Korean consonants
| IPA |
Hangul |
Example |
English approximation |
| Hangul |
RR |
| b[1] |
ㅂ |
이불 |
ibul |
ball |
| β[2][3] |
ㅎ |
오후 |
ohu |
roughly like away |
| ç[4] |
ㅎ |
힘, 흉내 |
him, hyungnae |
human |
| ɕ[5] |
ㅅ |
시루 |
siru |
roughly like she |
| ɕ͈[5] |
ㅆ ㅅ |
씨, 국수 |
ssi, guksu |
roughly like sure, tensed |
| d[1] |
ㄷ |
민들레 |
mindeulle |
doll |
| dz[6] |
ㅈ |
나중 |
najung |
beds |
| dʑ[1] |
ㅈ [ㄷ이] |
아버지, 해돋이 |
abeoji, haedoji |
roughly like jeans |
| ɸ[3] |
ㅎ [호] [후] |
활, 훗날 |
hwal, hunnal |
roughly like phew |
| ɡ[1] |
ㄱ |
마개 |
magae |
gall |
| ɣ[2][7] |
ㄱ |
아가 |
aga |
again, but without the tongue touching the roof of the mouth |
| h |
ㅎ |
햇잎 |
haennip |
hall |
| ɦ[2] |
ㅎ |
마흔 |
maheun |
RP behind |
| j |
[ㅛ, ㅠ,ㅑ,ㅕ,
ㅖ, ㅒ][8] |
여울 |
yeoul |
you |
| ʝ[2][4] |
ㅎ |
감히 |
gamhi |
roughly like you |
| k |
ㄱ |
구이 |
gui |
sky |
| k̚ |
ㄱ ㅋ[9] |
바지락 |
bajirak |
lock |
| k͈ |
ㄲ |
꿩, 젓갈 |
kkwong, jeotgal |
skin, tensed |
| kʰ |
ㅋ [ㄱㅎ] [ㅎㄱ] |
코, 석회, 않기 |
ko, seokhoe, angi |
cup |
| ɭ |
ㄹ [ㄴ][10] |
알, 신라 |
al, Silla |
hall |
| m |
ㅁ [ㅂ][11] |
못, 압력 |
mot, amnyeok |
mall |
| n |
ㄴ
[ㄹ, ㄷ, ㅅ, ㅈ][12] |
누리 |
nuri |
not |
| ŋ |
ㅇ [ㄱ][13] |
가랑비, 먹물 |
garangbi, meongmul |
king |
| p |
ㅂ |
바다 |
bada |
spa |
| p̚ |
ㅂ ㅍ [14] |
부삽, 잎 |
busap, ip |
clip |
| p͈ |
ㅃ ㅂ |
뿔, 먹보 |
ppul, meokbo |
spit, tensed |
| pʰ |
ㅍ [ㅂㅎ] [ㅎㅂ] |
푸서리, 잡학 |
puseori, japhak |
paint |
| ɾ |
ㄹ [ㄹㅇ] |
여드레, 얼음 |
yeodeure, eoreum |
Scottish great or American atom |
| sʰ |
ㅅ |
수박 |
subak |
like see, but aspirated (with more breath) |
| s͈ |
ㅆ |
쌀, 열쇠 |
ssal, yeolsoe |
saw, tensed |
| t |
ㄷ |
돌 |
dol |
star |
| t̚ |
ㄷ, ㅌ, ㅅ, ㅈ, ㅊ[15] |
곧, 뭍, 옷, 젖, 낯 |
got, mut, ot, jeot, nat |
let |
| t͈ |
ㄸ ㄷ |
떡, 막대 |
tteok, makdae |
stall, tensed |
| tʰ |
ㅌ [ㄷㅎ] [ㅎㄷ] |
구태여, 맞흥정, 닳다 |
gutaeyeo, matheungjeong, dalda |
tall |
| ts[6] |
ㅈ |
측정 |
cheukjeong |
cats |
| ts͈[6] |
ㅉ |
짤림 |
jjallim |
cats, tensed |
| tsʰ[6] |
ㅊ [ㅈㅎ] [ㅎㅈ] |
참새 |
chamsae |
let's have |
| tɕ |
ㅈ |
자투리 |
jaturi |
roughly like patch |
| tɕ͈ |
ㅉ |
돌쩌귀, 꺽지 |
doljjeogwi, kkeokji |
roughly like patch, tensed |
| tɕʰ |
ㅊ [ㄷ히] [ㅎㅈ] |
눈초리, 맞히다, 닳지 |
nunchori, machida, dalji |
roughly like cheek |
| w |
[ㅙ, ㅞ][16] |
왜가리, 꿰맴질 |
waegari, kkwemaemjil |
wall |
| x[7] |
ㅎ |
흙 |
heuk |
Scottish loch |
|
Korean vowels and diphthongs[17]
| IPA |
Hangul |
Example |
English approximation |
| Hangul |
RR[18] |
| a |
ㅏ |
하루 |
haru |
GA lost |
| aː |
밤 |
bam |
spa |
| ʌ |
ㅓ |
거울 |
geoul |
Conservative up |
| əː |
어른 |
eoreun |
RP herd |
| ɛ |
ㅐ |
개구리 |
gaeguri |
bet |
| ɛː |
냇물 |
naenmul |
GA bed |
| e |
ㅔ |
메주 |
meju |
rate |
| eː |
게장 |
gejang |
raid |
| i |
ㅢ[19] |
흰색 |
huinsaek |
peak |
| ㅣ |
피 |
pi |
| iː |
실타래 |
siltarae |
bead |
| o |
ㅗ |
오늘 |
oneul |
sort |
| oː |
모레 |
more |
sword |
| ø |
ㅚ[16] |
쇠뇌 |
soenoe |
wait |
| øː |
왼손 |
oenson |
weighed |
| u |
ㅜ |
우물 |
umul |
root |
| uː |
둘 |
dul |
rude |
| ɯ |
ㅡ |
버들 |
beodeul |
like goose for some speakers |
| ɯː |
그림 |
geurim |
like cool for some speakers |
| ɰi |
ㅢ[19] |
민주주의 |
minjujuui |
like we but unrounded (with relaxed lips) |
| y |
ㅟ[16] |
귀엣말 |
gwienmal |
somewhat like sweet |
| yː |
쉰 |
swin |
somewhat like swede |
|