How Many Letters in the Korean Alphabet? Complete Hangul Guide (2025)

Have you ever wondered how many letters are in the Korean alphabet? The answer depends on how you count! The Korean writing system, called Hangul (한글), contains 24 basic letters, but this number can expand to 40 letters when you include double consonants and compound vowels. Even more fascinating, these letters can form 11,172 possible syllable combinations in modern Korean. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore everything about the Korean alphabet, from its ingenious creation by King Sejong the Great in 1443 to how character counting works in Korean today.

Understanding the Korean Alphabet: Hangul (한글)

Before diving into the numbers, let's understand what makes Korean unique among writing systems.

What is Hangul?

Hangul (한글) is the official writing system of both South Korea and North Korea. Unlike Chinese characters (Hanja) which are logographic, Hangul is a featural alphabet—one of the most scientific and logical writing systems in the world.

Why Hangul is Special

Hangul is unique because:

Designed from scratch: Created intentionally in 1443, not evolved over centuries
Phonetic alphabet: Each letter represents a specific sound
Featural design: Letter shapes visually represent how sounds are produced
Systematic: Letters combine in predictable, logical blocks
UNESCO recognition: Designated as a Memory of the World in 1997

The Answer: How Many Letters Are in the Korean Alphabet?

The number of letters in the Korean alphabet depends on what you're counting:

24 Basic Letters (Core Alphabet)

The fundamental Korean alphabet consists of 24 basic letters:

14 consonants (자음, jaeum)
10 vowels (모음, moeum)

This is the most common answer to "How many letters in Korean?" and what beginners learn first.

40 Total Letters (Including Compounds)

When you include double consonants and compound vowels, the total expands to 40 letters:

19 consonants (14 basic + 5 double consonants)
21 vowels (10 basic + 11 compound vowels)

11,172 Possible Syllable Combinations

Modern Hangul can create 11,172 distinct syllable blocks using these letters. Each syllable block is what appears as a single "character" when you type or write Korean.

The 24 Basic Korean Letters Explained

Let's break down the fundamental building blocks of Hangul.

14 Basic Consonants (자음)

The 14 basic consonants are organized into five groups based on articulation. Here they are with their romanized pronunciations:

ㄱ (g/k) - like 'g' in "go"
ㄴ (n) - like 'n' in "no"
ㄷ (d/t) - like 'd' in "do"
ㄹ (r/l) - between 'r' and 'l'
ㅁ (m) - like 'm' in "moon"
ㅂ (b/p) - like 'b' in "ball"
ㅅ (s) - like 's' in "sun"
ㅇ (ng/silent) - silent initially, 'ng' finally
ㅈ (j) - like 'j' in "jump"
ㅊ (ch) - like 'ch' in "church"
ㅋ (k) - aspirated 'k'
ㅌ (t) - aspirated 't'
ㅍ (p) - aspirated 'p'
ㅎ (h) - like 'h' in "house"

Character count: 14 consonants

10 Basic Vowels (모음)

The 10 basic vowels include simple and compound sounds:

ㅏ (a) - like 'a' in "father"
ㅓ (eo) - like 'u' in "sun"
ㅗ (o) - like 'o' in "go"
ㅜ (u) - like 'oo' in "moon"
ㅡ (eu) - like 'u' in "put"
ㅣ (i) - like 'ee' in "meet"
ㅐ (ae) - like 'a' in "cat"
ㅔ (e) - like 'e' in "met"
ㅚ (oe) - like German 'ö'
ㅟ (wi) - like 'wee'

Character count: 10 vowels

Total basic letters: 14 + 10 = 24 letters

The Extended 40-Letter System

5 Double Consonants (쌍자음)

Korean has 5 double consonants (also called tensed consonants), formed by doubling basic consonants:

ㄲ (kk) - tensed version of ㄱ
ㄸ (tt) - tensed version of ㄷ
ㅃ (pp) - tensed version of ㅂ
ㅆ (ss) - tensed version of ㅅ
ㅉ (jj) - tensed version of ㅈ

These produce harder, more forceful sounds than their single counterparts.

