Batchim in Korean

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Definition

In the Korean language, a batchim (받침) is a consonant that is placed at the bottom of a syllable block. It is the final consonant in a syllable and is written after the vowel in the syllable block.

We can distinguish three types of batchims based on the number and type of consonants in a syllable.

홑받침 (hot batchim)

One consonant ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅇ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅎ

Korean hot batchim examples

쌍받침 (ssang batchim)

Two same consonants ㄲ, ㅆ

Korean ssang batchim examples

겹받침 (kyeop batchim)

Two different consonants ㄳ, ㄵ, ㄶ, ㄾ, ㅀ, ㅄ, ㄽ, ㄻ, ㄿ, ㄺ, ㄼ

Korean kyop batchim examples

How to read batchim?

In this lesson, we will take a closer look at 16 batchims (4 hot-batchims, 1 ssang-batchim, and 11 kyeop-batchims) that have distinct pronunciations depending on whether they are followed by a consonant or if they are at the end of a phrase.

all types of Korean batchim

* See exceptions here and here

ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ

ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ must be pronounced as ㄷ [ t ] if followed by a consonant or nothing (exception: consonants ㄴ and ㅁ).

ㅅ

빗다

[ 빋따 ]

ㅆ

있다

[ 읻따 ]

ㅈ

낮

[ 낟 ]

ㅊ

꽃

[ 꼳 ]

ㅌ

맡기다

[ 맏끼다 ]

Please note that if ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ are followed by ㄴ or ㅁ, then ㅅ, ㅆ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ must be pronounced as ㄴ [ n ]. Read more about pronunciation rules for letter ㄷ here.

If ㅅ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ, ㅆ are followed by a vowel, they must be pronounced according to their original sound.

ㅅ

빗어요

[ 비서요 ]

ㅆ

있어요

[ 이서요 ]

ㅈ

낮에

[ 나제 ]

ㅊ

꽃이

[ 꼬치 ]

ㅌ

맡은

[ 마튼 ]

ㄳ, ㄵ, ㄶ, ㄾ, ㅀ, ㅄ, ㄽ, ㄼ, ㄻ, ㄿ, ㄺ

If kyeop batchim is followed by a consonant* (see exceptions) or nothing, then only one consonant must be pronounced.

First consonant

ㄳ

몫

[ 목 ]

ㄵ

앉다

[ 안따 ]

ㄶ

않다

[ 안타 ]

ㄾ

핥다

[ 할따 ]

ㅀ

싫다

[ 실타 ]

ㅄ

값

[ 갑 ]

ㄽ

외곬

[ 외골 ]

ㄼ

여덟

[ 여덜 ] *

* Exception: 밟다 [ 밥따 ]

Second consonant

ㄻ

삶

[ 삼 ]

ㄿ

읊다

[ 읍따 ]

ㄺ

읽다

[ 익따 ]*

*

읽기

[ 일끼 ]

Exceptions

If ㄵ, ㄺ, or ㄼ is followed by ㅎ, ㅈ, ㄱ, or ㅂ, like this [ ㄵ + ㅎ or ㅈ ], [ ㄼ + ㅎ or ㅂ ], [ ㄺ + ㅎ or ㄱ ], then all letters must be pronounced.

At the same time, if [ ㄵ → ㅎ ], [ㄼ → ㅎ], [ ㄺ → ㅎ ] then ㅈ, ㄱ, ㅂ must be pronounced as ㅊ, ㅋ, ㅍ.

ㄵ

앉히다

[ 안치다 ]

ㄼ

밟히다

[ 발피다 ]

ㄺ

읽히다

[ 일키다 ]

And if [ ㄵ → ㅈ ], [ㄼ → ㅂ ], [ ㄺ → ㄱ ] then ㅈ, ㄱ, ㅂ must be pronounced as ㅉ, ㅃ, ㄲ.

ㄵ

앉지요

[ 안찌요 ]

ㄼ

여덟 번

[ 여덜 뻔 ]

ㄺ

읽기

[ 일끼 ]

If kyeop batchim is followed by a vowel sound then you should read all letters.

ㄵ

앉아요

[ 안자요 ]

ㄻ

삶이

[ 살미 ]

Check out related topics:

Quick reference (click to open)

Vowels: a, e, i, o, u

Consonants: b, c, d, f, g, h, j

Syllable: Bra-zil (2 syllables), Ar-gen-ti-na (4), In-di-a (3), Viet-nam (2), thin-king (2), beau-ti-ful (3), good (1)

Batchim: is a final consonant in a syllable. → Bra-zil (batchim: 'l'), Ar-gen-ti-na (batchims: 'r' and 'n'), In-di-a ('n'), Viet-nam ('t', 'm')

Romanization: is a conversion of text (not pronunciation ! ) from different writing system (Korean, Arabic, Russian, etc.) to the Roman (Latin) alphabet.

IPA: is an alphabetic system of phonetic (pronunciation) notation.

Noun: road, user, sister, table, sky

Pronoun: I, my, we, you, they, her

Verb: to go, to study, to think, to feel

Adjective: cold, kind, hungry, curious, expensive

Adverb: quickly, nicely, never, exactly, urgently

Preposition: from, to, on, in, with, till

Conjuction: and, because, if, but, while

Declarative sentence: I learn Korean.

Interrogative sentence: Do you learn Korean?

Imperative sentence: You must learn Korean!

Exclamative sentence: Wow, you learn Korean!

Verb / Adj. stem in Korean: part of a verb or adj. which is left after removing the last syllable -다 ( e.g. 가다 → 가, 예쁘다 → 예쁘, 듣다 → 듣 ).