KoreanPath

유음화유음화 — 신라 Is Said 실라

Korean does not say ㄴ and ㄹ in contact. When the spelling puts them together, in either order, both are said ㄹ: 신라 is 실라, 칼날 is 칼랄, 연락 is 열락.

This is the rule behind a name every learner meets before they can read — Silla, the kingdom, is written 신라 — and behind the fact that 설날 is 설랄 rather than anything a chart of letters would predict.

단어Words that do this
140
소리 변화Times it fires
253
표준 발음법Standard
제20항
예측 가능Predictable
Yes

규칙The rule

Three lines, and they are exceptionless.

WrittenSaidExample
ㄴ + ㄹ → ㄹ + ㄹ 신라 → 실라
ㄹ + ㄴ → ㄹ + ㄹ 칼날 → 칼랄
ㅀ/ㄾ + ㄴ → ㄹ + ㄹ 뚫는 → 뚤른

적용 예Worked through

Every arrow is a rule, and every final form is the dictionary's own transcription.

  1. 관련
  2. 유음화 괄련
관련 connection, relation TOPIK 3
  1. 옛날이야기
  2. ㄴ 첨가 옛날니야기
  3. 음절의 끝소리 규칙 옏날니야기
  4. 유음화 옏날리야기
  5. 비음화 옌ː날리야기
옛날이야기 an old story, folktale TOPIK 3
  1. 일일이
  2. ㄴ 첨가 일닐이
  3. 연음 일니리
  4. 유음화 일리리
일일이 one by one TOPIK 4

주의할 점What is usually got wrong

A short list of Sino-Korean compounds goes the other way: the ㄹ becomes ㄴ instead. 생산량 is 생산냥, 의견란 is 의견난, 상견례 is 상견녜. The standard lists them as exceptions in 제20항 and does not pretend they follow from anything.

What decides it is the shape of the compound rather than the sounds, which means the exceptions have to be met word by word — and every one on this site is in the list below, taken from the dictionary's own transcription rather than from a textbook's example.

예시 단어Every word in the dictionary that does this

Commonest first. Each links to the word's own row, with its meaning, examples and audio.

