ALT Codes for Letters of the Korean Alphabet (Hangul)

This is the complete list of Windows ALT codes for letters of the Korean alphabet and Mac Option codes for letters of the Korean alphabet. If you are new to ALT codes and need detailed instructions on how to use them, please read How to Use ALT Codes to Enter Special Characters.

The alphabet used for the Korean language is known as Hangul (한글) in South Korea and Chosŏn’gŭl (조선글) in North Korea. Hangul is the modern official alphabet for written Korean communication. Individual characters in the Korean alphabet are referred to as jamo (자모). The contemporary Hangul orthography consists of 24 basic letters: 14 consonants and 10 vowels. Additionally, there are 27 complex letters formed by combining the basic letters: 5 tense consonants (double consonants), 11 complex consonants, and 11 complex vowels.

Please note that the availability and functionality of Alt codes and Option codes above may vary depending on your keyboard layout, operating system version, and software applications. They may not work in all software or applications, as their functionality depends on the program’s compatibility with Alt input or Option input. For frequent use of the Korean alphabet (Hangul), you may want to consider input methods using the appropriate keyboard layout and language settings on your computer or device. For occasional use, a quick alternative aside from Alt codes and Option codes is to simply copy and paste the Korean letter you need to use in your document. To do this: on this browser screen, highlight and then copy the Korean letter you need, then paste it in your document.

The 24 Basic Letters of the Korean Alphabet

The 24 basic letters of the Korean alphabet, called “jamo” (자모), are the foundation of the writing system used to represent the sounds of the Korean language. Each jamo corresponds to a specific consonant or vowel sound. Here’s a breakdown of each basic letter and its corresponding sound:

Consonants (14):

1. ㄱ (Giyeok): Pronounced like “g” at the beginning of a word, and “k” elsewhere.
2. ㄴ (Nieun): Pronounced like “n”.
3. ㄷ (Digeut): Pronounced like “d” at the beginning of a word, and “t” elsewhere.
4. ㄹ (Rieul): Pronounced like “r” or “l” depending on the word and dialect.
5. ㅁ (Mieum): Pronounced like “m”.
6. ㅂ (Bieup): Pronounced like “b” at the beginning of a word, and “p” elsewhere.
7. ㅅ (Siot): Pronounced like “s”.
8. ㅇ (Ieung): Represents a silent sound at the beginning of a word (like “ng” in “song”) or serves as a placeholder for a vowel at the end of a syllable.
9. ㅈ (Jieut): Pronounced like “j” at the beginning of a word, and “ch” elsewhere.
10. ㅊ (Chieut): Pronounced like “ch”.
11. ㅋ (Kieuk): Pronounced like “k”.
12. ㅌ (Tieut): Pronounced like “t”.
13. ㅍ (Pieup): Pronounced like “p”.
14. ㅎ (Hieut): Pronounced like “h”.

Vowels (10):

1. ㅏ (A): Pronounced like “a”.
2. ㅑ (Ya): Pronounced like “ya”.
3. ㅓ (Eo): Pronounced like “eo”.
4. ㅕ (Yeo): Pronounced like “yeo”.
5. ㅗ (O): Pronounced like “o”.
6. ㅛ (Yo): Pronounced like “yo”.
7. ㅜ (U): Pronounced like “u”.
8. ㅠ (Yu): Pronounced like “yu”.
9. ㅡ (Eu): Pronounced like “eu”.
10. ㅣ (I): Pronounced like “i”.

By combining these basic letters in various ways, Hangul can represent all the sounds in the Korean language efficiently, making it a highly effective and scientifically designed writing system.

The 27 Complex Letters of the Korean Alphabet

The 27 complex letters of the Korean alphabet are formed by combining the 24 basic letters in various ways to represent specific sounds that are not covered by the individual basic letter. Here is a breakdown of each complex letter and its corresponding sound:

Complex Tense Double Consonants (5):

1. ㄲ (Gyeokgiyeok): A double consonant, pronounced as a tensed version of ㄱ (Giyeok), like the “g” sound in “egg” but pronounced with more force.
2. ㄸ (Gyeokdigeut): A double consonant, pronounced as a tensed version of ㄷ (Digeut), like the “d” sound in “add” but pronounced with more force.
3. ㅃ (Gyeokbieup): A double consonant, pronounced as a tensed version of ㅂ (Bieup), like the “b” sound in “ebb” but pronounced with more force.
4. ㅆ (Gyeoksiot): A double consonant, pronounced as a tensed version of ㅅ (Siot), like the “s” sound in “miss” but pronounced with more force.
5. ㅉ (Gyeokjieut): A double consonant, pronounced as a tensed version of ㅈ (Jieut), like the “j” sound in “jet” but pronounced with more force.

