Forming Hangul Syllable Blocks: How Korean Letters Combine in Real Words

1) The Syllable Template: 초성 + 중성 (+ 종성)

In Korean, letters (자모, jamo) are not written in a line like English. They are grouped into square syllable blocks. Each block represents one spoken syllable.

Think of every block as a small “container” with a simple template:

• Initial consonant (초성): the first sound of the syllable. If the syllable begins with a vowel sound, Korean still needs an initial slot—so it uses ㅇ as a silent placeholder.
• Vowel (중성): the core of the syllable.
• Optional final consonant (종성, 받침): a consonant at the bottom of the block. This is called batchim.

So the basic patterns are:

• CV (consonant + vowel): 가 = ㄱ + ㅏ
• VC is written as ㅇV (+ optional batchim): 아 = ㅇ + ㅏ (ㅇ is silent)
• CVC (consonant + vowel + batchim): 각 = ㄱ + ㅏ + ㄱ

One block = one syllable. When you read a word, you read block by block, then blend smoothly.

2) The Four Main Block Layouts (with text “visuals”)

The vowel’s shape determines where it sits. Some vowels are “vertical” (they sit to the right of the consonant), and some are “horizontal” (they sit below). Compound vowels follow the same idea: they are either mostly vertical or mostly horizontal in layout.

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A) Vowel to the right (vertical vowel): ㄱ + ㅏ → 가

Layout rule: If the vowel has a main vertical stroke (like ㅏ ㅑ ㅓ ㅕ ㅣ), it goes to the right of the initial consonant.

Text visual:

[초성][중성]  →  ㄱ + ㅏ  =  가

More examples (same layout):

• 나 = ㄴ + ㅏ
• 미 = ㅁ + ㅣ
• 서 = ㅅ + ㅓ

B) Vowel below (horizontal vowel): ㄱ + ㅗ → 고

Layout rule: If the vowel has a main horizontal stroke (like ㅗ ㅛ ㅜ ㅠ ㅡ), it goes below the initial consonant.

Text visual:

[초성]      →  ㄱ + ㅗ  =  고
[중성]

More examples (same layout):

• 노 = ㄴ + ㅗ
• 무 = ㅁ + ㅜ
• 그 = ㄱ + ㅡ

C) Compound vowels to the right/below (same positioning logic)

Compound vowels (like ㅐ ㅔ ㅚ ㅘ ㅝ ㅢ) still follow the same placement rule: if the overall vowel behaves like a vertical vowel, it goes to the right; if it behaves like a horizontal vowel, it goes below.

Right-side compound examples (treated as vertical):

• 개 = ㄱ + ㅐ (vowel sits to the right)
• 네 = ㄴ + ㅔ
• 외 = ㅇ + ㅚ (ㅇ is silent; vowel sits to the right)

Below compound examples (treated as horizontal):

• 과 = ㄱ + ㅘ (vowel sits below)
• 워 = ㅇ + ㅝ (ㅇ is silent; vowel sits below)

Text visual reminder:

Right-side:  [초성][중성]
Below:       [초성]
            [중성]

D) Blocks with a final consonant (batchim): 각, 곰

If there is a final consonant, it goes at the bottom of the block, under the consonant+vowel “top part.”

Text visual (right-side vowel + batchim):

[초성][중성]
   [종성]     →  ㄱ + ㅏ + ㄱ = 각

Text visual (below vowel + batchim):

[초성]
[중성]
[종성]        →  ㄱ + ㅗ + ㅁ = 곰

More batchim examples:

• 감 = ㄱ + ㅏ + ㅁ
• 문 = ㅁ + ㅜ + ㄴ
• 길 = ㄱ + ㅣ + ㄹ

Reading tip: When you see batchim, read the top (초성+중성) first, then “close” the syllable with the bottom consonant.

3) Guided Assembly Exercises (Build blocks ↔ Break blocks)

Exercise A: Given jamo, build the syllable block

Instructions: (1) Identify the vowel type (right-side vs below). (2) Place the initial consonant. (3) Add the vowel in the correct position. (4) If there is batchim, add it at the bottom.

Exercise B: Given a block, decompose into jamo

Instructions: (1) Find the vowel position (right or below). (2) The remaining top part is the initial consonant. (3) Check if there is a bottom consonant (batchim).

Exercise C: Mix-and-match (quick drills)

Build the blocks:

• ㄴ + ㅏ = __
• ㅁ + ㅗ = __
• ㄱ + ㅜ + ㄴ = __
• ㅇ + ㅣ = __
• ㅁ + ㅏ + ㄴ = __

Break into jamo:

• 나 = __ + __
• 모 = __ + __
• 군 = __ + __ + __
• 이 = __ + __
• 만 = __ + __ + __

4) Short Reading Sets (CV → CVC → Multi-syllable)

Read one block at a time. Point to each block as you read it, then blend.

Set 1: CV (no batchim)

• 가 나 다
• 고 노 모
• 미 니 기
• 아 오 우 (remember: ㅇ is silent here)

Set 2: CVC (with batchim)

• 각 간 감
• 곤 곰 공
• 문 물

Set 3: Two-syllable words (blend block-by-block)

• 가나 (가 + 나)
• 나무 (나 + 무)
• 고기 (고 + 기)
• 가방 (가 + 방)
• 바다 (바 + 다)

Set 4: Three-syllable practice (keep the rhythm steady)

• 가나다 (가 + 나 + 다)
• 나무가 (나 + 무 + 가)
• 고기가 (고 + 기 + 가)

Blending method: Say each block clearly first (e.g., 고…기), then say them faster together (고기).

5) Practical Decoding: Everyday Items and Names (One Syllable at a Time)

Now apply the same skill to real-world Hangul. Don’t try to read the whole word at once—decode each block, then blend.

Everyday items

• 커피 = 커 + 피
• 버스 = 버 + 스
• 택시 = 택 + 시
• 우유 = 우 + 유
• 라면 = 라 + 면
• 카메라 = 카 + 메 + 라

Simple names (practice block-by-block)

• 민수 = 민 + 수
• 지민 = 지 + 민
• 유나 = 유 + 나
• 서준 = 서 + 준

How to decode any new word you see

• Step 1: Split the word into blocks (each square chunk).
• Step 2: For each block, identify 초성 + 중성 (+ 종성).
• Step 3: Read each block aloud slowly.
• Step 4: Blend the blocks smoothly into the full word.

Practice on signs by covering everything except one block with your finger, reading that block, then moving to the next.