All 140 words on this site that do this

  1. 관련 괄련 connection, relation TOPIK 3
  2. 오늘날 오늘랄 these days TOPIK 4
  3. 잃는 일른 to lose 자음군TOPIK 2
  4. 전략 절ː략 strategy TOPIK 5
  5. 인류 일류 humankind, humanity TOPIK 4
  6. 관리 괄리 management, administration TOPIK 3
  7. 권력 궐력 power TOPIK 4
  8. 원리 월리 principle TOPIK 4
  9. 언론 얼론 public discourse TOPIK 4
  10. 원래 월래 origin TOPIK 3
  11. 논리 놀리 logic TOPIK 4
  12. 관련되다 괄련되다 to be related TOPIK 3
  13. 훈련 훌ː련 training TOPIK 4
  14. 권리 궐리 right TOPIK 4
  15. 관련하다 괄련하다 to be related to TOPIK 3
  16. 진리 질리 truth TOPIK 4
  17. 근로자 글ː로자 worker TOPIK 4
  18. 인력 일력 manpower TOPIK 4
  19. 앓는 알른 to suffer from an illness 자음군TOPIK 4
  20. 본래 볼래 origin TOPIK 4
  21. 연락 열락 contact TOPIK 2
  22. 편리하다 펼리하다 to be convenient TOPIK 2
  23. 실내 실래 indoor TOPIK 3
  24. 끓는 끌른 to boil 자음군TOPIK 2
  25. 혼란 홀ː란 confusion TOPIK 5
  26. 뚫는 뚤른 to pierce a hole through 자음군TOPIK 3
  27. 신랑 실랑 bridegroom, groom TOPIK 2
  28. 관료 괄료 bureaucrat TOPIK 6
  29. 분리 불리 separation, division TOPIK 3
  30. 윤리 율리 ethics TOPIK 5
  31. 분량 불ː량 amount, quantity TOPIK 4
  32. 근로 글ː로 labor TOPIK 5
  33. 곤란하다 골ː란하다 to be difficult, hard TOPIK 3
  34. 분리되다 불리되다 to be separated TOPIK 3
  35. 논란 놀란 controversy TOPIK 6
  36. 관리하다 괄리하다 to manage TOPIK 3
  37. 촌락 촐ː락 hamlet TOPIK 5
  38. 연락하다 열라카다 to contact 격음화TOPIK 2
  39. 잘나다 잘라다 to be good-looking TOPIK 4
  40. 연료 열료 fuel TOPIK 6
  41. 분류하다 불류하다 to classify, to sort TOPIK 4
  42. 신뢰 실ː뢰 trust, confidence TOPIK 4
  43. 연령 열령 age TOPIK 4
  44. 난리 날ː리 uproar TOPIK 4
  45. 원료 월료 raw material TOPIK 6
  46. 설날 설ː랄 Korean New Year TOPIK 2
  47. 찬란하다 찰ː란하다 to be magnificent TOPIK 6
  48. 근래 글ː래 recently, lately TOPIK 4
  49. 산림 살림 mountain forest TOPIK 6
  50. 일일이 일리리 one by one ㄴ첨가연음TOPIK 4
  51. 논리적 놀리적 logical TOPIK 4
  52. 분리하다 불리하다 to separate TOPIK 3
  53. 전력 절ː력 electric power TOPIK 5
  54. 전류 절ː류 electric current TOPIK 6
  55. 반란 발ː란 revolt TOPIK 6
  56. 분류되다 불류되다 to be classified TOPIK 4
  57. 관례 괄례 custom, convention TOPIK 6
  58. 진로 질ː로 a course,direction,path TOPIK 4
  59. 군림하다 굴림하다 to reign TOPIK 6
  60. 전락하다 절ː라카다 to stoop, to fall to that level 격음화TOPIK 6
  61. 건립 걸ː립 erection of a statue/tower TOPIK 6
  62. 꿇는 꿀른 to kneel 자음군TOPIK 4
  63. 진료 질ː료 medical examination and treatment TOPIK 5
  64. 볼일 볼ː릴 errand, business ㄴ첨가TOPIK 3
  65. 꿰뚫는 꿰ː뚤른 to pierce 자음군TOPIK 6
  66. 불이익 불리익 disadvantage,drawback ㄴ첨가TOPIK 4
  67. 원로 월로 elder, elder statesman Common
  68. 인류학 일류학 anthropology Common
  69. 관람객 괄람객 visitors to an exposition TOPIK 3
  70. 분류 불류 classification, categorization TOPIK 4
  71. 언론인 얼로닌 journalist, reporter, correspondent 연음TOPIK 5
  72. 별일 별릴 unusual event ㄴ첨가TOPIK 3
  73. 신뢰하다 실뢰하다 to trust Common
  74. 칼날 칼랄 blade Common
  75. 신령하다 실령하다 divine, sacred Common
  76. 언론사 얼론사 a press agency TOPIK 6
  77. 탄력 탈ː력 elasticity, resiliency TOPIK 6
  78. 근력 글력 muscular strength TOPIK 6
  79. 반론 발ː론 counterargument, countercharge TOPIK 6
  80. 옛날이야기 옌ː날리야기 an old story, folktale ㄴ첨가끝소리비음화TOPIK 3
  81. 판례 팔례 precedent Common
  82. 닳는 달른 to wear down 자음군TOPIK 4
  83. 신뢰도 실ː뢰도 responsibility, reliability Common
  84. 완료하다 왈료하다 to close, complete TOPIK 5
  85. 신뢰성 실ː뢰썽 credibility, faith in, confidence 사잇소리Common
  86. 올여름 올려름 this summer ㄴ첨가TOPIK 3
  87. 전례 절례 precedent Common
  88. 훑는 훌른 to scan, to sweep over 자음군TOPIK 6
  89. 관람 괄람 viewing, watching TOPIK 3
  90. 생활용품 생활룡품 household items ㄴ첨가TOPIK 3
  91. 관람하다 괄람하다 to watch, see TOPIK 3
  92. 순리 술ː리 natural order, the way of things Common
  93. 완료되다 왈료되다 to be completed TOPIK 5
  94. 핥는 할른 to lick 자음군TOPIK 5
  95. 혼란스럽다 홀ː란스럽따 to be confused 경음화TOPIK 5
  96. 관리직 괄리직 management Common
  97. 물엿 물렫 syrup (variously corn syrup, malt syrup, etc.) ㄴ첨가끝소리Common
  98. 안락하다 알라카다 comfortable 격음화TOPIK 6
  99. 현란하다 혈ː란하다 flashy, ornate, colourful, florid, flowery, showy Common
  100. 곤란 골ː란 difficulty, trouble TOPIK 3
  101. 논리학 놀리학 logic (as a field of study) Common
  102. 단련 달련 training, strengthening TOPIK 6
  103. 연령층 열령층 age bracket TOPIK 5
  104. 전래 절래 handed down through generations TOPIK 6
  105. 혼령 홀ː령 an age when one ought to marry Common
  106. 관리비 괄리비 commonarea charge Common
  107. 들끓는 들끌른 to swarm, to be rampant 자음군TOPIK 6
  108. 설익다 설릭따 to be half-ripe or half-cooked ㄴ첨가경음화Common
  109. 신뢰감 실ː뢰감 inspriing trust Common
  110. 윤리적 율리적 ethical, moral TOPIK 6
  111. 줄넘기 줄럼끼 jumping rope 사잇소리TOPIK 3
  112. 들녘 들ː력 field, plain 끝소리Common
  113. 벽난로 병날로 fireplace 비음화Common
  114. 불능 불릉 inability Common
  115. 핵연료 행녈료 nuclear fuel ㄴ첨가비음화Common
  116. 난로 날ː로 stove TOPIK 3
  117. 선례 설례 precedent Common
  118. 연륜 열륜 ring Common
  119. 유별나다 유ː별라다 odd, eccentric, peculiar, bizarre Common
  120. 잔류 잘류 staying behind Common
  121. 지하철역 지하철력 subway station ㄴ첨가TOPIK 1
  122. 혼례 홀례 wedding TOPIK 5
  123. 연락처 열락처 contact details TOPIK 2
  124. 휘발유 휘발류 gasoline ㄴ첨가TOPIK 5
  125. 간략하다 갈랴카다 to give a simple summary 격음화TOPIK 6
  126. 별나다 별라다 to be peculiar TOPIK 5
  127. 일념 일렴 of one mind TOPIK 6
  128. 한글날 한ː글랄 korean writing system national holiday TOPIK 6
  129. 안락 알락 comfort TOPIK 6
  130. 편리 펼리 convenience TOPIK 2
  131. 사물놀이 사ː물로리 samullori, a modern form of traditional pungmullori featuring four traditional instruments 연음TOPIK 5
  132. 완료 왈료 completion TOPIK 5
  133. 단락 달락 paragraph TOPIK 5
  134. 단란하다 달란하다 to be harmonious TOPIK 6
  135. 물약 물략 liquid medicine ㄴ첨가TOPIK 3
  136. 서울역 서울력 Seoul train station ㄴ첨가TOPIK 2
  137. 신라 실라 One dynasty in ancient korea TOPIK 5
  138. 안락사 알락싸 euthanasia 경음화TOPIK 6
  139. 전라도 절라도 Jeolla Province TOPIK 4
  140. 한라산 할ː라산 Mount Halla TOPIK 4

