Korean Romanization

Revised Romanization of Korean (국어의 로마자 표기법) is the official Korean language romanization system in South Korea. It was developed by the National Academy of the Korean Language from 1995 and was released to the public on 7 July 2000.

Vowels are transcribed as follows :

  • Simple vowels

ㅏㅓㅗㅜㅡㅣㅐㅔㅚㅟ
aeooueuiaeeoewi
  • Diphtongs

ㅑㅕㅛㅠㅒㅖㅘㅙㅝㅞㅢ
yayeoyoyuyaeyewawaewoweui

Note 1: 'ㅢ' is transcribed as ui, although being pronounced as 'ㅣ'.
Note 2: Long vowels are not reflected in transcription.

Consonants are transcribed as follows :

  • Plosives (stops)

ㄱㄲㅋㄷㄸㅌㅂㅃㅍ
g, kkkkd, ttttb, pppp
  • Affricates

ㅈㅉㅊ
jjjch
  • Nasals

ㄴㅁㅇ
nmng
  • Fricatives

ㅅㅆㅎ
sssh
  • Liquids

ㄹ
r, l

Note 1: The sounds ㄱ, ㄷ, and ㅂ are transcribed respectively as g, d, and b before a vowel; they are transcribed as k, t, and p when they appear before another consonant or as the last sound of a word. (They are transcribed as pronunciation in [ ].)

구미Gumi영동Yeongdong백암Baegam
옥천Okcheon합덕Hapdeok호법Hobeop
월곶[월곧]Wolgot벚꽃[벋꼳]beotkkot한밭[한받]Hanbat

Note 2: ㄹ is transcribed as r before a vowel, and as l before a consonant or at the end of a word: ㄹㄹ is transcribed as ll.

구리Guri설악Seorak
칠곡Chilgok임실Imsil
울릉Ulleung대관령[대괄령]Daegwallyeong

Administrative units such as 도, 시, 군, 구, 읍, 면, 리, 동, and 가 are transcribed respectively as do, si, gun, gu, eup, myeon, ri, dong, and ga, and are preceded by a hyphen. Assimilated sound changes before and after the hyphen are not transcribed.

충청북도Chungcheongbuk-do제주도Jeju-do의정부시Uijeongbu-si
양주군Yangju-gun도봉구Dobong-gu신창읍Sinchang-eup
삼죽면Samjuk-myeon인왕리Inwang-ri당산동Dangsan-dong
봉천1동Bongcheon 1(il) -dong종로 2가Jongno 2(i) -ga퇴계로 3가Toegyero 3(sam) -ga

Names of geographic features, cultural properties, and man-made structures may be written without hyphens.

남산Namsan속리산Songnisan금강Geumgang
독도Dokdo경복궁Gyeongbokgung무량수전Muryangsujeon
연화교Yeonhwagyo극락전Geungnakjeon안압지Anapji
남한산성Namhansanseong화랑대Hwarangdae불국사Bulguksa
현충사Hyeonchungsa독립문Dongnimmun오죽헌Ojukheon
촉석루Chokseongnu종묘Jongmyo다보탑Dabotap

