조선말
Korean (DPRK)
Koreanic
North Korean Standard Korean (문화어, Munhwaŏ, “cultured language”) is the state language norm of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and remains mutually intelligible with South Korean Standard Korean. After the state’s founding in 1948, language planning developed separately: the experimental New Korean Orthography introduced in 1948 was replaced by the Rules of Korean Orthography in 1954. Following policy directives in 1964 and 1966, Munhwaŏ was promulgated in 1966 and officially associated with cultivated speech in Pyongyang, although it remains structurally rooted in Central Korean. Policy promoted native Korean vocabulary, distinctive spellings such as initial ㄹ in 로동, and use of Chosŏn’gŭl; Chinese characters were removed from ordinary public writing beginning in 1949, although they continued to be taught for recognition. Differences from the southern standard occur chiefly in vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, and spacing rather than constituting a separate language.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Korean (DPRK)
Water
물
/mul/
Fire
불
/pul/
Sun
해
/hɛ/
Moon
달
/tal/
Star
별
/pjʌl/
Mother
어머니
/ʌmʌni/
Father
아버지
/abʌdʑi/
I
나
/na/
You
너
/nʌ/
Name
이름
/iɾɯm/
Eye
눈
/nun/
Hand
손
/son/
Heart
마음
/maɯm/
Love
사랑
/saɾaŋ/
Tree
나무
/namu/
House
집
/tɕip̚/
Dog
개
/kɛ/
Cat
고양이
/kojaŋi/
Eat
먹어
/mʌɡʌ/
Drink
마셔
/maɕjʌ/
One
하나
/hana/
Two
둘
/tul/
Hello
반갑습니다
/panɡap̚s͈ɯmnida/
Thank you
고맙습니다
/komap̚s͈ɯmnida/
Good
좋아
/tɕoa/
Cuckoo
뻐꾸기
/p͈ʌk͈uɡi/
Computer
콤퓨터
/kʰompʰjutʰʌ/
Dopamine
도파민
/topʰamin/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Koreanic languages
| Meaning | Korean (DPRK) | Yanbian Korean | Korean | Korean (Busan) | Korean (Hamgyong) | Korean (Jeolla) | Jeju |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 물 /mul/ | 물 /mul/ | 물 /mul/ | 물 /mul/ | 물 /mul/ | 물 /mul/ | 물 /mul/ |
| Fire | 불 /pul/ | 불 /pul/ | 불 /pul/ | 불 /pul/ | 불 /pul/ | 불 /pul/ | 불 /pul/ |
| Sun | 해 /hɛ/ | 해 /hɛ/ | 해 /hɛ/ | 해 /hɛ/ | 해 /hɛ/ | 해 /hɛ/ | 해 /hɛ/ |
| Moon | 달 /tal/ | 달 /tal/ | 달 /tal/ | 달 /tal/ | 달 /tal/ | 달 /tal/ | 달 /tal/ |