Total consonants: 14 + 5 = 19 consonants

11 Compound Vowels (복합모음)

11 compound vowels are created by combining basic vowels:

ㅑ (ya) - ㅣ + ㅏ
ㅕ (yeo) - ㅣ + ㅓ
ㅛ (yo) - ㅣ + ㅗ
ㅠ (yu) - ㅣ + ㅜ
ㅒ (yae) - ㅣ + ㅐ
ㅖ (ye) - ㅣ + ㅔ
ㅘ (wa) - ㅗ + ㅏ
ㅙ (wae) - ㅗ + ㅐ
ㅝ (wo) - ㅜ + ㅓ
ㅞ (we) - ㅜ + ㅔ
ㅢ (ui) - ㅡ + ㅣ

Total vowels: 10 + 11 = 21 vowels

Total letters: 19 consonants + 21 vowels = 40 letters

How Korean Syllable Blocks Work

Unlike English where letters are written in a line, Korean letters combine into syllable blocks that form square-shaped units.

Syllable Block Structure

Each Korean syllable follows one of these patterns:

Consonant + Vowel (CV): 가 (ga)
Consonant + Vowel + Consonant (CVC): 강 (gang)
Consonant + Vowel + Two Consonants (CVCC): 값 (gap)

Why 11,172 Possible Syllables?

The mathematics behind Korean syllables:

Initial consonant positions: 19 options (including ㅇ as silent)
Medial vowel positions: 21 options
Final consonant positions: 28 options (27 consonants + none)

Formula: 19 × 21 × 28 = 11,172 possible syllable blocks

This is why the Unicode block for Korean (U+AC00 to U+D7A3) contains exactly 11,172 pre-composed syllables.

Character Counting in Korean

When using a Korean character counter, it counts syllable blocks, not individual letters. For example:

한글 (Hangul) = 2 characters (한 + 글)
대한민국 (South Korea) = 4 characters (대 + 한 + 민 + 국)

Each syllable block counts as one character, even though it may contain 2-4 individual letters.

The History of Hangul: A 1443 Innovation

King Sejong the Great's Creation

In 1443, King Sejong the Great of the Joseon Dynasty created Hangul with a team of scholars. Before Hangul, Koreans used Chinese characters (Hanja), which were difficult for common people to learn.

Original Name: Hunminjeongeum

Originally called 훈민정음 (Hunminjeongeum), meaning "The Proper Sounds for the Instruction of the People," the alphabet was designed to be easy enough for anyone to learn.

Publication Date: October 9, 1446

Hangul was officially published on October 9, 1446. This date is now celebrated as Hangul Day (한글날) in South Korea, a national holiday honoring the alphabet.

Original Letter Count: 28

The original Hangul had 28 letters:

17 consonants (including 4 now obsolete)
11 vowels (including 1 now obsolete)

Modern Korean dropped 4 obsolete letters, reducing the basic count to 24.

Korean Alphabet vs. Other Writing Systems

Korean (Hangul) - 24 Basic Letters

Type: Featural alphabet
Total basic letters: 24
Total with compounds: 40
Possible syllables: 11,172
Learning difficulty: Easy (can be learned in hours)

English Alphabet - 26 Letters

Type: Latin alphabet
Total letters: 26 (A-Z)
Character variations: 52 (uppercase + lowercase)
Learning difficulty: Easy

Chinese Characters - 50,000+ Characters

Type: Logographic
Common characters: 3,000-4,000 for literacy
Total characters: 50,000+ in dictionaries
Learning difficulty: Very difficult (years of study)

Japanese - 3 Writing Systems

Hiragana: 46 basic characters
Katakana: 46 basic characters
Kanji: 2,136 official characters (jōyō kanji)
Learning difficulty: Difficult (multiple systems)

Why Korean is Easier to Learn

Hangul is considered one of the easiest writing systems to learn because:

Only 24 basic letters to memorize
Systematic and logical structure
Phonetic (each letter = one sound)
No tones (unlike Chinese)
Minimal exceptions or irregularities

How Long Does It Take to Learn Hangul?

Reading Korean: A Few Hours

Most people can learn to read Hangul in 1-3 hours of focused study. The alphabet's systematic nature makes it remarkably easy to pick up.

