한글
han'geul[ˈha̠(ː)nɡɯɭ]South Korea
hangul is the English name for the Korean phonetic script, known in Korean as 한글 (han'geul). Wiktionary also lists 언문 (eonmun) and 조선글 (joseon'geul).
Meaning: Korean phonetic script (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 한글 | han'geul | [ˈha̠(ː)nɡɯɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | South Korea |
| 언문 | eonmun | [ˈɘ(ː)nmun] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | |
| 조선글 | joseon'geul | [t͡ɕo̞sʰʌ̹nɡɯɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) | North Korea |
Which one should you use?
한글 is the standard name used in South Korea, while 조선글 is the term used in North Korea. The term 언문 is an archaic and historical term for the script that was once used somewhat dismissively.
Is it said differently in some regions?
한글 is the standard term in South Korea, whereas 조선글 is used in North Korea.
Did you know?
- The shapes of the consonants in 한글 are designed to mimic the actual shape of the mouth, tongue and throat when making the sound.
- While many scripts are evolved through centuries of gradual change, 한글 was intentionally designed and published by a single monarch. It was created in 1443 to increase literacy among the common people who found Chinese characters too difficult to master.
- Because 한글 is so logical and easy to learn, it is sometimes referred to as the 'morning alphabet' because a scholar can learn it in a single morning.
Examples in context
- 한글은 15세기에 창제된 문자이다.Hangul is a script created in the fifteenth century.This sentence is useful for stating when the script was created using 한글.
- 한글 배우는 게 어렵지 않습니까?Isn't learning Hangul difficult?This sentence is useful for asking if learning 한글 is difficult.Tatoeba #13244038 by atitarev, translation #13244039 by atitarev
- 한국어는 배우기 어렵지만, 한글은 빨리 배울 수 있습니다.Korean is difficult to learn, but Hangul can be learned quickly.This sentence is useful for contrasting the difficulty of learning the Korean language with the ease of learning 한글.Tatoeba #13244041 by atitarev, translation #13244042 by atitarev
- 저는 한글을 배우고 있어요.I'm learning Hangul.
Example conversation
민지와 도현이가 서점에서 책을 고르고 있다.
- 민지 Min-ji도현 씨, 이 책은 한글 쓰기가 잘 되어 있네요.Dohyeon ssi, i chaeg-eun hangul sseugiga jal doe-eo inneyo.Dohyeon, this book is well-made for learning how to write Hangul.
- 도현 Do-hyeon정말요? 한글 공부하기에 아주 좋아 보이네요.Jeongmallyo? hangul gongbu-hagi-e aju joa boineyo.Really? It looks very good for studying Hangul.
- 민지 Min-ji그럼 이 책으로 같이 공부할까요?Geureom i chaeg-euro gat-i gongbu-halkkayo?Then, shall we study together with this book?
- 도현 Do-hyeon좋아요, 민지 씨. 같이 해요.Joayo, Minji ssi. gat-i haeyo.Sounds good, Minji. Let's do it together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hangul” translations and entries 한글, 언문, 조선글, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
