{"id":79755,"date":"2024-03-13T03:23:34","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T07:23:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/korean-punctuation\/"},"modified":"2025-06-16T13:28:58","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T17:28:58","slug":"korean-punctuation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/korean\/korean-punctuation\/","title":{"rendered":"An Introduction to Korean Punctuation"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Korean word for punctuation is \ubb38\uc7a5 \ubd80\ud638<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It’s a critical part of written Korean communication<\/a>, but the good news is, Korean punctuation rules are almost entirely the same as the English rules<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Here’s a quick and easy breakdown of modern Korean punctuation, plus some extra info on a few of its unique features.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]
\n<\/p>\n

Korean Punctuation Marks<\/h2>\n

\ub9c8\uce68\ud45c \u2014 Period (.)<\/h3>\n

Use a period to end a phrase or sentence. A period can also be used to end direct quotes.<\/p>\n

\ub098\ub294 \ud559\uad50\uc5d0 \uac14\ub2e4. \u2014 I went to school.<\/p>\n

And in Korean, periods are frequently used to write out numerical dates (similar to the slash in English).<\/p>\n

\ub0a0\uc9dc\ub294 2020.10.04\uc785\ub2c8\ub2e4. \u2014 The date is April 10, 2020.<\/p>\n

\uc904\uc784\ud45c \u2014 Ellipsis (…)<\/h3>\n

Use the ellipsis to indicate that there’s a sustained pause in speech, or to indicate that speech is fading or trailing off.<\/p>\n

\uc544… \uadf8\uac8c \uc0ac\uc2e4\uc778\uac00\uc694? \u2014 Oh\u2026is that true?<\/p>\n

\uc27c\ud45c \u2014 Comma (,)<\/h3>\n

As in English, the comma can be used for multiple functions. Commas can separate items in a list, like this:<\/p>\n

\uc0ac\uacfc, \ubc30, \ud3ec\ub3c4\uac00 \ud544\uc694\ud574\uc694. \u2014 I need apples, pears and grapes.<\/p>\n

A comma can also break a sentence into separate clauses, or indicate a very brief pause in speech, like this:<\/p>\n

\ub124, \uac00\uac8c\uc5d0 \uac08 \uac70\uc608\uc694. \u2014 Yes, I am going to the store.<\/p>\n

Unlike English, the comma is not typically placed within quotation marks encapsulating speech (more detail on this later).<\/p>\n

\ubb3c\uc74c\ud45c \u2014 Question Mark (?)<\/h3>\n

Use the question mark to denote a question. If a Korean sentence consists of multiple questions, only one question mark is allowed at the very end of the sentence.<\/p>\n

\uc57d\uc18d\uc774 \uc5b8\uc81c\uc608\uc694? \u2014 When is your appointment?<\/p>\n

\ubc25\uc744 \uba39\uc5b4\uc57c \ud560\uae4c, \ub77c\uba74\uc744 \uba39\uc5b4\uc57c \ud560\uae4c? \u2014 Should I eat rice, or should I eat ramen?<\/p>\n

\ub290\ub08c\ud45c \u2014 Exclamation Point (!)<\/h3>\n

Use the exclamation point to express exaggerated emotion. It might be surprise, anger, delight or disgust, for example.<\/p>\n

\uc800\ub9ac \uac00! \u2014 Go away!<\/p>\n

\uc815\ub9d0 \uba4b\uc9c0\ub124\uc694! \u2014 That’s awesome!<\/p>\n

\ub530\uc634\ud45c \u2014 Quotation Marks (\u201c \u201d\/ \u2018 \u2019)<\/h3>\n

Double quotation marks are more specifically called \ud070 \ub530\uc634\ud45c. They’re used to mark quotes and verbal speech, as in:<\/p>\n

“\uc548\ub155\ud558\uc138\uc694.” \ud560\uba38\ub2c8\uac00 \ub9d0\uc500\ud558\uc168\uc5b4\uc694. \u2014 “Hello,” my grandmother said.<\/p>\n

Single quotation marks are called \uc791\uc740 \ub530\uc634\ud45c and are used to mark a quoted phrase within a quote, or to suggest thoughts and other speech not directly spoken.<\/p>\n

