① What batchim is
A Hangul block is usually a consonant plus a vowel. Sometimes one more consonant sits underneath — that bottom consonant is called batchim (받침), which means “support” in Korean.
Examples: 가 (ga) + ㄴ = 간 (gan); 가 + ㅁ = 감 (gam)
② Batchim pronunciation: it comes down to 7 sounds
| Sound | How it sounds | Batchim letters with this sound |
|---|---|---|
| ㄱ (k) | a "k" you stop without releasing (like the k in "backpack") | ㄱ ㅋ ㄲ |
| ㄴ (n) | "n" | ㄴ |
| ㄷ (t) | a "t" you stop without releasing (like the t in "hot dog") | ㄷ ㅌ ㅅ ㅆ ㅈ ㅊ ㅎ |
| ㄹ (l) | "l" | ㄹ |
| ㅁ (m) | "m" | ㅁ |
| ㅂ (p) | a "p" you stop with closed lips (like the p in "top cat") | ㅂ ㅍ |
| ㅇ (ng) | "ng" as in "sing" | ㅇ |
The key point for English speakers: final k, t and p are not released — you close off the sound without a puff of air.
③ Batchim chart: examples by sound
| Sound | Examples | Pronounced | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ㄱ | 국 / 부엌 / 밖 | guk / bu-eok / bak | soup / kitchen / outside |
| ㄴ | 산 | san | mountain |
| ㄷ | 맛 / 꽃 / 낮 | mat / kkot / nat | taste / flower / daytime |
| ㄹ | 물 | mul | water |
| ㅁ | 김 | gim | seaweed |
| ㅂ | 밥 / 앞 | bap / ap | rice / front |
| ㅇ | 강 | gang | river |
맛 (ㅅ), 꽃 (ㅊ) and 낮 (ㅈ) are spelled differently but all end in the same “t” sound.
④ ㅇ at the bottom sounds like “ng”
At the start of a syllable, ㅇ is silent (아 = a). At the bottom, as batchim, it becomes “ng” as in “sing” (강 = gang).
⑤ Double batchim (basics)
Some blocks have two consonants at the bottom. As a general rule, you pronounce only one of them.
| Word | Double batchim | Pronounced | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 닭 | ㄺ | dak (ㄱ) | chicken |
| 값 | ㅄ | gap (ㅂ) | price |
| 삶 | ㄻ | sam (ㅁ) | life |
Which one you pronounce depends on the combination, so it’s easiest to learn them one at a time as they come up.
⑥ Tips for remembering batchim
- Learn the 7 sounds first — there are far fewer sounds than spellings
- Practice unreleased k, t and p — stop the sound without a puff of air
- Get used to common words — 김치, 한국, 사랑, 냉면
The next step after batchim is sound changes, such as linking — when batchim carries over to a following vowel (한국어 → han-gu-geo). It’s best to get comfortable reading one block at a time first.
Related: Hangul chart / Korean keyboard / Compound vowels / Double consonants / How to learn Hangul / How to read a Korean menu / About Hangul Builder