How Do You Say Subway (the Sandwich Chain) in Korean?
Written and reviewed by Jun and Jin, native Korean speakers
Published · How we write & review
After this page, you can tell Subway the sandwich shop, 서브웨이 (seobeuwei), apart from the subway you ride, 지하철 (jihacheol).
10-second answer
How do you say subway in Korean?
The Subway sandwich chain is 서브웨이 (seobeuwei) in Korean. It's worth knowing this is completely separate from 지하철 (jihacheol), the everyday Korean word for the subway TRAIN system — same English word, two entirely different Korean words depending on which "subway" you mean.
Quick check — did that land?
1. How do you say the Subway sandwich chain in Korean?
서브웨이! Do you mean the sandwich shop or the train?
Sound by Sound
서브 (seobeu) breaks up the "sub" + "b" sounds with an inserted 으, following the same consonant-cluster rule seen in Starbucks. 웨이 (wei) captures the "way" ending fairly directly, since that combination fits Korean syllable patterns well.
See also: How Do You Say KFC in Korean?
Two Completely Different "Subways"
| English "subway" meaning | Korean word | Type |
|---|---|---|
| The sandwich restaurant chain | 서브웨이 (seobeuwei) | Borrowed loanword |
| An underground train system | 지하철 (jihacheol) | Sino-Korean word: 지하 (underground) + 철 (rail/iron) |
This is a great example of why word-for-word translation can mislead: English uses one word, "subway," for two unrelated things, but Korean never confuses them because it uses two completely different words.
Quick Examples
서브웨이에서 샌드위치 먹자.
seobeuwei-eseo saendeuwichi meokja.
Let's eat a sandwich at Subway.
지하철 타고 갈게요.
jihacheol tago galgeyo.
I'll go by subway (train).
타다 — the same "to ride" verb from the bus/taxi page.
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Using 서브웨이 to mean the train
서브웨이 refers specifically to the restaurant chain in everyday Korean usage — for the train, use 지하철.
Mistake #2 — Assuming all English words map to one Korean word
As this example shows, one English word can correspond to two entirely unrelated Korean words depending on meaning — direct translation isn't always reliable.
Mini Quiz
2. What does 지하철 mean?
3. Why does this pair matter for translation?
Related Knowledge
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