ㄻ (리을미음): the Korean double final consonant
ㄻ joins ㄹ and ㅁ under a vowel. Learn which letter is heard. Hear 삶 alone as 삼 and linked as 살미; print the free ㄻ worksheet.
What sound does ㄻ make at the end of a syllable?
ㄻ (rieul mieum) is a double final consonant made of ㄹ and ㅁ (mieum), and at the end of a syllable only the last letter, ㅁ, is heard as a short m. ㄻ appears in a good number of verbs and one common noun, 삶 (life), so you will meet it in both lists and conversation. The word 삶 (life) shows the change: [삼] alone, [살미] once 삶이 takes its vowel ending.
ㄻ rieul mieum: parts, sound and strokes
ㄻ 리을미음Korean double final consonant
ㄻ joins ㄹ and ㅁ; at the end of a syllable the last letter, ㅁ, is heard.
ㄻ at a glance
Which sound ㄻ makes at the end
리을미음ㄻ before a vowel
| Word | Alone | Linked |
|---|---|---|
| 삶 (life) | [삼] | 삶이 [살미] |
| 젊다 (to be young) | [점따] | 젊어요 [절머요] |
| 닮다 (to resemble) | [담따] | 닮아요 [달마요] |
| 굶다 (to go hungry) | [굼따] | 굶어요 [굴머요] |
When a vowel follows, the ㄹ stays and the ㅁ travels on: 삶이 is [살미], 젊어요 is [절머요], 닮아요 is [달마요] and 굶어요 is [굴머요].
Say 삶 (life) on its own first, as [삼], and then 삶이, which is read [살미]. Say 젊다 (to be young) on its own first, as [점따], and then 젊어요, which is read [절머요]. Say 닮다 (to resemble) on its own first, as [담따], and then 닮아요, which is read [달마요]. Say 굶다 (to go hungry) on its own first, as [굼따], and then 굶어요, which is read [굴머요].
More forms of ㄻ to listen for
| Form | Reading |
|---|---|
| 젊고 | [점꼬] |
| 젊지 | [점찌] |
| 젊은 | [절믄] |
| 삶도 | [삼도] |
Before a consonant the ㅁ is the sound you keep, and before a vowel the ㄹ stays behind while the ㅁ moves forward.
With ㄻ (rieul-mieum), say these forms aloud and compare each reading with the spelling: 젊고 [점꼬], 젊지 [점찌], 젊은 [절믄], 삶도 [삼도].
Think of ㄻ as a hum at the end of the word that opens into two sounds when a vowel arrives.
Exceptions and special cases for ㄻ
A common slip with ㄻ
Learners sometimes read 젊다 as “jeol-ma-da”, bringing the ㄹ in where it is silent. At the end of the syllable the ㄹ is not heard: [점따].
Remember the sound as a hum at the end of the syllable: 삶 hums to [삼]. Then add 이 and hear the ㄹ come back in 삶이 [살미].
How to write ㄻ
Trace rieul mieum ㄻ 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
ㄻ is written as ㄹ followed by ㅁ (mieum), both small enough to fit side by side under the vowel. For ㄻ (rieul-mieum), together they take six strokes: 3 strokes and 3 strokes.
In the case of ㄻ (rieul-mieum), write the vowel first, then the two parts of ㄻ (rieul-mieum) under it, left to right, keeping the whole block inside one square.
The two letters inside ㄻ
Where ㄻ sits in a block
Words that use ㄻ
Words with ㄻ
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 옮기다 | [옴기다] om-gi-da | to move (verb) |
Each word here uses ㄻ (rieul-mieum) as its final; the table lists the reading and the meaning.
ㄻ among the other double finals
ㄻ writing worksheet (free printable)
Worksheet · Level 1 · Letters
Korean double final consonant tracing worksheet: ㄻ (rieul mieum)
The one-page rieul mieum ㄻ sheet shows which of ㄹ and ㅁ is read, traces ㄻ, and practises the words 삶, 젊다, 닮다.
- 1 page
- A4 · US Letter
- PDF · 86 KB
- Free · no sign-up
Want more? Get a printable pack of Hangul letters
Worksheet information
- How to use
- Decide which letter of ㄻ you hear, trace it in 6 strokes, then practice 삶 and 젊다.
Practice ㄻ
Switch between [삼] and [살미] again and again until the change feels natural.
A one-page worksheet for ㄻ (rieul-mieum) sits beside this guide, with the stroke order, space for tracing and a spot-the-letter game.
Try it yourself
Put rieul mieum ㄻ, m, into the builder and read the block it makes. Open the syllable builder with ㄻ ready
ㄻ (리을미음) — FAQ
Which sound does ㄻ make when it ends a syllable?
Only ㅁ is heard, as a short m.
When is ㄻ read with both letters?
When a vowel follows, the ㄹ stays and the ㅁ travels on. Examples: 삶이 is [살미], 젊어요 is [절머요], 닮아요 is [달마요] and 굶어요 is [굴머요].
Why does 삶 sound like 삼?
In ㄻ the second letter, ㅁ, is the one pronounced when nothing follows, so 삶 is read [삼]. When 이 follows, both letters are heard again as in 삶이 [살미].
How many strokes is ㄻ?
ㄻ has six strokes: ㄹ takes 3 strokes and ㅁ takes 3 strokes.
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