Han River
/ˌhæn ˈrɪvər/noun
A name used for major rivers in East Asia, especially the river flowing through Seoul, South Korea, and the Han River in China.
Did you know?The Chinese Han dynasty took its name from the Han River, helping turn a geographic name into one of the world’s most influential cultural identities.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient China
Chinese
漢 (Hàn)
“The name of the Han River and the surrounding region in central China.”
206 BCE–220 CE
Classical Chinese
漢朝 (Hàn cháo)
“The Han dynasty, named after the Han River and its associated territory.”
Ancient Korea
Korean
한강 (Hangang)
“The Han River; 한 (Han) identifies the river’s historical name, while 강 (gang) means “river.””
15th Century
Middle Korean
한ᄀᆞᄅᆞᆷ
“An earlier Korean form associated with the river now called Hangang.”
19th Century
English
Han River
“An English rendering of the established Chinese and Korean geographic name.”
Modern English
English
Han River
“Most commonly, the river crossing Seoul, also known in Korean as the Hangang.”
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