Syllable Blocks
음절 Eum-jeol. Learn how Korean letters stack into syllable blocks.
English writes letters in a line. Korean stacks letters (자모 jamo) into square blocks. Each block represents one syllable. The word 한국어 has three blocks: 한, 국, 어. It has three syllables: han · guk · eo.
The Three Positions
Every syllable block has up to three layers: two required, one optional.
Always comes first. Every syllable starts with one. If there's no consonant sound, use ㅇ as a placeholder.
Sits next to or below the initial consonant. Determines the block shape: vertical vowels sit to the right; horizontal vowels sit below.
Optional. Known as 받침 (batchim). Sits at the bottom of the block. About half of all Korean syllables have one.
Two Block Shapes
The vowel's orientation determines how the block is arranged. The consonant grows to fill the space.
Vertical vowels: side by side
ㅏ ㅑ ㅓ ㅕ ㅣ ㅐ ㅒ ㅔ ㅖ and their compounds: consonant left, vowel right
Horizontal vowels: stacked
ㅗ ㅛ ㅜ ㅠ ㅡ and their compounds: consonant above, vowel below
Step-by-Step Examples
나 (na): I / me. Vertical vowel, no batchim.
오 (o): five / come. Horizontal vowel. ㅇ is silent as an initial.
한 (han): Korean. Vertical vowel + batchim ㄴ below.
국 (guk): country / soup. Horizontal vowel + batchim ㄱ below.
살 (sal): years old (age counter). Vertical vowel + batchim ㄹ.
글 (geul): writing / text. Horizontal vowel + batchim ㄹ.