CultureJuly 14, 2026

hanok

/hɑːnɒk/

Definition

A traditional Korean house, typically characterized by its wooden structure, tiled roofs, and unique architectural elements like curved eaves.

Etymology

The word is derived from the Korean terms 'han' (referring to Korea) and 'ok' (meaning house). It emerged in modern usage to distinguish traditional domestic architecture from modern Western-style housing.

In the news

In the article, the wind chimes hanging from 'hanok' eaves are cited as a distinct, atmospheric sound captured for a tourism campaign film. This highlights the architectural style as a quintessential symbol of Korean cultural heritage.

Park Bo-gum appears in tourism campaign film

Read the full article ↗

The Korea Herald

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.

Not for marketing. One email on launch day.