In our last post, we explored some fun and cute Korean expressions like ‘소복소복’ (sobok sobok). Today, let’s take those expressions up a notch by learning a hidden rule of the Korean language. Understanding this concept is key to mastering the nuances of Korean onomatopoeia and sounding truly natural.
This is all about Korean vowel harmony (모음조화, mo-eum johwa), a concept I learned in school as a child but whose depth I continue to appreciate.
What is Korean Vowel Harmony (모음조화)?
Korean vowel harmony is a linguistic rule where certain vowels “prefer” to be used together within a word. Vowels are divided into two main groups, based on the meaning of ㅏ/ㅗ vs ㅓ/ㅜ:
- Bright Vowels (양성 모음, Yangseong Mo-eum)
- Vowels:
ㅏ(a),ㅗ(o), andㅐ(ae). - Feeling: These vowels tend to create a feeling that is small, light, bright, positive, or cute.
- Vowels:
- Dark Vowels (음성 모음, Eumseong Mo-eum)
- Vowels:
ㅓ(eo),ㅜ(u), andㅔ(e),ㅡ(eu). - Feeling: These vowels carry a heavier, bigger, darker, or more negative/serious tone.
- Vowels:
(The vowel ㅣ (i) is considered “neutral” and can be used with either group.)
This rule is no longer strictly applied to all grammar (like it was in ancient Korean), but it is still alive and well in Korean onomatopoeia/mimetic words and in many descriptive adjectives, like colors.
In the expressions we covered in the last post—like “소복소복,” “폭신폭신,” “반짝반짝,” and “깜빡깜빡”—all the vowels are “bright.” This is why these words feel cute and cheerful.
But what happens if we switch them to “dark” vowels? The meaning stays similar, but the feeling changes completely.
Vowel Harmony in Korean Onomatopoeia (의성어/의태어)
Let’s explore some examples of bright vs dark Korean vowels in mimetic words.
Light/Small Sound (Bright Vowels) vs. Heavy/Big Sound (Dark Vowels)
- 퐁당 (pongdang) vs. 풍덩 (pungdeong)
퐁당(pongdang) is the “plop” sound of a small stone hitting the water.풍덩(pungdeong) is the “SPLASH!” sound of a large person jumping into a pool.
- 반짝반짝 (banjjak-banjjak) vs. 번쩍번쩍 (beonjjeok-beonjjeok)
반짝반짝: “twinkle twinkle,” conveying the small, delicate, and pretty light of a star.번쩍번쩍: “flash flash,” more fitting for a large, strong, and intense light, like lightning or a camera flash.- Example:
밤하늘에 불꽃이 번쩍번쩍 했어요.(Fireworks flashed strongly in the night sky.)
- 폭신폭신 (poksin-poksin) vs. 푹신푹신 (puksin-puksin)
폭신폭신: “cushiony” in a light and bouncy way, like a new sponge.푹신푹신: “cushiony” in a deep, sinking, and heavy way.- Example:
새로 산 소파가 푹신푹신해요.(The new sofa is deeply cushioned.)
- 깜빡깜빡 (kkamppak-kkamppak) vs. 껌뻑껌뻑 (kkeomppeok-kkeomppeok)
깜빡깜빡: A light, fast “blink” of the eyes or a small light.껌뻑껌뻑: A slower, heavier, more deliberate “blink,” like when you are very tired.- Example:
피곤해서 눈을 껌뻑껌뻑 했어요.(I was tired so I blinked my eyes heavily.)
- 수북수북 (subuk-subuk) This word uses the dark vowel
ㅜ. As we learned in the last post,소복소복(sobok-sobok) is for light, pretty snow. But수북수북(subuk-subuk) describes something messy, overgrown, and piled up heavily, like unkempt beards or weeds.- Example:
수염이 수북수북 자랐어요.(His beard has grown thick and unkempt.)
- Example:
Vowel Harmony in Color Descriptions
This same Korean vowel harmony rule applies to colors, allowing for incredibly nuanced descriptions.
- 하얗다 (hayata) vs. 허옇다 (heoyeota) – White
하얀 얼굴(hayan eolgul): A clear, clean, bright white face (often a compliment).허연 얼굴(heoyeon eolgul): A dull, sickly, or “pale” white face (often negative). You use허연to emphasize a negative condition.
- 노랗다 (norata) vs. 누렇다 (nureota) – Yellow
노란 꽃(noran kkot): The pretty, bright yellow of flowers or a chick.누런 이(nureon i): A dull, dark, or “dirty” shade of yellow. This is more appropriate for describing teeth that have turned yellow.
- 파랗다 (parata) vs. 퍼렇다 (peoreota) – Blue
파란 하늘(paran haneul): The clear, bright blue of the sky.퍼런 멍(peoreon meong): A dull, dark, and deep blue. This perfectly fits negative words such as a “bruise” (멍), “mold” (곰팡이), or “rust” (녹).
- 빨갛다 (ppalgata) vs. 뻘겋다 (ppeolgeota) – Red
빨간 사과(ppalgan sagwa): A bright, vibrant red apple.뻘건 피(ppeolgeon pi): A dark, deep, or “blood” red.
Why Do Bright vs Dark Korean Vowels Exist?
This Korean vowel harmony system isn’t random. It’s tied to the original philosophy of Hangul’s creation (which we explore in the “Related Posts” below).
- Bright Vowels (ㅏ, ㅗ) were created to represent the sun above the earth (ㅗ) or outside the person (ㅏ), symbolizing the bright daytime.
- Dark Vowels (ㅓ, ㅜ) were created to represent the sun below the earth (ㅜ) or inside the person (ㅓ), symbolizing the darkness of night.
This philosophy of “bright” and “dark” was built into the language itself, and we can still feel its effects today.
➤ We’ve looked at how changing just the vowels in a word can completely alter its nuance. Here’s a tip: when using words with ‘ㅓ’ or ‘ㅜ,’ try stretching out the pronunciation a bit to emphasize the negative feeling. Keep an ear out for this Korean vowel harmony in dramas—you might find yourself enjoying Korean content even more!
