음절의 끝소리 규칙음절의 끝소리 규칙 — Sixteen Letters, Seven Sounds

Sixteen single consonants can be written in the 받침 slot. Exactly seven can be said there: ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅇ. Everything else lands on one of them — ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ and ㅎ all come out ㄷ, ㅍ comes out ㅂ, ㄲ and ㅋ come out ㄱ.

So 옷, 낮 and 꽃 end in the same sound, and 앞 is said 압. This is the rule that makes Korean spelling look inconsistent and is in fact the reason it is not: the spelling keeps the letter that belongs to the word, and this rule says what happens to it at the end of a syllable.

단어Words that do this
515
소리 변화Times it fires
1,294
표준 발음법Standard
제8항, 제9항
예측 가능Predictable
Yes

규칙The rule

Three lines, and they are exceptionless.

WrittenSaidExample
ㅅ ㅆ ㅈ ㅊ ㅌ ㅎ → ㄷ 옷 → 옫, 꽃 → 꼳
→ ㅂ 앞 → 압
ㄲ ㅋ → ㄱ 밖 → 박

적용 예Worked through

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

  1. 음절의 끝소리 규칙
thing TOPIK 1
  1. 맛있다
  2. 음절의 끝소리 규칙 맏있다
  3. 연음 마딨다
  4. 음절의 끝소리 규칙 마딛다
  5. 경음화 마딛따
맛있다 delicious, tasty TOPIK 1
  1. 똑같다
  2. 음절의 끝소리 규칙 똑갇다
  3. 경음화 똑깓다
  4. 경음화 똑깓따
똑같다 to be the same TOPIK 2

주의할 점What is usually got wrong

The letter is silenced, not lost. Put a vowel behind it and it comes straight back: 옷 is 옫 but 옷이 is 오시, 꽃 is 꼳 but 꽃이 is 꼬치. That is exactly why Korean spells them differently in the first place — the spelling is recording which consonant will reappear.

It also means a 받침 is never released. English speakers pop the final consonant of cat; Korean stops the airflow and holds it, which is what makes 옫 and 옥 sound so much closer to each other than ot and ok do.

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.