Writing Korean: A Few Days

Learning to write Hangul properly (with correct stroke order and proportions) takes a few days to a week of practice.

Understanding Korean: Years

While reading Hangul is quick to learn, understanding the Korean language (vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation) takes years of study, just like any language.

Modern Usage and Character Encoding

Unicode Block for Korean

Korean characters occupy the Unicode block U+AC00 to U+D7A3:

Starting point: U+AC00 (가)
Ending point: U+D7A3 (힣)
Total code points: 11,172

North Korea vs. South Korea

Both North and South Korea use Hangul, with minor differences:

South Korea:

Uses Hangul primarily
Some Hanja in formal contexts
Standard language called "표준어" (Pyojuneo)

North Korea:

Uses only Hangul (no Hanja)
Different vocabulary choices
Standard language called "문화어" (Munhwaeo)

Digital Typing

Korean keyboards arrange the 24 basic letters efficiently:

Consonants: Left side of keyboard
Vowels: Right side of keyboard
Type letters in sequence, computer forms syllable blocks automatically

Comparing Letter Counts in Different Languages

Language	Writing System	Basic Letters	Extended Letters
Korean	Hangul	24	40
English	Latin	26	52 (with cases)
Russian	Cyrillic	33	33
Arabic	Arabic	28	28
Hebrew	Hebrew	22	22
Greek	Greek	24	24
Thai	Thai	44	44

Korean's 24 basic letters ties with Greek, while the extended 40-letter system is moderate compared to other alphabets.

Practical Applications of Korean Character Knowledge

For Language Learners

Understanding the letter count helps beginners:

Focus on mastering 24 basic letters first
Understand syllable block formation
Use character counters to practice writing
Track learning progress systematically

For Translators and Writers

Character counts matter for:

Translation work: Korean text is typically 20-30% shorter than English
Social media: Character limits on platforms
Typography: Designing fonts requires all 11,172 syllables
Text analysis: Using tools to count Korean characters accurately

For Programmers and Developers

Developers need to know:

Unicode ranges for Korean (U+AC00–U+D7A3)
How to handle syllable block composition
Character counting in Korean vs. byte counting
Regular expressions for Korean text validation

Fun Facts About the Korean Alphabet

1. One of the Newest Alphabets

At only 582 years old (created 1443), Hangul is one of the youngest major writing systems still in use.

2. Scientifically Designed

The shapes of consonants represent the position of the tongue, lips, and throat when making sounds:

ㄱ (g/k): Shape of tongue touching soft palate
ㄴ (n): Shape of tongue touching upper gums
ㅁ (m): Shape of mouth

3. UNESCO Recognition

In 1997, UNESCO recognized the Hunminjeongeum manuscript as a Memory of the World, acknowledging its cultural and historical significance.

4. Can Be Learned in One Day

There's a popular saying in Korea: "A wise man can learn Hangul in a morning, a fool can learn it in ten days." This emphasizes how easy the alphabet is to learn.

5. Computer-Friendly Design

Hangul's systematic structure makes it ideal for digital use. The 11,172 syllable blocks fit perfectly into Unicode, making Korean one of the most efficiently encoded languages.

6. Alphabetical Order Exists

Korean has a standard alphabetical order (가나다라마바사...), used in dictionaries, phone books, and filing systems—similar to ABC order in English.

Using Korean Character Counters

When working with Korean text, specialized character counting tools are essential because:

Syllable vs. Letter Counting

English counters: Count individual letters
Korean counters: Count syllable blocks (the meaningful unit)
Example: "한글" shows as 2 characters, not 4 letters

Mixed Text Counting

Korean text often mixes:

Hangul (Korean alphabet)
Numbers (아라비아 숫자)
Latin alphabet (로마자)
Spaces and punctuation

Proper Korean character counters distinguish between these elements.

Conclusion: The Beauty of 24 Letters

The Korean alphabet contains 24 basic letters (14 consonants and 10 vowels), expanding to 40 letters with compounds, and forming 11,172 possible syllable combinations. This brilliant system, created by King Sejong the Great in 1443, represents one of humanity's most logical and accessible writing systems.

