Korean · Food & drink

How to pronounce 식당 in Korean

식당

Romanization: sikdang

Restaurant

sheektahng[ɕʰik̚t͈a̠ŋ]

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

식당 is pronounced [ɕʰik̚t͈a̠ŋ] in Korean. In 식당: Make the consonant with firmer articulation and very little escaping air. The doubled vertical mark /͈/ indicates tension. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.

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Find the sounds in 식당

The reference transcription for 식당 is [ɕʰik̚t͈a̠ŋ]. 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.Tense consonants

    In 식당: Make the consonant with firmer articulation and very little escaping air. The doubled vertical mark /͈/ indicates tension.

    Watch out: Louder speech alone does not create a tense consonant. Keep it distinct from an aspirated consonant.

  2. 2.Aspirated consonants

    In 식당: Let a clear puff of air follow the consonant marked /ʰ/. Keep the next vowel connected to it.

    Watch out: Do not confuse the breathy release with the tight, low-airflow tense consonants.

  3. 3.Unreleased final consonants

    In 식당: Move into the final consonant position, then stop without a strong release. The corner mark /̚/ indicates no audible release.

    Watch out: Do not add a vowel or a final English-style puff after the consonant.

Hear it in context

식당에 가고 싶어요.

sikdange gago sipeoyo.

I want to go to the restaurant.

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

식당 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 식당

How do you pronounce 식당?

식당 is pronounced [ɕʰik̚t͈a̠ŋ] in Korean. In 식당: Make the consonant with firmer articulation and very little escaping air. The doubled vertical mark /͈/ indicates tension. Listen to the word on its own, then compare it with the example sentence.

What should I listen for first?

In 식당: Make the consonant with firmer articulation and very little escaping air. The doubled vertical mark /͈/ indicates tension. Start at 0.75×, then return to 1.00× to hear the natural rhythm.

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