다른 규칙The other rules

연음 Linking A 받침 with a vowel behind it moves into the next block. The first rule to learn and the one you hear most. 2,561 words 음절의 끝소리 규칙 Final neutralisation Any 받침 you can write collapses into one of seven sounds. 옷, 낮 and 꽃 all end identically. 515 words 자음군 단순화 Cluster simplification 값 is 갑, 닭 is 닥, 삶 is 삼. Which of the two letters survives is not guessable from the shape. 104 words 경음화 Tensing After a stop, a plain consonant is squeezed into its tense partner. The commonest sound change in the language. 2,941 words

All 11 pronunciation rules ›

자주 묻는 질문Common questions

Why is 신라 romanised Silla and not Sinra?

Because Revised Romanization spells what is said, and what is said is 실라. The ㄴ and the ㄹ assimilate to a double ㄹ. The same rule turns 연락 into 열락 and 관련 into 괄련.

How do I know whether ㄴㄹ becomes ㄹㄹ or ㄴㄴ?

By word. ㄹㄹ is the rule and ㄴㄴ is a listed set of Sino-Korean compounds — mostly three-syllable words ending in 량, 력, 란, 론, 료 or 례. When in doubt, ㄹㄹ is right far more often.

Pronunciations, audio and example words from the 국립국어원 한국어기초사전, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.