List of Korean surnames

HangulHanjaRevised RomanizationMcCune–ReischauerMDL
아阿AAA
애艾AeAeAe
안安, 顔, 案AnAnAn
배裵, 輩, 培, 背, 配BaePaeBae
백白, 百, 伯, 柏BaekPaekBaek
박朴, 博BakPakPark
반潘, 班BanPanBan
방方, 房, 龐, 邦, 防, 旁, 芳BangPangBang
범范, 範BeomPŏmBeom
번樊BeonPŏnBeon
비丕BiPiBi
빈賓, 彬, 賔, 濱, 貧BinPinBin
빙氷BingPingBing
보寶, 保, 甫BoPoBo
복卜BokPokBok
봉奉, 鳳BongPongBong
부夫, 付, 傅, 富BuPuBu
변卞, 邊, 變ByeonPyŏnByeon
차車, 次ChaCh'aCha
채蔡, 菜, 采ChaeCh'aeChae
창昌, 倉ChangCh'angChang
천千, 天, 川CheonCh'ŏnCheon
초楚, 初ChoCh'oCho
최崔, 催, 寉, 最ChoeCh'oeChoi
총叢ChongCh'ongChong
추秋, 鄒ChuCh'uChu
춘椿ChunCh'unChun
다多DaTaDa
대大, 代, 戴DaeTaeDae
담譚DamTamDam
단段, 單DanTanDan
당唐DangTangDang
등滕, 鄧DeungTŭngDeung
등정藤井DeungjeongTŭngjŏngDeungjeong
도都, 陶, 道, 到, 度, 桃, 覩DoToDo
독獨DokTokDok
독고獨孤DokgoTokkoDokgo
돈頓DonTonDon
동董, 蕫, 童, 東, 薫DongTongDong
동방東方DongbangTongbangDongbang
두杜DuTuDu
어魚, 漁EoŎEo
어금魚金EogeumŎgŭmEogeum
엄嚴, 儼, 严, 㘙EomŎmUm
음陰EumŬmEum
은殷, 銀, 恩, 慇EunŬnEun
가賈, 價GaKaGa
갈葛GalKalGal
감甘GamKamKam
간簡, 間GanKanKan
강姜, 康, 強, 江, 剛, 㝩GangKangKang
강전岡田GangjeonKangjŏnKangjeon
개介GaeKaeGae
건健GeonKeonGeon
금琴, 金, 芩, 禁GeumKŭmGeum
근斤GeunKŭnGeun
기奇, 寄, 箕, 紀GiKiKi
길吉GilKilGil
김金, 钅GimKimKim
고高, 顧GoKoKo
곡曲, 谷GokKokKok
공孔, 公GongKongKong
구具, 丘, 邱, 仇GuKuKoo
국鞠, 鞫, 菊, 國, 麴GukKukKook
군君GunKunGun
궁弓, 宮GungKungGung
곽郭, 廓, 槨GwakKwakKwak
관關, 管GwanKwanGwan
궉鴌GwokKwŏkKwok
권權, 勸, 㩲, 券GwonKwŏnKwon
계桂, 季GyeKyeKye
견甄, 堅GyeonKyŏnKyeon
경慶, 景, 京, 耿GyeongKyŏngKyung
교橋, 喬GyoKyoKyo
하河, 夏, 何, 賀, 荷HaHaHa
해海, 解HaeHaeHae
학郝HakHakHak
함咸HamHamHam
한韓, 漢, 汗, 恨HanHanHan
허許, 许HeoHŏHeo
흥興HeungHŭngHeung
호扈, 胡, 鎬, 虎, 湖HoHoHo
홍洪, 烘, 䜤, 弘, 㤨, 哄, 紅HongHongHong
후侯, 候, 后HuHuHu
화化HwaHwaHwa
환桓HwanHwanHwan
황黃, 皇, 潢, 荒, 晃, 煌, 簧HwangHwangHwang
황보皇甫, 黃甫HwangboHwangboHwangbo
황목荒木HwangmokHwangmokHwangmok
현玄, 賢HyeonHyŏnHyun
형邢, 刑, 形HyeongHyŏngHyung
이李, 異, 伊, 利, 怡, 㛅IILee
임林, 任, 壬, 恁ImImIm
인印InInIn
자慈JaChaJa
장張, 蔣, 章, 莊, 長, 將, 藏, 場, 裝, 臧, 葬, 壯, 庄, 张, 漿JangChangJang
장곡長谷JanggokChanggokJanggok
제諸, 齊JeCheJe
제갈諸葛, 諸, 諸曷, 諸渴JegalChegalJegal
저邸JeoChŏJeo
점占JeomChŏmJeom
전全, 田, 錢, 戰JeonChŏnJeon
정鄭, 丁, 程, 政, 桯, 定, 正, 情JeongChŏngJung
증增, 曾JeungChŭngJeung
즙辻JeupChŭpJeup
지池, 智, 地, 遲JiChiJi
진陳, 秦, 晋, 陣, 眞, 蔯, 進, 珍, 䄅, 陈JinChinJin
조趙, 曺, 調, 造, 赵, 刁, 朝JoChoCho
종鍾, 宗JongChongJong
주朱, 周, 主, 珠, 株JuChuJu
