Double Consonants

Korean has five double consonants (쌍자음, ssang-jaeum), also called tense consonants (된소리, doen-sori). These are formed by doubling a basic consonant and produce a tenser, sharper sound. They are essential for distinguishing words that would otherwise sound the same.

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The Five Double Consonants

Character	Name (Korean)	Name (Romanised)	Sound	Base Consonant
ㄲ	쌍기역	ssang-giyeok	"kk" — tense k	ㄱ (g/k)
ㄸ	쌍디귿	ssang-digeut	"tt" — tense t	ㄷ (d/t)
ㅃ	쌍비읍	ssang-bieup	"pp" — tense p	ㅂ (b/p)
ㅆ	쌍시옷	ssang-siot	"ss" — tense s	ㅅ (s)
ㅉ	쌍지읒	ssang-jieut	"jj" — tense j	ㅈ (j)

The word 쌍 (ssang) means "twin" or "double," reflecting that these consonants are visually doubled versions of the basic consonants.

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How They Differ from Basic and Aspirated Consonants

Korean consonants come in three types for each position. Understanding the differences is crucial:

Type	Velar	Alveolar	Bilabial	Sibilant	Affricate
Lax (basic)	ㄱ (g)	ㄷ (d)	ㅂ (b)	ㅅ (s)	ㅈ (j)
Aspirated	ㅋ (k)	ㅌ (t)	ㅍ (p)	—	ㅊ (ch)
Tense (double)	ㄲ (kk)	ㄸ (tt)	ㅃ (pp)	ㅆ (ss)	ㅉ (jj)

The Three-Way Distinction

• Lax (basic): soft, relaxed — voiced between vowels (ㄱ sounds like "g")
• Aspirated: strong burst of air — hold your hand in front of your mouth and feel the puff (ㅋ sounds like "k" with a strong breath)
• Tense (double): NO air released, muscles tense — like saying the sound while squeezing your throat (ㄲ sounds like a sharp, clipped "k" with no air)

Tip: To produce a tense consonant, tighten your throat muscles and cut off the airflow. The sound should feel "stuck" in your throat. Think of saying "sky" — the "k" in "sky" (no air puff) is closer to a tense Korean consonant than the "k" in "kite" (big air puff).

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Pronunciation Guide

ㄲ (ssang-giyeok) — Tense "kk"

• Like the "k" in "ski" or "sky" — no aspiration
• Tighten your throat, cut off the air

Minimal pairs (words that differ only by this consonant):

Word	Sound	Meaning
가	ga	to go
까	kka	to peel
카	ka	car (loanword)

ㄸ (ssang-digeut) — Tense "tt"

• Like the "t" in "star" or "stop" — no aspiration
• Tighten your throat

Minimal pairs:

Word	Sound	Meaning
달	dal	moon
딸	ttal	daughter
탈	tal	mask

ㅃ (ssang-bieup) — Tense "pp"

• Like the "p" in "spin" or "spot" — no aspiration
• Tighten your throat