The 150 commonest of 515 words on this site that do this

  1. thing TOPIK 1
  2. 있다 읻따 to be in the process of 경음화TOPIK 1
  3. 같다 갇따 to be the same 경음화TOPIK 1
  4. 그것 그걷 that thing TOPIK 1
  5. front TOPIK 1
  6. 싶다 십따 to want 경음화TOPIK 1
  7. place TOPIK 1
  8. 무엇 무얻 what TOPIK 1
  9. 놓는 논는 to put, to place 비음화TOPIK 2
  10. 이것 이걷 this thing TOPIK 1
  11. how many TOPIK 1
  12. 갖다 갇따 having, possessing 경음화TOPIK 2
  13. 찾다 찯따 to find 경음화TOPIK 1
  14. 몯ː cannot TOPIK 1
  15. 넣는 넌ː는 to put in 비음화TOPIK 1
  16. 믿 and TOPIK 3
  17. 짓다 짇ː따 to make 경음화TOPIK 2
  18. outside TOPIK 1
  19. 높다 놉따 to be high 경음화TOPIK 1
  20. meaning TOPIK 2
  21. 웃다 욷ː따 to laugh, to smile 경음화TOPIK 1
  22. end TOPIK 2
  23. as if, seeming like TOPIK 5
  24. 끝나다 끈나다 to come to an end 비음화TOPIK 1
  25. 맞다 맏따 to be correct 경음화TOPIK 1
  26. taste, flavor TOPIK 1
  27. 낳는 난ː는 to give birth to, to lay 비음화TOPIK 3
  28. side, flank TOPIK 1
  29. 깊다 깁따 to be deep 경음화TOPIK 2
  30. flower TOPIK 1
  31. clothes, clothing TOPIK 1
  32. 옛날 옌ː날 the past, long ago 비음화TOPIK 2
  33. 이곳 이곧 here TOPIK 2
  34. 맡다 맏따 to take charge of 경음화TOPIK 3
  35. 믿 bottom, underneath TOPIK 1
  36. first TOPIK 2
  37. 맞추다 맏추다 to adjust TOPIK 2
  38. 재미있다 재미읻따 fun 경음화TOPIK 1
  39. 붙다 붇따 to stick, to adhere 경음화TOPIK 2
  40. 잇다 읻ː따 to connect, to join 경음화TOPIK 3
  41. 갖추다 갇추다 to equip, prepare TOPIK 4
  42. 닦다 닥따 to polish 경음화TOPIK 2
  43. light TOPIK 3
  44. 겪다 격따 to experience 경음화TOPIK 4
  45. 그곳 그곧 that place, there TOPIK 2
  46. 잊다 읻따 to forget 경음화TOPIK 2
  47. 씻다 씯따 to wash clean 경음화TOPIK 1
  48. 늦다 늗따 to be late 경음화TOPIK 1
  49. 이웃 이욷 neighbor TOPIK 2
  50. 낮다 낟따 to be low 경음화TOPIK 1
  51. 맛있다 마딛따 delicious, tasty 연음경음화TOPIK 1
  52. forest TOPIK 3
  53. 내놓는 내ː논는 to put out, to take out 비음화TOPIK 4
  54. 벗다 벋따 to take off 경음화TOPIK 2
  55. daytime TOPIK 1
  56. fault, blame TOPIK 5
  57. 앞서 압써 previously, before 경음화TOPIK 4
  58. 알맞다 알ː맏따 to be suitable, to fit 경음화TOPIK 2
  59. 잘못 잘몯 mistake TOPIK 1
  60. 똑같다 똑깓따 to be the same 경음화TOPIK 2
  61. 닿는 단ː는 to touch, to reach 비음화TOPIK 3
  62. 옏ː old, bygone TOPIK 2
  63. 끝내다 끈내다 to finish something 비음화TOPIK 2
  64. 아무것 아ː무걷 anything TOPIK 2
  65. 젖다 젇따 to be wet, soaked 경음화TOPIK 2
  66. 어쨌든 어짿뜬 anyway 경음화TOPIK 4
  67. 맡기다 맏끼다 to entrust 경음화TOPIK 3
  68. 쌓는 싼는 to pile up, to stack 비음화TOPIK 2
  69. 짇ː a physical act or movement TOPIK 4
  70. 잘못되다 잘몯뙤다 to go wrong 경음화TOPIK 2
  71. dry field TOPIK 5
  72. 그릇 그륻 bowl TOPIK 1
  73. side, vicinity TOPIK 3
  74. 다섯 다섣 five TOPIK 1
  75. 앞두다 압뚜다 to have (something) ahead of one 경음화TOPIK 4
  76. 온갖 온ː갇 all kinds of TOPIK 4
  77. 무릎 무릅 knee TOPIK 2
  78. 맺다 맫따 to bear (fruit), to produce (results) 경음화TOPIK 4
  79. leaf TOPIK 2
  80. 낫다 낟ː따 to be better 경음화TOPIK 2
  81. 볶다 복따 to stir-fry 경음화TOPIK 2
  82. 붓다 붇ː따 to pour 경음화TOPIK 3
  83. 섞다 석따 to mix 경음화TOPIK 2
  84. 눈앞 누납 before one's eyes 연음TOPIK 4
  85. 빛나다 빈나다 to shine, to glitter 비음화TOPIK 4
  86. 노릇 노륻 role TOPIK 6
  87. 눈빛 눈삗 the glitter of one's eyes 사잇소리TOPIK 4
  88. 덧붙이다 덛뿌치다 to attach, to add 구개음화경음화TOPIK 4
  89. 몇몇 면멷 some, a few 비음화TOPIK 3
  90. 부엌 부억 kitchen TOPIK 1
  91. 놓치다 녿치다 to miss TOPIK 3
