How Korean Syllable Blocks Work: Writing 가, 고 and 곰 in the Square

1. One syllable, one square

English writes letters in a line: g-o-m. Korean groups the same sounds into one block: 곰 (gom, bear). Each block is one syllable and takes the same square space, which is why handwriting practice uses squares with a guide cross.

2. The four block shapes

• Consonant + tall vowel, side by side: 가 (ga), 나 (na), 기 (gi)
• Consonant + flat vowel, stacked: 고 (go), 누 (nu), 그 (geu)
• Side-by-side block + final consonant below: 강 (gang), 말 (mal)
• Stacked block + final consonant below: 곰 (gom), 북 (buk)

3. Where the vowel goes

Tall vowels (ㅏ ㅑ ㅓ ㅕ ㅣ) stand to the right of the consonant. Flat vowels (ㅗ ㅛ ㅜ ㅠ ㅡ) lie under it. A syllable that starts with a vowel sound still needs a consonant in front, so the silent ㅇ takes that place: 아 (a), 오 (o), 이 (i).

4. Final consonants (batchim)

• The batchim goes at the bottom of the block and is written last.
• Many letters can be a batchim, but at the end of a word they are pronounced as one of seven sounds: k, n, t, l, m, p and ng. ㅅ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅌ and ㅎ all sound like t: 옷 (ot, clothes).
• When the next syllable starts with the silent ㅇ, the batchim moves over and is said with it: 거북이 (turtle) is read geo-bu-gi.
• ㅇ at the bottom is ng, as in 강 (gang, river) and 공 (gong, ball).

5. How big each part is

In a side-by-side block the consonant takes about half the width; in a stacked block it takes the top half. Add a batchim and everything above it shrinks into roughly the upper two-thirds. Beginners often write the batchim too big or too far to the right: keep it centred under the block.

6. Practise in this order

• The 가나다 row: ga, na, da, ra, ma, ba, sa, a, ja, cha, ka, ta, pa, ha (all side-by-side blocks)
• Words with no batchim: 소 (so, cow), 오리 (ori, duck), 사자 (saja, lion)
• One batchim: 곰 (gom, bear), 말 (mal, horse), 양 (yang, sheep)
• Longer words: 고양이 (goyangi, cat), 코끼리 (kokkiri, elephant), 바다코끼리 (badakokkiri, walrus)

7. Common beginner mistakes

• Writing the letters in a row (ㄱㅗㅁ) instead of one block (곰).
• Mixing up ㅏ and ㅓ: in 가 the short stroke points away from the consonant; in 거 it points toward it.
• Forgetting the silent ㅇ in words that start with a vowel sound, such as 오리 (ori).
• Drawing ㅇ clockwise or in two strokes. It is one stroke that starts at the top and goes to the left.

Practice with this guide

Trace these sets on screen, or print the same letters and words as a worksheet.

가 나 다First Korean Syllables: 가 나 다 (Hangul Blocks)14 syllables from 가 (ga) to 하 (ha)Start →Korean Words: Pets and Farm Animals14 Korean words such as 소 (cow), 말 (horse), 양 (sheep)Start →Korean Words: Zoo and Savanna Animals12 Korean words such as 사자 (lion), 하마 (hippo), 기린 (giraffe)Start →Korean Words: Forest and Garden Animals14 Korean words such as 곰 (bear), 뱀 (snake), 벌 (bee)Start →

All handwriting practice →