Whether you're a language learner tackling your first Korean phrases, a translator working with Korean content, or simply curious about writing systems, understanding that Hangul consists of 24 fundamental letters is your starting point. From these 24 letters springs an entire language—proof that sometimes, elegant simplicity is the greatest innovation of all.

The next time someone asks "How many letters in the Korean alphabet?" you can confidently answer: 24 basic letters, 40 with compounds, and 11,172 possible syllables—each number revealing a different aspect of this remarkable writing system.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How many letters are in the Korean alphabet?

The Korean alphabet (Hangul) has 24 basic letters: 14 consonants and 10 vowels. If you include double consonants and compound vowels, the total is 40 letters (19 consonants and 21 vowels).

How many characters are in the Korean alphabet?

There are 11,172 possible syllable block characters in modern Korean (Hangul). Each syllable block is formed by combining consonants and vowels and counts as one character in Korean text.

Is Korean alphabet hard to learn?

No, the Korean alphabet is considered one of the easiest writing systems to learn. Most people can learn to read Hangul in just a few hours because it's logical, systematic, and phonetic. It has only 24 basic letters to memorize.

What are the 24 Korean letters?

The 24 basic Korean letters are: 14 consonants (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ, ㅅ, ㅇ, ㅈ, ㅊ, ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ, ㅎ) and 10 vowels (ㅏ, ㅓ, ㅗ, ㅜ, ㅡ, ㅣ, ㅐ, ㅔ, ㅚ, ㅟ).

How many vowels in Korean alphabet?

The Korean alphabet has 10 basic vowels. If you include compound vowels, there are 21 total vowels in Hangul.

How many consonants in Korean alphabet?

The Korean alphabet has 14 basic consonants. Including the 5 double (tensed) consonants, there are 19 total consonants in Hangul.

When was the Korean alphabet created?

The Korean alphabet (Hangul) was created in 1443 by King Sejong the Great and his scholars. It was officially published in 1446 under the name "Hunminjeongeum" (훈민정음).

Why does Korean have so many characters if it only has 24 letters?

Korean forms syllable blocks by combining letters. With 19 consonants and 21 vowels in various positions, you can create 11,172 possible syllable combinations. Each combination is a distinct "character" even though it's made from the same 24 basic letters.

How do you count Korean characters?

Korean characters are counted by syllable blocks, not individual letters. For example, "한국" (Korea) is 2 characters even though it contains 4 individual letters. Use a specialized Korean character counter for accurate counts.

Is Korean alphabet the same in North and South Korea?

Yes, both North and South Korea use the same Hangul alphabet with 24 basic letters. However, they have different vocabulary choices, pronunciation standards, and North Korea doesn't use Chinese characters (Hanja) at all.

How many syllables can Korean make?

Modern Korean can create 11,172 distinct syllable blocks using the mathematical combination of 19 initial consonants, 21 medial vowels, and 28 final consonant positions (including no final consonant).

What is Hangul vs Hanja?

Hangul (한글) is the native Korean alphabet with 24 letters, created in 1443. Hanja (한자) refers to Chinese characters that were historically used in Korea. Modern Korean primarily uses Hangul, with limited Hanja in formal contexts in South Korea.

Can you learn Korean alphabet in one day?

Yes! The Korean alphabet can be learned to read in just a few hours or one day of focused study. Writing it properly with good form takes a few more days of practice. However, understanding the Korean language itself takes much longer.

How is Korean alphabet organized?

The Korean alphabet is organized into consonants (자음) and vowels (모음). Consonants are grouped by articulation method, and vowels are categorized as basic or compound. Letters combine into syllable blocks following specific structural patterns.

Why was the Korean alphabet invented?

King Sejong the Great created the Korean alphabet in 1443 to improve literacy among common people. Chinese characters (Hanja) were too difficult for ordinary Koreans to learn, so he designed a simple, logical alphabet that anyone could master quickly.

How many Unicode characters for Korean?

The Unicode block for Korean contains 11,172 precomposed Hangul syllables (U+AC00 to U+D7A3). There are also additional blocks for compatibility Jamo and ancient Hangul characters, bringing the total Korean-related Unicode characters to over 11,700.