\uc18c\ub144\uc740 \u2018\uc790\uace0 \uc2f6\ub2e4.\u2019\ub77c\uace0 \uc0dd\uac01\ud588\ub2e4. \u2014 ‘I want to sleep,’ the boy thought.<\/p>\n

Remember: In Korean, the period (not the comma) is used to end quotes within quotation marks.<\/p>\n

\uc18c\uad04\ud638 \u2014 Parentheses (( ))<\/h3>\n

Use parentheses to enclose supporting information or explanations, such as additional notes, translations, clarifications and so forth. In Korean, no space is required before or after parentheses.<\/p>\n

\ub274\uc695\uc2dc(New York City)\ub294 \ub108\ubb34 \ud06c\ub2e4. \u2014 New York City is too big.<\/p>\n

\uc30d\uc810 \u2014 Colon (:)<\/h3>\n

Use a colon to mark the introduction of a list or specific description. In Korean, a colon must have a space directly before and after it.<\/p>\n

\uc1fc\ud551 \ub9ac\uc2a4\ud2b8 : \uc2e0\ubc1c, \uac00\ubc29, \ubaa9\uac78\uc774. \u2014 Shopping list: shoes, bag, necklace.<\/p>\n

\ubb3c\uacb0\ud45c \u2014 Tilde (~)<\/h3>\n

Use the tilde to describe time spans or a distance from a Point A to Point B, as in:<\/p>\n

\uc11c\uc6b8 ~ \ub300\uad6c\ub85c \uac11\ub2c8\ub2e4. \u2014 We are going from Seoul to Daegu.<\/p>\n

The tilde is also commonly used in more casual, online speech<\/a> to suggest exaggeration, emotive emphasis or the drawing-out of a syllable (especially to be cute).<\/p>\n

\uc88b\uc740 \ud558\ub8e8 \ub418\uc2dc\uae30\ub97c~ \u2014 Have a good day~<\/p>\n

\ube57\uae08 \u2014 Slash (\/)<\/h3>\n

Use the slash to function as “per” or “by” for measurements, including those of speed, price, ingredient calculations and so on.<\/p>\n

10,000\uc6d0\/\uc2dc\uac04\uc785\ub2c8\ub2e4. \u2014 It’s 10,000 won per hour.<\/p>\n

\uac00\uc6b4\ub383\uc810 \u2014 Middle Dot (\u318d)<\/h3>\n

Use the middle dot to list out similar things, like you would use a comma or slash in English:<\/p>\n

\uc900\ube44\ubb3c\ub85c \ub3c4\uc2dc\ub77d\u318d<\/strong>\uacf5\ucc45\u318d<\/strong>\uc5f0\ud544\uc744 \uac00\uc9c0\uace0 \uc624\uc138\uc694. \u2014 Please bring a lunch, notebook and pencil.<\/p>\n

The middle dote may also be used to write out important dates:<\/p>\n

8\u00b715 \uad11\ubcf5\uc808 \u2014 August 15, National Liberation Day of Korea<\/p>\n

Traditional Korean Punctuation<\/h2>\n

In traditional written Korean, punctuation actually wasn’t much of a thing!<\/p>\n

Back then, the written script, known as \uad6c\uacb0<\/strong>, was primarily based on Chinese characters. They were written vertically, as opposed to horizontally. Symbolic marks were basically dots and boxes, used for correcting or aiding in reading comprehension.<\/p>\n

For example, the symbol called \uc0ad\uc81c\ubd80<\/strong> (\u25af) indicated that a character should be removed. Another symbol called \uc5ed\ub3c5\uc810<\/strong> (which resembled the middle dot) was used to mark character reading order.<\/p>\n

When the Hangul alphabet<\/a> was created in the 15th century to replace Chinese script, punctuation still wasn’t formally used.<\/p>\n

The adoption of English punctuation in Korea took place around the end of the 19th century. As you can see, the specific purposes of each punctuation mark have mostly been retained\u2026<\/p>\n

Differences Between English and Korean Punctuation<\/h2>\n

\u2026but there are still unique nuances to Korean punctuation that you wouldn’t find in English!<\/p>\n

There are several I’ve already described above. Here’s a summary of the differences<\/strong> between English and Korean punctuation:<\/p>\n