Korean Square Script Pronunciation Guide183

Introduction

The Korean square script, also known as hyangchal or idu, is a writing system that was used in Korea from the 15th to the 19th century. It is based on Chinese characters, but the characters have been modified to represent Korean sounds. The square script is no longer in common use, but it is still used in some traditional ceremonies and documents.

Pronunciation

The pronunciation of the Korean square script is based on the pronunciation of the Korean language in the 15th century. Since then, the pronunciation of Korean has changed, so the pronunciation of the square script is different from the pronunciation of modern Korean.

The following table shows the pronunciation of the Korean square script consonants.| Character | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| 가 | g |
| 나 | n |
| 다 | d |
| 라 | r |
| 마 | m |
| 바 | b |
| 사 | s |
| 아 | a |
| 자 | j |
| 차 | ch |
| 카 | k |
| 타 | t |
| 파 | p |
| 하 | h |

The following table shows the pronunciation of the Korean square script vowels.| Character | Pronunciation |
|---|---|
| 아 | a |
| 이 | i |
| 오 | o |
| 우 | u |
| 에 | e |
| 예 | ye |
| 왜 | wae |
| 워 | wo |
| 위 | wi |
| 유 | yu |
| 야 | ya |
| 요 | yo |
| 여 | yeo |
| 유 | yu |
| 얘 | yae |
| 왜 | wae |
| 워 | wo |
| 위 | wi |
| 유 | yu |

Examples

The following are some examples of Korean square script words.| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 국가 | gukka | country |
| 사람 | saram | person |
| 집 | jip | house |
| 책 | chaek | book |
| 학교 | hakkyo | school |

Conclusion

The Korean square script is a fascinating writing system that is no longer in common use. However, it is still used in some traditional ceremonies and documents, and it is a valuable resource for studying the history of the Korean language.

2024-12-06

Previous：Germanic Bird Words

Next：German Phrasebook for Everyday Conversations