| Star | 별 /pjʌl/ | 별 /pjʌl/ | 별 /pjʌl/ | 별 /pjʌl/ | 별 /pjəl/ | 별 /pjəl/ | 별 /pjʌl/ |
| Mother | 어머니 /ʌmʌni/ | 오마니 /omani/ | 어머니 /ʌmʌni/ | 엄마 /ʌmma/ | 어머이 /ʌmʌi/ | 어매 /ʌmɛ/ | 어멍 /ʌmʌŋ/ |
| Father | 아버지 /abʌdʑi/ | 아바이 /abai/ | 아버지 /abʌdʑi/ | 아부지 /abudʑi/ | 아바이 /abai/ | 아베 /abe/ | 아방 /abaŋ/ |
| I | 나 /na/ | 나 /na/ | 나 /na/ | 나 /na/ | 나 /na/ | 나 /na/ | 나 /na/ |
| You | 너 /nʌ/ | 너 /nʌ/ | 너 /nʌ/ | 너 /nʌ/ | 너 /nə/ | 너 /nə/ | 느 /nɯ/ |
| Name | 이름 /iɾɯm/ | 이름 /iɾɯm/ | 이름 /iɾɯm/ | 이름 /iɾɯm/ | 이름 /irɯm/ | 이름 /irɯm/ | 이름 /iɾɯm/ |
| Eye | 눈 /nun/ | 눈 /nun/ | 눈 /nun/ | 눈 /nun/ | 눈 /nun/ | 눈 /nun/ | 눈 /nun/ |
| Hand | 손 /son/ | 손 /son/ | 손 /son/ | 손 /son/ | 손 /son/ | 손 /son/ | 손 /son/ |
| Heart | 마음 /maɯm/ | 마음 /maɯm/ | 마음 /maɯm/ | 마음 /maɯm/ | 마음 /maɯm/ | 마음 /maɯm/ | 모심 /mosim/ |
| Love | 사랑 /saɾaŋ/ | 사랑 /saɾaŋ/ | 사랑 /saɾaŋ/ | 사랑 /saɾaŋ/ | 사랑 /saɾaŋ/ | 사랑 /saɾaŋ/ | 사랑 /saɾaŋ/ |
| Tree | 나무 /namu/ | 나무 /namu/ | 나무 /namu/ | 나무 /namu/ | 나무 /namu/ | 나무 /namu/ | 낭 /naŋ/ |
| House | 집 /tɕip̚/ | 집 /tɕip̚/ | 집 /tɕip̚/ | 집 /tɕip̚/ | 집 /tɕip̚/ | 집 /tɕip̚/ | 집 /tɕip̚/ |
| Dog | 개 /kɛ/ | 개 /kɛ/ | 개 /kɛ/ | 개 /kɛ/ | 개 /kɛ/ | 개 /kɛ/ | 개 /kɛ/ |
| Cat | 고양이 /kojaŋi/ | 고양이 /kojaŋi/ | 고양이 /kojaŋi/ | 고양이 /kojaŋi/ | 고양이 /kojaŋi/ | 고양이 /kojaŋi/ | 괭이 /kwɛŋi/ |
| Eat | 먹어 /mʌɡʌ/ | 먹어 /mʌɡʌ/ | 먹다 /mʌk̚t͈a/ | 묵어 /muɡʌ/ | 먹어 /mʌɡʌ/ | 묵어 /muɡʌ/ | 먹엉 /mʌɡʌŋ/ |
| Drink | 마셔 /maɕjʌ/ | 마셔 /maɕjʌ/ | 마시다 /maɕida/ | 마셔 /maɕjʌ/ | 마셔 /maɕjʌ/ | 마셔 /maɕjʌ/ | 마셩 /maɕjʌŋ/ |
| One | 하나 /hana/ | 하나 /hana/ | 하나 /hana/ | 하나 /hana/ | 한나 /hanːa/ | 하나 /hana/ | 하나 /hana/ |
| Two | 둘 /tul/ | 둘 /tul/ | 둘 /tul/ | 둘 /tul/ | 둘 /tul/ | 둘 /tul/ | 둘 /tul/ |
| Hello | 반갑습니다 /panɡap̚s͈ɯmnida/ | 안녕하십니까 /annjʌŋhaɕimnik͈a/ | 안녕하세요 /annjʌŋhasejo/ | 안녕하이소 /annjʌŋhaiso/ | 안녕하시꼬마 /annjʌŋhaɕik͈oma/ | 안녕하쇼 /annjʌŋhaɕjo/ | 혼저옵서예 /hondʑʌop̚s͈ʌje/ |
| Thank you | 고맙습니다 /komap̚s͈ɯmnida/ | 고맙습니다 /komap̚s͈ɯmnida/ | 고맙습니다 /komap̚s͈ɯmnida/ | 고맙습니다 /komap̚s͈ɯmnida/ | 고맙소 /komap̚s͈o/ | 고맙소 /komap̚s͈o/ | 고맙수다 /komap̚s͈uda/ |
| Good | 좋아 /tɕoa/ | 좋아 /tɕoa/ | 좋다 /tɕotʰa/ | 좋아 /tɕoa/ | 좋아 /tɕoa/ | 좋어 /tɕoʌ/ | 좋앙 /tɕoaŋ/ |