  92. 덮다 덥따 to cover 경음화TOPIK 3
  93. 앞서다 압써다 to precede, to come before 경음화TOPIK 4
  94. 낯설다 낟썰다 strange, unfamiliar 경음화TOPIK 3
  95. 못지않다 몯ː찌안타 to be as ... as 격음화경음화TOPIK 4
  96. 거짓말 거ː진말 lie 비음화TOPIK 2
  97. 낚시 낙씨 fishing with hook and line 경음화TOPIK 2
  98. 비롯되다 비롣뙤다 to originate 경음화TOPIK 4
  99. 끝내 끈내 the end 비음화TOPIK 3
  100. 버릇 버륻 habit TOPIK 2
  101. 깎다 깍따 to cut, peel, shave 경음화TOPIK 2
  102. 뱃사람 밷싸람 sailor 경음화TOPIK 5
  103. 짙다 짇따 deep, dark 경음화TOPIK 4
  104. 창밖 창박 outside a window TOPIK 3
  105. 벗기다 벋끼다 to take off, to undress 경음화TOPIK 3
  106. 불빛 불삗 light, beam 사잇소리TOPIK 4
  107. 앞장서다 압짱서다 to lead, to take the lead 경음화TOPIK 4
  108. 젓다 젇ː따 to stir 경음화TOPIK 3
  109. 곳곳 곧꼳 everywhere 경음화TOPIK 3
  110. 여섯 여섣 six TOPIK 1
  111. 바깥 바깓 outside TOPIK 2
  112. 부딪치다 부딛치다 to strike, to hit, to bump into, to collide with TOPIK 4
  113. 빚다 빋따 to shape, to mold 경음화TOPIK 4
  114. 묶다 묵따 to tie up, to bind 경음화TOPIK 3
  115. surface, the outside TOPIK 2
  116. 섿ː three TOPIK 1
  117. 맞서다 맏써다 to stand against, to oppose 경음화TOPIK 4
  118. 셋째 섿ː째 third TOPIK 2
  119. 잇따르다 읻ː따르다 to follow one after another TOPIK 4
  120. 짚다 집따 to lean on, rest on (a cane) 경음화TOPIK 4
  121. 햇빛 해삗 sunlight, sunshine 사잇소리TOPIK 2
  122. 얼핏 얼핃 in an instant, in a flash, by chance, by accident TOPIK 6
  123. 꺾다 꺽따 to break off 경음화TOPIK 4
  124. 쫓다 쫃따 to chase 경음화TOPIK 4
  125. 어긋나다 어근나다 to go against 비음화TOPIK 4
  126. 올려놓는 올려논는 to put on, to place on 비음화TOPIK 3
  127. 되찾다 되찯따 to recover 경음화TOPIK 3
  128. 솟다 솓따 to rise, to soar 경음화TOPIK 4
  129. 웃기다 욷ː끼다 to make someone laugh 경음화TOPIK 4
  130. 뒤늦다 뒤ː늗따 late, tardy 경음화TOPIK 4
  131. 맛보다 맏뽀다 to taste, to try (by tasting) 경음화TOPIK 5
  132. 내려놓는 내려논는 to put down, to set down 비음화TOPIK 3
  133. 집어넣는 지버넌는 to put in 연음비음화TOPIK 4
  134. 곁들이다 겯뜨리다 to add to a dish as a side 연음경음화TOPIK 6
  135. 멋지다 먿찌다 to be cool, splendid 경음화TOPIK 3
  136. 갚다 갑따 to repay, to pay back 경음화TOPIK 2
  137. 꽂다 꼳따 to insert, to stick in 경음화TOPIK 3
  138. 앞세우다 압쎄우다 to place in front, to have (someone) go ahead 경음화TOPIK 4
  139. 붙잡다 붇짭따 to seize, to grab 경음화TOPIK 4
  140. 빛깔 빋깔 color, hue TOPIK 4
  141. 털어놓는 터러논는 to confide 연음비음화TOPIK 6
  142. 낮추다 낟추다 to lower TOPIK 4
  143. 쫓기다 쫃끼다 to be chased 경음화TOPIK 4
  144. 몸짓 몸찓 gesture 사잇소리TOPIK 3
  145. 빼앗다 빼앋따 to take away, steal 경음화TOPIK 4
  146. 잦다 잗따 to be frequent 경음화TOPIK 5
  147. 첫날 천날 first day 비음화TOPIK 2
  148. 듯싶다 듣씹따 to seem, to appear 경음화TOPIK 5
  149. 엎드리다 업뜨리다 to lie face down, to prostrate oneself 경음화TOPIK 4
  150. 여럿 여럳 many people TOPIK 4

다른 규칙The other rules

All 11 pronunciation rules ›

자주 묻는 질문Common questions

Why do 낫, 낮, 낯 and 낟 all sound the same?

Because ㅅ, ㅈ, ㅊ and ㄷ all neutralise to ㄷ in the 받침. All four are said 낟. They are spelt apart because they behave apart the moment an ending follows: 낫이 is 나시, 낮이 is 나지, 낯이 is 나치.

How do I know which 받침 to write if they all sound alike?

From an inflected form. Say the word with -이 or -을 after it and the real consonant reappears — the sound you hear there is the letter you write. It is the same trick Korean children are taught.

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