A rotary compressor is provided that may include a cylinder having an inner peripheral surface; a roller; and a plurality of vanes slidably inserted into the plurality of vane slots to rotate together with the roller, front end surfaces of which come into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder due to the back pressure to partition the compression space into a plurality of compression chambers. The cylinder may further include a suction flow path for refrigerant that may include a suction port that communicates with the compression space to suction the refrigerant in a lateral direction, and a suction passage disposed in a direction that crosses the suction port to provide communication between the compression space and the suction port.