Korean · Food & drink
How to pronounce 떡 in Korean
떡
Romanization: tteok
rice cake
Standard South Korean; reference: SK-Standard, Seoul · Choose 1.00× to hear the original pace.
떡 is pronounced [t͈ʌ̹k̚] in Korean. In 떡: 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.
Explore the app’s available speaking languages
Find the sounds in 떡
The reference transcription for 떡 is [t͈ʌ̹k̚]. 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.Tense consonants
In 떡: 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.Unreleased final consonants
In 떡: 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.
3.The eo vowel /ʌ/
In 떡: 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.
Hear it in context
메뉴에서 '떡' 항목을 찾았어요.
menyueseo “tteok” hangmogeul chajasseoyo.
I found “tteok” on the menu.
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
떡 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.
Questions about 떡
How do you pronounce 떡?
떡 is pronounced [t͈ʌ̹k̚] in Korean. In 떡: 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 떡: 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.
