Korean Direction WordsDirections & location words with romanization — free list
The Korean word for direction is 방향 (banghyang). Key words are 왼쪽 (left), 오른쪽 (right), and 똑바로 (straight ahead). Position words like 위 (above), 아래 (below), 앞 (front) and 뒤 (behind) pair with 에 있어요 to say where things are. This free list covers 24 direction and location words.
| Korean | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 방향 | banghyang | direction |
| 왼쪽 | oenjjok | left (side) |
| 오른쪽 | oreunjjok | right (side) |
| 위 | wi | above / on top |
| 아래 | arae | below / under |
| 앞 | ap | front / ahead |
| 뒤 | dwi | behind / back |
| 옆 | yeop | beside / next to |
| 안 | an | inside |
| 밖 | bak | outside |
| 사이 | sai | between |
| 가운데 | gaunde | middle / center |
| 동쪽 | dongjjok | east |
| 서쪽 | seojjok | west |
| 남쪽 | namjjok | south |
| 북쪽 | bukjjok | north |
| 똑바로 | ttokbaro | straight ahead |
| 직진 | jikjin | go straight |
| 근처 | geuncho | nearby / vicinity |
| 건너편 | geonneopyeon | opposite side / across |
| 이쪽 | ijjok | this way / this side |
| 저쪽 | jeojjok | that way / that side |
| 모퉁이 | motungi | corner (of a street) |
| 사거리 | sageori | intersection / crossroads |
💡 Good to know
쪽 means side or direction and attaches to many location words: 왼쪽 (left side), 오른쪽 (right side), 이쪽 (this way), 저쪽 (that way). Position words like 위/아래/앞/뒤/옆/안/밖 use the particle 에: 책상 위에 있어요 (it's on the desk).
FAQ
- How do you say turn left in Korean?
- 왼쪽으로 가세요 (oenjjogeuro gaseyo) means 'please go left'. 왼쪽 is left, 오른쪽 is right, and 으로/로 marks direction.
- How do you say go straight in Korean?
- 똑바로 가세요 (ttokbaro gaseyo) or 직진하세요 (jikjinhaseyo) both mean 'please go straight'. 직진 is often seen on road signs.
- How do you say where is it in Korean?
- 어디예요? (eodiyeyo?) means 'where is it?'. For example, 화장실이 어디예요? (Where is the bathroom?). Answer with location + 에 있어요.
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Written by Alvin Lim Certified Korean Language Teacher (Level 2)