Enter Hangul Explained in English 한글을 영어로 설명
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Writer AndyKim1
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Date 25-11-04 00:19
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Hangul Explained in English
한글을 영어로 설명
What it is.
Hangul (한글) is the Korean alphabet. It’s a featural writing system: letter shapes reflect how sounds are made in your mouth. It’s also alphabetic (consonants + vowels), but letters are grouped into square syllable blocks like “한”, “글”.
1) Building Blocks (Jamo)
Consonants (자음): 14 basic + additional double/aspirated forms.
Examples: ㄱ g/k, ㄴ n, ㄷ d/t, ㅂ b/p, ㅅ s, ㅇ (silent at start / ŋ at end), ㅎ h.
Vowels (모음): made from three strokes symbolizing:
ㅣ (person), ㅡ (earth), · (heaven; now embodied in ㅗ, ㅏ, ㅜ, ㅓ).
Basic vowels: ㅏ a, ㅓ eo, ㅗ o, ㅜ u, ㅡ eu, ㅣ i, ㅐ ae, ㅔ e, ㅚ oe, ㅟ wi, ㅑ ya, ㅕ yeo, ㅛ yo, ㅠ yu, ㅘ wa, ㅝ wo, etc.
2) Syllable Blocks (How Letters Combine)
Each block = Initial (초성) + Medial (중성) + (optional) Final (종성/받침).
가 = ㄱ (g) + ㅏ (a) → “ga”
한 = ㅎ (h) + ㅏ (a) + ㄴ (n) → “han”
말 = ㅁ (m) + ㅏ (a) + ㄹ (l) → “mal”
Layout depends on the vowel:
If vowel is vertical (ㅏ, ㅑ, ㅓ, ㅕ, ㅣ): write consonant left, vowel right → 가, 너, 리
If vowel is horizontal (ㅗ, ㅛ, ㅜ, ㅠ, ㅡ): write consonant top, vowel bottom → 고, 누, 르
Add final consonant underneath → 간, 밥, 숲
3) Pronunciation & Sound Rules (Quick, Useful Ones)
ㅇ: silent as an initial (안 = “an”), but ŋ as a final (강 = “kang”).
Tensing/Assimilation (natural coarticulation):
낮+에 → 나제 (j sound) feeling.
학교 → 학꾜 (ggyo) feeling; ㄱ + ㄱ gets tighter.
Final consonant (받침) simplification: many finals are realized as one of 7 core sounds (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅇ). Example: 밖 → “박” (final ㄲ sounds like ㄱ).
Double consonants (ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, ㅉ): tense/fortis versions; don’t add a schwa.
4) Why It’s “Featural”
Many consonants are shaped after the articulation point:
ㄱ (velar, back of tongue), ㄴ (tongue to alveolar ridge), ㅁ (closed lips), ㅅ (teeth), ㅇ (throat).
Dots and strokes added indicate aspiration or tensing (e.g., ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅊ).
5) Spacing & Particles (Korean Grammar Meets Hangul)
Korean writes words with spaces; grammatical particles attach to nouns:
저는 학교에 가요. (“I go to school.”)
책을 읽어요. (“[I] read a book.”)
Hangul just writes the sounds; grammar is carried by endings/particles.
6) Romanization Tips (Avoid Common Traps)
ㅓ is eo (not “uh” or “o”): “서울” → Seoul (roughly “Seo-ul”).
ㅡ is eu (close, unrounded “u”).
Consonants can sound different at start vs. end of a syllable:
ㄱ: “g/k” (강 “kang”, but 국 “guk/ guk̚”).
Use romanization only as a bridge; read Hangul directly for accuracy.
7) How to Start Reading in Minutes
Learn the basic vowels: ㅏ a, ㅓ eo, ㅗ o, ㅜ u, ㅡ eu, ㅣ i.
Learn core consonants: ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅇ, ㅎ, ㅈ, ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅊ.
Practice assembling blocks:
나 (n+a), 너 (n+eo), 노 (n+o), 누 (n+u), 느 (n+eu), 니 (n+i)
Add finals: 낙, 넌, 농, 눈, 늑, 닉
Read real words: 한국, 사람, 커피, 학교, 영화, 음악.
8) Micro-Cheatsheet (Copy/Paste)
Vowels: ㅏ a | ㅓ eo | ㅗ o | ㅜ u | ㅡ eu | ㅣ i | ㅐ ae | ㅔ e
Consonants (initial): ㄱ g | ㄴ n | ㄷ d | ㄹ r/l | ㅁ m | ㅂ b | ㅅ s | ㅇ (silent) | ㅈ j | ㅊ ch | ㅋ k | ㅌ t | ㅍ p | ㅎ h
Finals (common sound): ㄱ k̚ | ㄴ n | ㄷ t̚ | ㄹ l | ㅁ m | ㅂ p̚ | ㅇ ŋ
Structure: (C + V + [C]) → one square block
Reading order: left→right, top→bottom inside the block; blocks flow left→right across the line.
9) One-Minute Practice Lines (with gloss)
저는 한국어를 공부해요. (I study Korean.)
jeo-neun han-gu-geo-reul gong-bu-hae-yo
커피를 마셔요. (I drink coffee.)
keo-pi-reul ma-syeo-yo
학교에 가요. (I go to school.)
hak-kkyo-e ga-yo
10) Why Learners Love Hangul
Logical design → quick to learn.
