What does the Korean word “Hangawi” identify in relation to Chuseok?

“Hangawi” is another name for Chuseok.

The term is an older Korean name for the autumn harvest celebration and remains widely recognized in explanations of Chuseok. It is often glossed as meaning the “great middle,” referring to the middle of autumn and the festival’s position around the full moon.

Hangawi is not the name of a single food, dance, or household rite. Chuseok includes many regional and family customs, including songpyeon-making, ancestral ceremonies, grave visits, and traditional games. Hangawi names the festival as a whole.

English sources may use Chuseok, Hangawi, or both. Chuseok is the most familiar modern romanized name internationally, while Hangawi helps connect the contemporary holiday with older Korean terminology.