Jaeum and moeum are the Korean terms 자음 and 모음, meaning consonants and vowels, the two classes of letters in Hangul. Together they make up the whole alphabet, and every Korean syllable block needs at least one of each.
What Do Jaeum and Moeum Mean?
Jaeum and moeum mean "consonant" and "vowel", and they are ordinary grammar words that Korean classes, dictionaries and apps use every day. Both words are Sino-Korean: they are built from Chinese-derived roots, not from native Korean ones. Learners meet them in Korean-medium lessons, for example in the sentence 자음과 모음을 합쳐서 글자를 만들어요 ("combine consonants and vowels to make letters").
A related word, jamo (자모), is the general name for Hangul letters. It looks like a blend of 자음 and 모음, but its Hanja are 字母, an older word for the letters of an alphabet, so it is not a shortening of the two terms.
How Korean Textbooks Group Jaeum and Moeum
Korean textbooks group the letters by type, and each group has its own label. The counts below follow the counting used in Korean schools: 19 consonants and 21 vowels, 40 letters in all.
| Group | Korean label | Count | Letters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic consonants | 기본 자음 | 14 | ㄱ ㄴ ㄷ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅅ ㅇ ㅈ ㅊ ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅎ |
| Double consonants | 쌍자음 | 5 | ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ |
| Basic vowels | 기본 모음 | 10 | ㅏ ㅑ ㅓ ㅕ ㅗ ㅛ ㅜ ㅠ ㅡ ㅣ |
| Compound vowels | built from the basic ones | 11 | ㅐ ㅒ ㅔ ㅖ ㅘ ㅙ ㅚ ㅝ ㅞ ㅟ ㅢ |
A second split exists in pronunciation books: 10 single vowels (단모음) and 11 glide vowels (이중 모음). That split sorts vowels by sound, so it contains different letters from the basic and compound groups above. The details are in the pronunciation lessons. For the different totals, see how many letters Hangul has.
Why "Child" and "Mother" Sounds?
The Hanja explain the metaphor. 子音 means "child sound", and 母音 means "mother sound". One way to read the images is that a consonant needs a vowel to be spoken inside a block, like a child who depends on a mother, while the vowel carries the sound. This is a teaching image, not a rule, and it should not be quoted as the official origin of the terms.
This fits the 1446 design too. In the original explanation, consonant shapes copy the mouth and tongue, while vowel shapes combine the strokes for heaven (·), earth (ㅡ) and human (ㅣ).
Why Learn These Korean Terms?
You should learn the two terms because Korean-language classes and apps use them as basic instructions. Without them, a sentence such as "write the 자음 first" would be unclear. The words are also short and regular, so they cost a learner little to memorise. Next, Korean consonants and Korean vowels teach the letters themselves.
Jaeum vs Moeum
Jaeum and moeum differ in role and in position inside a block.
| Feature | 자음 (jaeum) | 모음 (moeum) |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | consonant | vowel |
| Count in school books | 19 | 21 |
| Position in a block | start, or end as 받침 | middle |
| Needed in every block | yes, silent ㅇ if none | yes, exactly one |
| Example | ㅎ, ㄴ | ㅏ |
Examples of Jaeum and Moeum in Words
The block 한 contains three letters: ㅎ (자음), ㅏ (모음) and ㄴ (자음). The block 아 has ㅇ (자음, silent) and ㅏ (모음). The word 사랑 has two blocks, ㅅ + ㅏ and ㄹ + ㅏ + ㅇ, so it contains three jaeum and two moeum. Every block has one moeum, however many jaeum it has.
Is ㅇ a Vowel?
No, ㅇ is a consonant (자음). Learners often assume a letter that is silent must be a vowel. The silent ㅇ at the start of 아 is a placeholder for the empty consonant slot, and the sound comes from the vowel ㅏ. At the end of a block, as in 강, ㅇ sounds "ng".
Related Hangul Terms
For related definitions, browse the Hangul terms glossary. Vowels are further split into bright and dark vowels. When you are ready to learn the letters, start with consonants. In short, jaeum and moeum are the two Korean words for consonant and vowel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 받침? 받침 is the Korean term for a final consonant, the 자음 written at the bottom of a block, such as ㄴ in 한 or ㅇ in 강. Only a 자음 can fill that slot, never a 모음. Many letters can be written as 받침, but they are pronounced as only seven sounds: ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅂ and ㅇ.
What does 쌍 mean in 쌍자음? 쌍 means "pair" or "twin", so 쌍자음 means "twin consonants". The five letters ㄲ ㄸ ㅃ ㅆ ㅉ look like two copies of a basic consonant side by side, which is where the name comes from. Each one is a single letter with a tense sound, not two separate sounds.
Are 자음 and 모음 used for English letters too? Yes. Korean uses the same two words for consonants and vowels of any language, so English a, e, i, o, u are called English 모음, and the remaining English letters are 자음. They are general grammar words, not words reserved for Hangul.
How do I pronounce 자음 and 모음? 자음 is said ja-eum and 모음 is said mo-eum, each as two syllables. Both end in 음, which starts with the silent ㅇ, so the vowel "eum" follows "ja" or "mo" directly with no consonant in between. The ㅡ in 음 is said with spread, unrounded lips, and the final ㅁ closes the lips.
