Korean · Difficult words
How to pronounce 자정 in Korean
자정
Romanization: jajeong
Midnight
Standard South Korean; reference: SK-Standard, Seoul · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
자정 is pronounced [t͡ɕa̠d͡ʑʌ̹ŋ] in Korean. In 자정: Use a single open back-to-central vowel. The spelling “eo” in romanization represents one vowel. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
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Find the sounds in 자정
The reference transcription for 자정 is [t͡ɕa̠d͡ʑʌ̹ŋ]. Read adjacent consonants together without inserting extra vowels. Korean pronunciation changes when sounds meet. Follow the spoken transcription and connected example rather than reading each Hangul letter in isolation.
1.The eo vowel /ʌ/
In 자정: Use a single open back-to-central vowel. The spelling “eo” in romanization represents one vowel.
Watch out: Do not read eo as an e followed by o.
2.An open vowel
In 자정: Open the jaw for the a-like vowel shown in the IPA. Keep it continuous and follow the recording’s tongue position.
Watch out: Do not substitute the English diphthong in “day”.
Hear it in context
자정에 출발해요.
jajeonge chulbalhaeyo.
I leave at midnight.
Listen once, say it aloud, then replay at 1.00×. Keep the word connected to the surrounding sentence rather than giving every syllable equal weight.
Pronunciation and variety
자정 is presented in standard South Korean pronunciation. Everyday speech can vary in vowel quality and consonant realization. Treat the romanization as a reading aid and follow the Hangul, IPA, and recording together.
The English-style respelling is approximate. Use the IPA and recording together for vowel quality and consonants that do not have an exact English equivalent.
Meaning and everyday use
Questions about 자정
How do you pronounce 자정?
자정 is pronounced [t͡ɕa̠d͡ʑʌ̹ŋ] in Korean. In 자정: Use a single open back-to-central vowel. The spelling “eo” in romanization represents one vowel. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.
What should I listen for first?
In 자정: Use a single open back-to-central vowel. The spelling “eo” in romanization represents one vowel. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.
