Kieuk (ㅋ) – Korean Consonant 키읔
ㅋ (Kieuk, 키읔) is a strongly puffed k that is read as a short k at the end of a syllable. See 컵 and 커피 as examples, trace ㅋ in 2 strokes, print the ㅋ worksheet.
What is Kieuk (ㅋ) in Korean?
Kieuk (ㅋ) is called 키읔 in Korean and is a strongly puffed k that is read as a short k at the end of a syllable. Write ㅋ in 2 strokes; the sound is made with the back of the tongue, and it counts as one of the 14 basic consonants. Words to try first are 컵 (cup) and 커피 (coffee); for the closing sound, listen to 부엌 (kitchen).
Kieuk ㅋ: sound, strokes, series and finals
ㅋ KieukKorean consonant · basic
Kieuk is k at the start of a syllable and the same at the end.
Kieuk (ㅋ) at a glance
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | 키읔 (kieuk) |
| Sound at the start | k — a strong puff of air |
| Sound at the end | k (the same as ㄱ) |
| Strokes | 2 |
| Group | basic consonant |
| Made with | the back of the tongue |
| Example words | at the start: 컵 (cup), 카메라 (camera); at the end: 부엌 (kitchen) |
Three ways to remember ㅋ
Shape
Words that start with 
Words with ㅋ at the end
- kitchen
More words with ㅋ
Sound: k.
How to say ㅋ
키읔Make ㄱ with the back of the tongue and release it with a strong puff of air. ㅋ is close to the k in English 'kite'.
At the start ㅋ is romanized k, as in 코 (ko, nose). As a 받침 it is rare; the common example 부엌 (kitchen) is pronounced [부억], with a stopped k.
How ㅋ ends a syllable
At the end of 부엌 (kitchen) the throat closes quietly and the sound simply stops, a bit like the k in “book” when you do not open your mouth afterwards. Add a vowel and the closure opens again: 부엌이 is read [부어키].
Spelling keeps ㅋ (kieuk) even though the ending is heard as ㄱ, so reading means turning ㅋ into the sound you hear.
How to write ㅋ
Trace Kieuk ㅋ with a finger, mouse or pen: start at the numbered dot, follow the dotted arrow, and press Clear to try again.
Print style 정자체
Follow the numbers and dotted arrows
Handwriting 필기체
Same stroke order as print style
Draw a line to the right and turn down, the same as ㄱ.
Draw a short line across the middle, from left to right, touching the downstroke.
ㅋ (kieuk) takes two strokes in total, written from top to bottom and left to right.
Loanwords are full of ㅋ because English k is usually written with it: 커피 (coffee), 컵 (cup), 카드 (card). Reading them is quick practice.
ㅋ and its look-alikes
ㅋ is the breathy member of the ㄱ set: 카 (ka) blows air, 가 (ga) barely does, and 까 (kka) holds it in. Say 크다 (big) and then 그 (that) to hear the puff.
Learners sometimes write the middle line first or make it cross through the downstroke. Draw the ㄱ shape first, then add a short middle line that just meets it.
Why ㅋ looks the way it does
ㅋ sounds harsher than ㄱ (giyeok), so one stroke was added to ㄱ. With ㅋ (kieuk), the middle line is that added stroke.
ㅋ (kieuk) sits in the group that uses the back of the tongue, since the inventors of Hangul sorted consonants by where the sound is made.
Words that use ㅋ
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 카누 | ka-nu | canoe (noun) |
| 카드 | ka-deu | card (noun) |
| 카레 | ka-re | curry (noun) |
| 카페 | ka-pe | cafe (noun) |
The first block of 컵 (cup) is 컵, and it opens with ㅋ: read keop.
The first block of 커피 (coffee) is 커, and it opens with ㅋ: read keo.
In 케이크 (cake), ㅋ (kieuk) is the first sound of the first block 케, which is read ke.
In 코 (nose), ㅋ (kieuk) is the first sound of the first block 코, which is read ko.
In 콩 (bean), ㅋ (kieuk) is the first sound of the first block 콩, which is read kong.
Syllables you can build with ㅋ
Start a block with ㅋ and add a vowel: 카 (ka), 캬 (kya), 커 (keo), and 켜 (kyeo), and more.
Reading the full row aloud, 카 (ka), 캬 (kya), 커 (keo), 켜 (kyeo), 코 (ko), 쿄 (kyo), 쿠 (ku), 큐 (kyu), 크 (keu), 키 (ki), is the quickest way to hear how the vowel changes the block while ㅋ stays put.
Try it yourself
Pick a vowel and a final for ㅋ and read the block it makes. Open the syllable builder with ㅋ ready
ㅋ writing worksheet (free printable)
Worksheet · Level 1 · Letters
Korean letter tracing worksheet: ㅋ (kieuk)
The one-page Kieuk ㅋ sheet shows ㅋ in 2 strokes, traces it, writes it with six vowels (카 커 코 쿠 크 키) and ends with a game of finding ㅋ among look-alikes.
- 1 page
- A4 · US Letter
- PDF · 93 KB
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Want more? Get all 19 consonants in one pack
Worksheet information
- How to use
- Say ㅋ out loud, trace its 2 strokes, then write it with six vowels.
Practice ㅋ
Try it yourself
Put Kieuk ㅋ, k, into the builder and read the block it makes. Open the syllable builder with ㅋ ready
ㅋ (Kieuk) — FAQ
What should the ㅋ pronunciation sound like?
Read it as a strongly puffed k that is read as a short k at the end of a syllable; 컵 (cup) is a good word to practice with.
What is ㅋ called in Korean and what sound does it make?
Koreans call ㅋ 키읔 (kieuk). The sound: a strongly puffed k that is read as a short k at the end of a syllable, heard in 컵 and 부엌.
What is the difference between ㄱ and ㅋ?
ㅋ (kieuk) has a strong puff of air like the k in 'kite', while ㄱ has only a little. Compare 카 and 가 with a hand in front of your mouth.
How many strokes do you need to write ㅋ?
ㅋ has 2 strokes: the ㄱ shape, then a short middle line.
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