Korean · Difficult words

How to pronounce 지연 in Korean

지연

Romanization: jiyeon

Delay

cheeyuhn[t͡ɕijʌ̹n]

Standard South Korean; reference: SK-Standard, Seoul · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.

지연 is pronounced [t͡ɕijʌ̹n] in Korean. In 지연: 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 지연

The reference transcription for 지연 is [t͡ɕijʌ̹n]. 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. 1.The eo vowel /ʌ/

    In 지연: 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. 2.Front-vowel position

    In 지연: Listen for the distinction between the closer /i/ and the more relaxed /ɪ/ when shown. Keep your tongue toward the front.

    Watch out: Do not decide vowel quality from English spelling alone.

Hear it in context

항공편 지연이 있어요.

hanggongpyeon jiyeoni isseoyo.

There is a flight delay.

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

지연 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 지연

How do you pronounce 지연?

지연 is pronounced [t͡ɕijʌ̹n] in Korean. In 지연: 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 지연: 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.

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