Phonetic fidelity → you can read new words you’ve never seen.
한글을 영어로 설명
What it is.
Hangul (한글) is the Korean alphabet. It’s a featural writing system: letter shapes reflect how sounds are made in your mouth. It’s also alphabetic (consonants + vowels), but letters are grouped into square syllable blocks like “한”, “글”.
1) Building Blocks (Jamo)
Consonants (자음): 14 basic + additional double/aspirated forms.
Examples: ㄱ g/k, ㄴ n, ㄷ d/t, ㅂ b/p, ㅅ s, ㅇ (silent at start / ŋ at end), ㅎ h.
Vowels (모음): made from three strokes symbolizing:
ㅣ (person), ㅡ (earth), · (heaven; now embodied in ㅗ, ㅏ, ㅜ, ㅓ).
Basic vowels: ㅏ a, ㅓ eo, ㅗ o, ㅜ u, ㅡ eu, ㅣ i, ㅐ ae, ㅔ e, ㅚ oe, ㅟ wi, ㅑ ya, ㅕ yeo, ㅛ yo, ㅠ yu, ㅘ wa, ㅝ wo, etc.
2) Syllable Blocks (How Letters Combine)
Each block = Initial (초성) + Medial (중성) + (optional) Final (종성/받침).
가 = ㄱ (g) + ㅏ (a) → “ga”
한 = ㅎ (h) + ㅏ (a) + ㄴ (n) → “han”
말 = ㅁ (m) + ㅏ (a) + ㄹ (l) → “mal”
Layout depends on the vowel:
If vowel is vertical (ㅏ, ㅑ, ㅓ, ㅕ, ㅣ): write consonant left, vowel right → 가, 너, 리
If vowel is horizontal (ㅗ, ㅛ, ㅜ, ㅠ, ㅡ): write consonant top, vowel bottom → 고, 누, 르
Add final consonant underneath → 간, 밥, 숲
3) Pronunciation & Sound Rules (Quick, Useful Ones)
ㅇ: silent as an initial (안 = “an”), but ŋ as a final (강 = “kang”).
Tensing/Assimilation (natural coarticulation):
낮+에 → 나제 (j sound) feeling.
학교 → 학꾜 (ggyo) feeling; ㄱ + ㄱ gets tighter.
Final consonant (받침) simplification: many finals are realized as one of 7 core sounds (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅇ). Example: 밖 → “박” (final ㄲ sounds like ㄱ).
Double consonants (ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, ㅉ): tense/fortis versions; don’t add a schwa.
4) Why It’s “Featural”
Many consonants are shaped after the articulation point:
ㄱ (velar, back of tongue), ㄴ (tongue to alveolar ridge), ㅁ (closed lips), ㅅ (teeth), ㅇ (throat).
Dots and strokes added indicate aspiration or tensing (e.g., ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅊ).
5) Spacing & Particles (Korean Grammar Meets Hangul)
Korean writes words with spaces; grammatical particles attach to nouns:
저는 학교에 가요. (“I go to school.”)
책을 읽어요. (“[I] read a book.”)
Hangul just writes the sounds; grammar is carried by endings/particles.
6) Romanization Tips (Avoid Common Traps)
ㅓ is eo (not “uh” or “o”): “서울” → Seoul (roughly “Seo-ul”).
ㅡ is eu (close, unrounded “u”).
Consonants can sound different at start vs. end of a syllable:
ㄱ: “g/k” (강 “kang”, but 국 “guk/ guk̚”).
Use romanization only as a bridge; read Hangul directly for accuracy.
7) How to Start Reading in Minutes
Learn the basic vowels: ㅏ a, ㅓ eo, ㅗ o, ㅜ u, ㅡ eu, ㅣ i.
Learn core consonants: ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅇ, ㅎ, ㅈ, ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅊ.
Practice assembling blocks:
나 (n+a), 너 (n+eo), 노 (n+o), 누 (n+u), 느 (n+eu), 니 (n+i)
Add finals: 낙, 넌, 농, 눈, 늑, 닉
Read real words: 한국, 사람, 커피, 학교, 영화, 음악.
8) Micro-Cheatsheet (Copy/Paste)
Vowels: ㅏ a | ㅓ eo | ㅗ o | ㅜ u | ㅡ eu | ㅣ i | ㅐ ae | ㅔ e
Consonants (initial): ㄱ g | ㄴ n | ㄷ d | ㄹ r/l | ㅁ m | ㅂ b | ㅅ s | ㅇ (silent) | ㅈ j | ㅊ ch | ㅋ k | ㅌ t | ㅍ p | ㅎ h
Finals (common sound): ㄱ k̚ | ㄴ n | ㄷ t̚ | ㄹ l | ㅁ m | ㅂ p̚ | ㅇ ŋ
Structure: (C + V + [C]) → one square block
Reading order: left→right, top→bottom inside the block; blocks flow left→right across the line.
9) One-Minute Practice Lines (with gloss)
저는 한국어를 공부해요. (I study Korean.)
jeo-neun han-gu-geo-reul gong-bu-hae-yo
커피를 마셔요. (I drink coffee.)
keo-pi-reul ma-syeo-yo
학교에 가요. (I go to school.)
hak-kkyo-e ga-yo
10) Why Learners Love Hangul
Logical design → quick to learn.
Phonetic fidelity → you can read new words you’ve never seen.