Complex Consonants (11):

1. ㄳ (Giyeoksiot): Combination of ㄱ (Giyeok) and ㅅ (Siot), pronounced as “gs” like the final sound in the word “legs”.
2. ㄵ (Nieunjieut): Combination of ㄴ (Nieun) and ㅈ (Jieut), pronounced as “nj” like the initial sound in the word “ninja”.
3. ㄶ (Nieunhieut): Combination of ㄴ (Nieun) and ㅎ (Hieut), pronounced as “nh” like the initial sound in the word “nham”.
4. ㄺ (Rieulgiyeok): Combination of ㄹ (Rieul) and ㄱ (Giyeok), pronounced as “lg” like the final sound in the word “bulgogi”.
5. ㄻ (Rieulmieum): Combination of ㄹ (Rieul) and ㅁ (Mieum), pronounced as “lm” like the final sound in the word “film”.
6. ㄼ (Rieulbieup): Combination of ㄹ (Rieul) and ㅂ (Bieup), pronounced as “lb” like the final sound in the word “alb”.
7. ㄽ (Rieulsiot): Combination of ㄹ (Rieul) and ㅅ (Siot), pronounced as “ls” like the final sound in the word “pulse”.
8. ㄾ (Rieulhieut): Combination of ㄹ (Rieul) and ㅎ (Hieut), pronounced as “lh” like the final sound in the word “dolh”.
9. ㄿ (Mieumbieup): Combination of ㅁ (Mieum) and ㅂ (Bieup), pronounced as “mb” like the final sound in the word “thumb”.
10. ㅀ (Mieumsiot): Combination of ㅁ (Mieum) and ㅅ (Siot), pronounced as “ms” like the final sound in the word “games”.
11. ㅄ (Bieupsiot): Combination of ㅂ (Bieup) and ㅅ (Siot), pronounced as “bs” like the final sound in the word “ribs”.

Complex Vowels (11):

1. ㅐ (Ae): Combination of ㅏ (A) and ㅣ (I), pronounced as “ae”.
2. ㅒ (Yae): Combination of ㅑ (Ya) and ㅣ (I), pronounced as “yae”.
3. ㅔ (E): Combination of ㅓ (Eo) and ㅣ (I), pronounced as “e”.
4. ㅖ (Ye): Combination of ㅕ (Yeo) and ㅣ (I), pronounced as “ye”.
5. ㅘ (Wa): Combination of ㅗ (O) and ㅏ (A), pronounced as “wa”.
6. ㅙ (Wae): Combination of ㅗ (O) and ㅐ (Ae), pronounced as “wae”.
7. ㅚ (We): Combination of ㅗ (O) and ㅣ (I), pronounced as “we”.
8. ㅝ (Wo): Combination of ㅜ (U) and ㅓ (Eo), pronounced as “wo”.
9. ㅞ (We): Combination of ㅜ (U) and ㅔ (E), pronounced as “we”.
10. ㅟ (Wi): Combination of ㅜ (U) and ㅣ (I), pronounced as “wi”.
11. ㅢ (Ui): Combination of ㅡ (Eu) and ㅣ (I), pronounced as “ui”.

These complex letters are essential in representing specific sounds and pronunciations in the Korean language, ensuring that Hangul accurately captures the linguistic nuances and phonetics of the Korean words.

A Brief History and Description of Hangul, the Korean Alphabet

The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul (한글), is a phonetic writing system developed during the 15th century under the reign of King Sejong the Great in Korea. It is one of the most scientific and efficient writing systems in the world, specifically designed to represent the sounds of the Korean language accurately.

Key features of Hangul include:

1. Phonetic Representation: Unlike some other writing systems, Hangul is phonetic, which means each character directly corresponds to a specific sound. It was created to be easy to learn and accessible to the common people, promoting literacy among Koreans.
2. Character Composition: Hangul characters, called “jamo” (자모), are composed of basic components: 14 consonant letters (자음, jaeum) and 10 vowel letters (모음, moeum). Consonants and vowels are combined to form syllables.
3. Featural System: The shapes of Hangul letters are based on the articulation of the speech organs when pronouncing sounds. For example, the shape of the letter ㅁ (m) represents the lips, and the letter ㄴ (n) represents the tongue touching the roof of the mouth.
4. Horizontal and Vertical Writing: Hangul can be written horizontally from left to right, like in English, or vertically in columns, like traditional Chinese characters.
5. Consonant and Vowel Harmony: Hangul follows a pattern of consonant and vowel harmony, where certain consonants and vowels are paired together according to their phonetic properties.
6. Promotion of Literacy: The creation of Hangul aimed to increase literacy among the common people. It provided an alternative to the complex and difficult Classical Chinese characters (Hanja), which were used exclusively by the educated elite.
7. Cultural Significance: Hangul has become a symbol of Korean identity and cultural pride. The invention of Hangul is celebrated in South Korea as Hangul Day, which falls on October 9th.

Today, Hangul is the official writing system of both North and South Korea. While South Korea predominantly uses Hangul for most writing, North Korea still uses it alongside the limited use of Classical Chinese characters (Hanja) in certain contexts. Hangul’s contribution to Korean language and culture is profound, and it remains an essential aspect of Korea’s cultural heritage. In addition, Korean is a significant language in international trade, business, and entertainment. Korean popular culture, including K-dramas, K-pop music, and Korean films, has gained global popularity, leading to increased interest in learning the Korean language outside of Korea.

See more symbol sets for popular ALT codes at ALT Codes for Miscellaneous Symbols. For the the complete list of the first 256 Windows ALT Codes, visit Windows ALT Codes for Special Characters & Symbols.