Welcome back! By now, you know how to build basic Korean blocks using a consonant and a vowel. (For example, ㅎ + ㅏ = 하).
But sometimes, you will see a Korean block that looks a little taller, with a third letter stuck at the very bottom. What is that?
That bottom letter is called Batchim (받침).
What does Batchim mean? In Korean, the word batchim literally means “support” or “prop.” Just like a table needs legs to support it, some Korean syllables have a final consonant at the bottom supporting the letters above it.
How to Read a Block with Batchim You still read the block from Left → Right → Bottom (or Top → Middle → Bottom). The Batchim is always the final sound of that single beat (syllable).
Let’s look at the word for “Korean”: 한국 (Han-guk). This word has two syllable blocks, and both of them have a Batchim!
Block 1: 한 (Han)
- ㅎ (h) : Top Consonant
- ㅏ (a) : Vowel
- ㄴ (n) : Batchim (Bottom Consonant) ➔ Read them in order: h + a + n = Han
Block 2: 국 (Guk)
- ㄱ (g) : Top Consonant
- ㅜ (u) : Vowel
- ㄱ (k) : Batchim (Bottom Consonant) ➔ Read them in order: g + u + k = Guk
Put them together, and you get 한국 (Han-guk)!
A Quick Tip for Beginners Don’t be intimidated when you see three or even four letters in one block. Just remember the rule: start from the top/left, end at the bottom.
Congratulations! You now understand the complete structure of the Korean alphabet. You are ready to start reading real words everywhere!
🎁 Want to practice reading words with Batchim? Download my free [Hangul Starter Pack PDF]. It has a special worksheet filled with easy, real-life words using Batchim for you to practice.