The Science of Hangul
Hangul is unique because it is a "featural" alphabet. The shape of the consonants mimics the shape of the mouth and tongue when making the sound.
Jamo vs. Blocks
Unlike English, where letters are written linearly (A-B-C), Hangul letters (Jamo) are stacked into square blocks to form a syllable.
- Consonant (Initial): Starts the block (e.g., ㅎ).
- Vowel (Medial): Placed to the right or below (e.g., ㅏ).
- Consonant (Final/Batchim): Placed at the bottom (e.g., ㄴ).
- Result: ㅎ + ㅏ + ㄴ = 한 (Han).
The Won Symbol (₩)
The symbol for South Korean currency is a capital 'W' with a horizontal stroke (₩). It is used just like the Dollar sign, placed before the number (e.g., ₩1,000).