준俊JunChunJun
좌左, 佐JwaChwaJwa
마馬, 麻MaMaMa
매梅MaeMaeMae
맹孟MaengMaengMaeng
만萬ManManMan
망절網切MangjeolMangjŏlMangjul
미米MiMiMi
민閔, 民, 敏, 珉, 悶, 旻MinMinMin
모牟, 毛, 慕MoMoMo
목睦, 穆MokMokMok
무武MuMuMu
무본武本MubonMubonMubon
묵墨MukMukMuk
문文, 門MunMunMoon
명明MyeongMyŏngMyung
묘苗MyoMyoMyo
나羅, 蘿, 邏, 罗, 那NaNaNa
내乃, 奈NaeNaeNae
남南, 男NamNamNam
남궁南宮, 南宫NamgungNamgungNamgung
난欒NanNanNan
낭浪NangNangNang
노盧, 魯, 蘆, 路, 虜, 卢, 努NoNoNo
뇌雷NoeNoeNoe
누樓NuNuNu
오吳, 伍, 吾, 五, 晤OOO
옥玉OkOkOk
온溫OnOnOn
옹邕, 雍OngOngOng
팽彭PaengP'aengPaeng
판判PanP'anPan
피皮PiP'iPi
필弼, 畢PilP'ilPil
포包PoP'oPo
풍馮PungP'ungPung
편片PyeonP'yŏnPyeon
평平PyeongP'yŏngPyeong
표表, 俵PyoP'yoPyo
라羅, 蘿, 邏RaRaRa
란欒RanRanRan
랑浪RangRangRang
리李RiRiRi
림林RimRimRim
로路, 魯, 盧RoRoRo
뢰雷RoeRoeRoe
려呂RyeoRyŏRyeo
류柳, 劉, 㧕RyuRyuRyu
사史, 司, 謝, 舍, 沙SaSaSa
사공司空, 司公SagongSagongSagong
삼森, 杉SamSamSam
산山SanSanSan
상尙, 常, 尚, 商SangSangSang
서徐, 俆, 西, 書, 緖SeoSŏSeo
석石, 昔, 釋, 席SeokSŏkSeok
설薛, 偰, 楔, 辥, 雪, 卨SeolSŏlSeol
서문西門, 西問SeomunSŏmunSeomun
선宣, 鮮, 善SeonSŏnSeon
성成, 盛, 宬, 星, 城SeongSŏngSeong
선우鮮于, 鮮宇, 蘚于, 鮮牛SeonuSŏnuSunwoo
섭葉SeopSŏpSeop
승承, 昇SeungSŭngSeung
시施, 柴, 時SiSiSi
심沈, 沁, 深, 心SimSimSim
신申, 辛, 愼, 莘, 新, 信, 伸SinSinSin
십辻SipSipSip
소蘇, 邵, 肖, 蕭, 小, 卲, 所, 昭, 簫SoSoSo
소봉小峰SobongSobongSobong
손孫, 遜, 損, 蓀SonSonSon
송宋, 松, 送SongSongSong
수隋, 水, 洙SuSuSu
순荀, 筍, 舜, 淳, 順, 旬SunSunSun
태太, 泰TaeT'aeTae
탁卓TakT'akTak
탄彈TanT'anTan
탕湯TangT'angTang
우禹, 于, 寓, 宇, 愚, 牛, 偶, 遇, 尤UUWoo
운雲, 芸UnUnWoon
완阮WanWanWan
왕王, 汪WangWangWang
위魏, 韋, 衛, 偉WiWiWi
원元, 袁, 原, 阮, 苑, 院, 圓WonWŏnWon
야夜YaYaYa
양梁, 楊, 粱, 揚, 陽, 洋, 杨, 樑, 樣YangYangYang
예芮, 禮, 倪, 藝YeYeYe
여呂, 余, 黎YeoYŏYeo
염廉, 閻, 簾YeomYŏmYeom
연延, 連, 燕, 涎YeonYŏnYeon
영榮, 影YeongYŏngYeong
엽葉YeopYŏpYeop
요姚YoYoYo
용龍YongYongYong
유柳, 劉, 兪, 庾, 枊, 杻, 有, 楡, 由, 裕YuYuYoo
육陸YukYukYook
윤尹, 允, 潤YunYunYun

Historical surnames

These surnames are found in historical texts and are no longer in use today.

HangulHanjaRevised RomanizationMcCune–ReischauerMDL
고이古爾GoiKoiGoi
명림明臨MyeongnimMyŏngnimMyeongnim
목木MokMokMok
목협木劦MokhyeopMokhyŏpMokhyeop
백苩BaekPaekBaek
부여扶餘BuyeoPuyŏBuyeo
사마司馬SamaSamaSama
소실少室SosilSosilSosil
수미首彌SumiSumiSumi
여餘YeoYŏYeo
연淵YeonYŏnYeon
우優UUU
을乙EulŬlEul
을지乙支EuljiŬlchiEulji
조미祖彌JomiChomiJomi
중실仲室JungsilChungsilJungsil
협劦HyeopHyŏpHyeop
흑치黑齒HeukchiHŭkch'iHeukchi