| Cuckoo | 뻐꾸기 /p͈ʌk͈uɡi/ | 뻐꿍기 /p͈ʌk͈uŋɡi/ | 뻐꾸기 /p͈ʌk͈uɡi/ | 부꾹새 /puk͈uk̚s͈ɛ/ | — | — | 버꿍새 /pʌk͈uŋsɛ/ |
| Computer | 콤퓨터 /kʰompʰjutʰʌ/ | 콤퓨터 /kʰompʰjutʰʌ/ | 컴퓨터 /kʰʌ̹mpʰjutʰʌ̹/ | — | 콤퓨터 /kʰompʰjutʰʌ/ | — | — |
| Dopamine | 도파민 /topʰamin/ | — | 도파민 /topʰamin/ | — | — | — | — |
Word order compared
Compare with major world languages
Compare with closely-related languages
Han readings compared
Compared with related Koreanic > Korean > DPRK Standard languages
| Character | Korean (DPRK) | Korean | Zainichi Korean Sino-reading | Korean (Busan) | Middle Korean | Old Japanese on-yomi | Yuan Phags-pa Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | il /il/ | il /il/ | il /iɾɯ/ | ilH /il˥/ | ·qilq /ʔilʔ˥/ | iti /iti/ | ʔi /ʔi/ |
| 二 | i /i/ | i /i/ | i /i/ | iH /i˥/ | ·zi /zi˥/ | ni /ɲi/ | ʐɨ /ʐɨ/ |
| 三 | sam /sam/ | sam /sam/ | sam /sam/ | samH /sam˥/ | sam /sam˩/ | sam /sam/ | sam /sam/ |
| 四 | sa /sa/ | sa /sa/ | sa /sa/ | saH /sa˥/ | ·sʌ /sʌ˥/ | si /ɕi/ | sɿ /sɿ/ |
| 五 | o /o/ | o /o/ | o /o/ | o:LH /oː˩˧/ | :ngwo /ŋo˩˥/ | go /ŋo/ | ʔu /ʔu/ |
| 六 | ryuk /ɾjuk̚/ | yuk /juk̚/ | yuk /jukɯ/ | yukH /juk˥/ | ·lyuk /ljuk̚˥/ | roku /roku/ | liw /liw/ |
| 七 | ch'il /tsʰil/ | chil /tɕʰil/ | chil /tɕiɾɯ/ | chilH /tɕʰil˥/ | ·chilq /tsʰilʔ˥/ | siti /ɕiti/ | tshi /tsʰi/ |
| 八 | p'al /pʰal/ | pal /pʰal/ | pal /paɾɯ/ | phalH /pʰal˥/ | ·palq /palʔ˥/ | pati /pati/ | ba /pa/ |
| 九 | ku /ku/ | gu /ku/ | gu /ku/ | gu:LH /kuː˩˧/ | :kwu /ku˩˥/ | kiu /kiu/ | kiw /kiw/ |
| 十 | sip /ɕip̚/ | sip /ɕip̚/ | sip /ɕipɯ/ | sipH /ɕip˥/ | ·ssip /s͈ip̚˥/ | zipu /ʑipu/ | ši /ʂɨ/ |
| 日 | il /il/ | il /il/ | il /iɾɯ/ | ilH /il˥/ | ·zilq /zilʔ˥/ | niti /ɲiti/ | ʐɨ /ʐɨ/ |
| 月 | wŏl /wʌl/ | wol /wol/ | wol /woɾɯ/ | wolL /wɔl˩/ | ·ngwelq /ŋwəlʔ˥/ | gwati /ŋwati/ | ʔɥe /ʔɥe/ |
| 山 | san /san/ | san /san/ | san /san/ | sanH /san˥/ | san /san˩/ | san /san/ | šan /ʂan/ |
| 水 | su /su/ | su /su/ | su /su/ | su:LH /suː˩˧/ | :sywu /sju˩˥/ | swi /swi/ | šwi /ʂwi/ |
| 火 | hwa /hwa/ | hwa /hwa/ | hwa /ɸwa/ | hwa:LH /hwaː˩˧/ | :hwa /hwa˩˥/ | kwa /kwa/ | xwo /xwɔ/ |
| 木 | mok /mok̚/ | mok /mok̚/ | mok /mokɯ/ | mokL /mok˩/ | ·mok /mok̚˥/ | moku /moku/ | muʔ /muʔ/ |
