18

This was one of our definition questions. How are things like dictionaries sorted, and what is equivalent to our A-Z or Z-A lists?

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
14

Dictionary order is defined in 한글맞춤법 2장 4항

  • 자음(19자) ㄱ ㄲ ㄴ ㄷ ㄸ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅃ ㅅ ㅆ ㅇ ㅈ ㅉ ㅊ ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅎ
  • 모음(21자) ㅏ ㅐ ㅑ ㅒ ㅓ ㅔ ㅕ ㅖ ㅗ ㅘ ㅙ ㅚ ㅛ ㅜ ㅝ ㅞ ㅟ ㅠ ㅡ ㅢ ㅣ
  • 받침(27자) ㄱ ㄲ ㄳ ㄴ ㄵ ㄶ ㄷ ㄹ ㄺ ㄻ ㄼ ㄽ ㄾ ㄿ ㅀ ㅁ ㅂ ㅄ ㅅ ㅆ ㅇ ㅈ ㅊ ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅎ

A typical way of memorizing these is to say '가나다라마바사아자차카타파하', '아야어여오요우유으이', then insert the appropriate double alphabets in between. As for the 받침, the order is more or less random, and only for consistency across dictionaries. I don't think a normal Korean speaker would know it (I had to look it up too).

As @Leftium pointed out, this order is the one used in South Korea. For historical and North Korean ordering see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangul#Sorting_order.

Improve this answer
4
  • 1
    Note the current sorting order is relatively recent, and North Korea uses a slightly different order: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangul#Sorting_order
    – Leftium
    Sep 1, 2016 at 5:31
  • @Leftium good point. I didn't know that. I'll update my answer.
    – Memming
    Sep 1, 2016 at 11:41
  • 1
    How do I interpret this? Does it mean you read the 3 rows from left-right top-bottom? Or are they interwoven somehow? Is the final sort order ㄱ ㄲ ㄴ ㄷ ㄸ ㄹ ㅁ ㅂ ㅃ ㅅ ㅆ ㅇ ㅈ ㅉ ㅊ ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅎ ㅏ ㅐ ㅑ ㅒ ㅓ ㅔ ㅕ ㅖ ㅗ ㅘ ㅙ ㅚ ㅛ ㅜ ㅝ ㅞ ㅟ ㅠ ㅡ ㅢ ㅣ ㄱ ㄲ ㄳ ㄴ ㄵ ㄶ ㄷ ㄹ ㄺ ㄻ ㄼ ㄽ ㄾ ㄿ ㅀ ㅁ ㅂ ㅄ ㅅ ㅆ ㅇ ㅈ ㅊ ㅋ ㅌ ㅍ ㅎ?
    – Lance
    May 6 at 19:08
  • Also link is broken.
    – Lance
    May 6 at 20:25

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.