Gangnam

G2A1N1G2N1A1M3
UK/ˈɡæŋ.næm/US/ˈɡɑŋ.nɑm/

proper noun

A district (Korean: 구 (gu)) of Seoul, South Korea known for being a demographically young, affluent part of the city.

RareScrabble 11

Meanings

proper noun

alternative Kangnam

  1. A district (Korean: 구 (gu)) of Seoul, South Korea known for being a demographically young, affluent part of the city.

    The advanced design studio has moved from Bupyeong, Incheon, to the fashionable Seoul neighborhood of Gangnam, evidently Seoul’s answer to Greenwich Village.

    2010 April 22, Jim Motavalli, “G.M. Looks for Design Edge With New Studio in Seoul”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 19 Nov 2023
    2 more examples

    The Seoul neighborhood of Gangnam is synonymous worldwide with conspicuous consumption and glitzy high-rises, thanks to K-pop singer Psy’s megahit “Gangnam Style.” Lesser known is a shantytown in a corner of Gangnam district, whose makeshift homes were destroyed by a fire on Friday.

    2023 January 20, Min Joo Kim, “Gangnam fire highlights inequality in Seoul’s richest area”, in The Washington Post (Asia section), Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 21 Jan 2023

    "Gangnam Style" is a Korean term referring to the lifestyle associated with the Gangnam District of Seoul where people are trendy, hip and exude a certain supposed "class."

    2023 April 29, Brenda Haas, “How 'Naatu Naatu' and 'Gangnam Style' got the world dancing”, in Deutsche Welle, archived from the original on 30 Apr 2023, Music / Global Issues

Origin

  1. Korean강남(江南)
  2. EnglishGangnam

Borrowed from Korean 강남(江南) (Gangnam), a South-Korean placename meaning "south of the river".

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian Гангнам
  • Гангнам (Gangnam)a district of Seoul
Chinese Mandarin 江南區 /江南区
  • 江南區 /江南区 (Jiāngnán qū)a district of Seoul
Greek Γκάνγκναμ
  • Γκάνγκναμ (Gkángknam)a district of Seoul
Japanese 江南区
  • 江南区 (Gannamu-ku)a district of Seoul
Korean 강남구
  • 강남구 (Gangnam-gu)a district of Seoul
Polish Gangnam
  • Gangnama district of Seoul
Russian Канна́м, Каннамгу́
  • Канна́м (Kannám)a district of Seoul
  • Каннамгу́ (Kannamgú)a district of Seoul
Vietnamese Giang Nam
  • Giang Nama district of Seoul

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

Gangnam. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Gangnam

MLA

“Gangnam.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Gangnam. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Gangnam,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Gangnam.

Source: Gangnam on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.