Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, was created in 1443 by King Sejong the Great during the Joseon Dynasty. Before Hangeul, Koreans used Chinese characters when writing, but they were too difficult for ordinary people to learn. To promote literacy, King Sejong invented Hangeul, a writing system that is logical, scientific, and easy to learn. Today, it is one of the most unique and efficient alphabets in the world.
1. How Hangeul Vowels Were Created
King Sejong based Hangeul vowels on three symbolic shapes representing the round sky (·), the flat earth (ㅡ), and a standing person (ㅣ).
By combining these three basic elements, various vowel sounds were formed:
| Symbol | Combination | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ㅏ | ㅣ + · | [a] | as in father |
| ㅓ | ㅣ + · (left side) | [ʌ] | as in up |
| ㅗ | ㅡ + · | [o] | as in go |
| ㅜ | ㅡ + · (below) | [u] | as in rule |
| ㅑ | ㅏ + extra stroke | [ja] | as in yard |
| ㅕ | ㅓ + extra stroke | [jʌ] | as in young |
| ㅛ | ㅗ + extra stroke | [jo] | as in yoga |
| ㅠ | ㅜ + extra stroke | [ju] | as in you |
This simple yet meaningful design makes Hangeul vowels easy to recognize and remember.
2. How Hangeul Consonants Were Created
Hangeul consonants were inspired by the shape of the mouth and tongue when producing each sound.
The five basic consonants are:
| Symbol | Sound | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ㄱ | [k/g] | tongue touching the back of the mouth |
| ㄴ | [n] | tongue touching the upper gum |
| ㅁ | [m] | shape of closed lips |
| ㅅ | [s] | shape of teeth |
| ㅇ | [ŋ] | open throat sound |
King Sejong added extra strokes to these base shapes to represent stronger or aspirated sounds:
| Base | Aspirated | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ㄱ | ㅋ [kʰ] | as in key |
| ㄷ | ㅌ [tʰ] | as in top |
| ㅂ | ㅍ [pʰ] | as in pen |
| ㅅ | ㅆ [sː] | tense sound |
This innovative system visually connects pronunciation with the writing form — making it one of the world’s most logical phonetic scripts.
3. How Korean Syllables Are Formed
In Hangeul, consonants (C) and
vowels (V) combine to form
syllable blocks.
Every Korean syllable must have
at least one consonant and one vowel.
Here’s how syllable formation works:
| Pattern | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) C + Vertical Vowel | CV | 나 (na) |
| (2) C + Horizontal Vowel | CV | 노 (no) |
| (3) Empty Consonant + Vowel | ㅇ + V | 아 (a) / 오 (o) |
| (4) C + V + Final Consonant | CVC | 밥 (bap), 문 (mun) |
| (5) V + Final Consonant | VC | 안 (an), 옹 (ong) |
The “ㅇ” (ieung) is used as a placeholder when there is no initial consonant sound.
4. Why Hangeul Is a Masterpiece
Hangeul is praised worldwide for its scientific design and phonetic accuracy. UNESCO even honored King Sejong’s invention as a “Memory of the World.”
Because of its logical structure, Hangeul allows learners to read and write Korean in just a few hours. It is a true example of how language can reflect creativity, equality, and accessibility.
