. 지하철로 갈 수 있어요?
Seoullyeoge gayo. Jihacheollo gal su isseoyo?
I’m going to Seoul Station. Can I get there by subway?
Jisu
네. 여기서 지하철을 타세요.
Ne. Yeogiseo jihacheoreul taseyo.
Yes. Take the subway here.
지하철역 is the station, while 지하철 is the transport. In 지하철로 갈 수 있어요?, 로 gives the means of travel: “Can I go by subway?” 타세요 is a polite instruction to board. You can use the same distinction when asking a stranger for help without needing a complete route explanation.
Which Phrases Help on an Actual Journey?
지하철에서 내리다 means “to get off the subway”. The vehicle takes 에서 because you are leaving it. Compare this with 지하철을 타다, where 을 marks what you board. Learning the two actions together helps you describe both ends of a trip.
지하철을 갈아타다 means “to change subway trains”. The literal image is changing what you ride; the real travel meaning is transferring. 환승 is the noun “transfer”, which you will see on signs guiding passengers between lines. A transfer can happen inside a station without leaving through a street exit.
지하철 막차 means “the last subway train”. 막차 concerns the final service, while 첫차 is the first train. Neither word alone tells you a universal departure time: the station, direction and service matter. When discussing a late journey, specifying 막차 tells the listener exactly which part of the schedule matters.
What Will You See on Subway Signs?
지하철 노선도 is a subway route map. A route map shows how stations and lines connect; 출구 marks an exit to the street. If someone gives you an exit number, that is different from a line number. 호선 identifies a numbered line, while 출구 identifies the way out of the station.
지하철 remains natural when part of the metro journey runs above ground. The literal “underground” origin does not force speakers to change the word every time a train emerges into daylight. 전철 emphasizes electric rail and can overlap with 지하철 in everyday travel talk.
The noun itself is neutral. In a short question to a stranger, the politeness comes from the ending, as in the dialogue’s 어디에 있어요? Announcements may use more formal wording, but the everyday word 지하철 still belongs in your own travel questions.
Words to Recognize before Boarding
| Korean | Meaning | When it helps |
|---|---|---|
| 역 | station | Appears after station names and in 지하철역. |
| 환승 | transfer | Guides you toward a connection between lines. |
| 출구 | exit | Leads out of the station, often with a number. |
| 승강장 | platform | Names the area where passengers wait and board. |
The Korean subway vocabulary lesson teaches the wider station set. Use 지하철 for the journey, then add the specific station word when you need directions inside the building.
Quick Self-Test
- Which names the station building or stop: 지하철 or 지하철역?
- Does 환승 point you toward a transfer or a street exit?
- How do you say “get off the subway” using 내리다?
Show answers
- 지하철역.
- A transfer. 출구 is a street exit.
- 지하철에서 내리다. The vehicle takes 에서.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "subway" in Korean?
Say 지하철 (jihacheol).
Which verb goes with 지하철?
Use 타다, to ride. For example, 지하철을 타요.
What is the difference between 지하철 and 전철?
전철 (electric train) is a near-synonym that also covers above-ground commuter lines. In everyday speech many people use the two words interchangeably for the metro.
What is the difference between 지하철 and 기차?
기차 is a long-distance train. 지하철 is the city subway.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: the Transportation page puts 지하철 beside its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Practice: add 지하철 to the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next in the list is the word for taxi: see taxi.
- Compare with train: 기차 is a long-distance train.
- Compare with korean subway vocabulary: This page answers the single-word lookup 'subway in korean' (meaning, pronunciation, one word in use); the page on korean subway vocabulary teaches a themed word list ('korean subway vocabulary') with audio, a deck and a worksheet.