The Different Sounds of the Vowel ㅢ

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The mixed vowel ㅢ is a combination of ㅡ (eu) and ㅣ (i) and is pronounced as is (eui). The original sound is prominent when the initial consonant is /ㅇ/. 

의자 chair

의사 doctor

의상 attire
의미 meaning
의리 loyalty

The consonant /ㅇ/ is soundless here and ㅢ is pronounced as eui. However, when 의, as a particle, is attached to a noun to express ownership, its sound changes to ㅔ (e) or ㅖ (ye). 

지민의 친구

Jimin’s friend

정국의 목소리

Jungkook’s voice

태형의 고향

Taehyung’s hometown

의 acts like the apostrophe s in English. The names 지민, 정국, and 태형 end in a consonant so 의 is pronounced like ㅔ (e) as in 지민에, 정국에, and 태형에. What about names that end in a vowel?

미나의 언니

Mina’s sister

사나의 오빠

Sana’s big brother

모모의 남친

Momo’s boyfriend

The names 미나, 사나, and 모모 end in a vowel, so ㅢ  is pronounced like ㅖ (ye) as in 미나예, 사나예, and 모모예. Lastly, there are notable Korean names that contain the syllable 희 (ㅎ + ㅢ). Examples are 태희, 재희, and 웅희. The ㅢ in these names is not pronounced like any of the sounds mentioned above, but is it more of (i) as in 태히, 재히, and 웅히. Names with 의 like 의영 (eui-young) and 의동 (eui-dong) are pronounced with the original ㅢ sound.