The Korean festival name Chuseok literally means “autumn evening” when its Chinese characters are translated.
Chuseok is written 秋夕 in Hanja: 秋 means autumn and 夕 means evening. The name reflects the festival’s placement in the autumn lunar calendar and its association with the bright full moon. The holiday is also widely known as Hangawi, a native Korean name connected with the middle of autumn.
In practice, Chuseok is much more than an evening. It is a major family holiday involving travel, ancestor-related observances, harvest foods, gift-giving, and gatherings over several days. The literal translation therefore describes the name’s components rather than the full scope of modern celebrations.
“Harvest moon” is a related idea often used in explanations of the festival, but it is not the direct word-for-word translation of 秋夕.