Korean Insights

In this post, we will look at th Korean diphthongs "ㅐ", "ㅒ", "ㅔ" and "ㅖ", which are all formed by combining "ㅣ". So there are some diphthongs that share the same pronunciation. ㅐ : 애(ae) "ㅐ" is a Korean diphthong, formed by combining "ㅏ"(a) and "ㅣ"(ee, i) . Because of this, both pronunciation and writing reflects characteristics of these two vowels. ▶ How to write "ㅐ" Start by drawing a "ㅏ". Add "ㅣ" to the right side. ▶ Pronunciation "ㅐ" is pronounced like the "e" in "egg" or "bed". "ㅐ" and "ㅔ" are pronounced the same. When a clear distinction between "ㅐ" and "ㅔ" is needed, Korean people pronounce "ㅐ" more distinctly as "a-ee"(ㅏ + ㅣ). ▶ Examples 새(sae) : Bird 애인(ae-in) : Lover 배(bae) : Pear, Ship ㅒ : 얘(yae) "ㅒ" is a diphthong, formed by combining the "ㅑ"(ya) a...

In this post, we covered the pronunciation and writing of "ㅡ" and "ㅣ". Since they are the last of the basic Korean vowels, they are quite simple to learn ㅡ : 으(eu) ▶ How to write "ㅡ" draw a horizontal line from left to right. ▶ Pronunciation There is no exact equivalent of the "ㅡ" in English. It's kind of like "eu", but without "u" sound at the end. ※ another way : If you say "s" in "style" and then take it away, the vowel sound that's left is pretty close to the "ㅡ". ▶ Examples 금요일(geum-yo-il) : Friday 음식(eum-sik) : Food 스키(seu-ki) : ski ㅣ : 이(i, ee) ▶ How to write "ㅣ" Draw a vertical line from up to down ▶ Pronunciation "ㅣ" is pronounced like "ee"(ee, i) in "see", but it's about half as long when spoken. ▶ Examples 이름(i-reum) : Name 이유(i-yu) : Reason 시작(si-jak) : Start

Today, we'll take a look at how to write, pronounce, and use the Korean vowels "ㅗ", "ㅛ", "ㅜ", and "ㅠ". Keep in mind that there are no changes or extra vowels at the end of their pronunciation. ㅗ : 오(o) ▶  How to write "ㅗ" Start by drawing a horizontal line from left to right. Draw a short vertical line upward at the midpoint of the first line. ▶ Pronunciation "ㅗ" is pronounced like the "o" in "go". But it should be pronounced as a pure "o" sound without the additional "u" or "w" sound. ▶ Examples 오리(o-ri) : Duck 소리(so-ri) : Sound 초콜릿(cho-kol-lit) : Chocolate ㅛ : 요(yo) ▶  How to write "ㅛ" Start by drawing a horizontal line from left to right. Draw two short vertical line upward at the midpoint of the first line. ※ one  left  and one  right  the center of the horizontal line. ▶ Pronunciation "ㅛ" is pronounced like "yo" in "yoga". Howeve...

In this post, we'll take a look at the Korean vowels "ㅏ", "ㅑ", "ㅓ" and "ㅕ". Each section will cover how to write them, their pronunciation, and example words. ㅏ : 아(a) ▶  How to write "ㅏ" Start by drawing a straight vertical line from top to bottom. At the midpoint of this vertical line, draw a short horizontal line extending to the right. ▶ Pronunciation "ㅏ" is pronounced like the "a" in "car", "hat". ▶ Examples 사과(sa-gwa) : Apple 자동차(ja-dong-cha) : Car 나라(na-ra) : Country ㅑ : 야(ya) ▶  How to write "ㅑ" Start by drawing a straight vertical line from top to bottom. Draw two short horizontal line extending to the right ※ one  above  and one  below the center of the vertical line. ▶ Pronunciation "ㅑ" is pronounced like "ya" in "yard", "yahoo". ▶ Examples 야구(ya-gu) : Baseball 야자수(ya-ja-su) : Palm tree 약국(yak-guk) : Pharmacy ㅓ : 어(eo) ▶  How to wri...

This time, I've put together a guide on the Korean consonants "ㅅ, ㅇ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅎ". In this post, you'll learn how to write, pronounce, and use these consonants. ㅅ : 시옷(si-ot) ▶  How to write Draw a slightly curved line from the upper middle to the lower left. From the middle of the first stroke, draw a short, slightly curved line toward the lower right. ▶ Pronunciation "ㅅ" usually pronounced like the "s" in "sea". However before "ㅣ, ㅑ, ㅕ, ㅖ, ㅛ, ㅠ", it can sound slightly like "sh". ▶ Examples 시계(shi-gye) : Clock 사과(sa-gwa) : Apple 수박(su-bak) : Watermelon ㅇ : 이응(i-eung) ▶  How to write Draw a circle in a clockwise direction from the upper middle. ※ A slightly elongated oval shape is also acceptable. ▶ Pronunciation When "ㅇ" appears at the beginning of a syllable, it is silent. However, at the end of a syllable, it produces a sound similar to the "ng" sound in words like "song" or "...

Contents What does "갑분싸" mean? Examples Tips for using "갑분싸" What's "갑분싸"? "갑분싸" is a Korean slang that stands for " 갑 자기 분 위기가 싸 해지다", meaning "the atmosphere suddenly becomes awkward" . It is slang commonly used among close friends or in online contexts. 갑[gab] : suddenly 분[bun] : mood, atmosphere 싸[ssa] : awkward, chilly, cold "갑분싸" has become a widely recognized catchphrase in South Korea. And it has various synonyms and derivatives, such as ones listed below. ※ Synonyms 갑분아 : 갑자기 분위기 아이스에이지(ice age) 갑분교 : 갑자기 분위기 교장선생님(principal) ※ Derivatives 갑분띠 : 갑자기 분위기 띠용 갑붕싸 : 갑자기 붕어싸만코 먹고싶다 ※ 붕어싸만코 : Ice cream in Korean  ※ Synonyms for "갑분싸" in English Buzzkill Kill the vibe Awkward silence Examples Example : At the reunion A~C : (Enjoying a lively conversation) D : My dog passed away. E, noticing this situation, says to the others : Hey guys, it's getting "갑분싸" over there. Example : Chat with ...