| 土 | t'o /tʰo/ | to /tʰo/ | to /to/ | tho:LH /tʰoː˩˧/ | :thwo /tʰo˩˥/ | do /do/ | thu /tʰu/ |
| 天 | ch'ŏn /tsʰʌn/ | cheon /tɕʰʌn/ | cheon /tɕʌn/ | cheonL /tɕʰʌn˩/ | thyen /tʰjən˩/ | ten /ten/ | thẽn /tʰjɛn/ |
| 地 | chi /tsi/ | ji /tɕi/ | ji /tɕi/ | jiH /tɕi˥/ | ·ti /ti˥/ | di /di/ | ti /ti/ |
| 海 | hae /hɛ/ | hae /hɛ/ | hae /hɛ/ | hae:LH /hɛː˩˧/ | :hoy /hʌj˩˥/ | kai /kai/ | xay /xaj/ |
| 龍 | ryong /ɾjoŋ/ | yong /joŋ/ | yong /joŋ/ | yongL /joŋ˩/ | lyong /ljoŋ˩/ | riu /riu/ | luŋ /luŋ/ |
| 虎 | ho /ho/ | ho /ho/ | ho /ho/ | ho:LH /hoː˩˧/ | :hwo /ho˩˥/ | ko /ko/ | xu /xu/ |
| 犬 | kyŏn /kjʌn/ | gyeon /kjʌn/ | gyeon /kjʌn/ | gyeon:LH /kjʌːn˩˧/ | :khyen /kʰjən˩˥/ | ken /ken/ | khɥen /kʰɥɛn/ |
| 馬 | ma /ma/ | ma /ma/ | ma /ma/ | ma:LH /maː˩˧/ | :ma /ma˩˥/ | me /me/ | ma /ma/ |
| 鳥 | cho /tso/ | jo /tɕo/ | jo /tɕo/ | jo:LH /tɕoː˩˧/ | :tyo /tjo˩˥/ | teu /teu/ | tjew /tjew/ |
| 魚 | ŏ /ʌ/ | eo /ʌ/ | eo /ʌ/ | eoL /ʌ˩/ | ng(y)e /ŋjə˩/ | go /ŋo/ | ʔy /ʔy/ |
| 牛 | u /u/ | u /u/ | u /u/ | uL /u˩/ | ngwu /ŋu˩/ | gu /ŋu/ | ŋjiw /ŋjiw/ |
| 羊 | yang /jaŋ/ | yang /jaŋ/ | yang /jaŋ/ | yangL /jaŋ˩/ | yang /jaŋ˩/ | yau /jau/ | yaŋ /jaŋ/ |
| 貓 | myo /mjo/ | myo /mjo/ | myo /mjo/ | myoL /mjo˩/ | myo /mjo˩/ | — | mew /mɛw/ |
| 人 | in /in/ | in /in/ | in /in/ | inL /in˩/ | zin /zin˩/ | nin /ɲin/ | ʐin /ʐin/ |
| 手 | su /su/ | su /su/ | su /su/ | su:LH /suː˩˧/ | :sywu /sju˩˥/ | syu /ɕu/ | šiw /ʂiw/ |
| 足 | chok /tsok̚/ | jok /tɕok̚/ | jok /tɕokɯ/ | jokH /tɕok˥/ | ·cyok /tsjok̚˥/ | soku /soku/ | tsuʔ /tsuʔ/ |
| 目 | mok /mok̚/ | mok /mok̚/ | mok /mokɯ/ | mokL /mok˩/ | ·myuk /mjuk̚˥/ | moku /moku/ | muʔ /muʔ/ |
| 耳 | i /i/ | i /i/ | i /i/ | i:LH /iː˩˧/ | :zi /zi˩˥/ | ni /ɲi/ | ʐɨ /ʐɨ/ |
| 口 | ku /ku/ | gu /ku/ | gu /ku/ | gu:LH /kuː˩˧/ | :khwu /kʰu˩˥/ | kou /kou/ | khiw /kʰiw/ |
| 頭 | tu /tu/ | du /tu/ | du /tu/ | duL /tu˩/ | twu /tu˩/ | tou /tou/ | thiw /tʰiw/ |
| 心 | sim /ɕim/ | sim /ɕim/ | sim /ɕim/ | simL /ɕim˩/ | sim /sim˩/ | sim /ɕim/ | sim /sim/ |
| 血 | hyŏl /hjʌl/ | hyeol /çjʌl/ | hyeol /çjʌɾɯ/ | hyeolH /hjʌl˥/ | ·hywelq /hjwəlʔ˥/ | keti /keti/ | xɥe /xɥe/ |
| 肉 | yuk /juk̚/ | yuk /juk̚/ | yuk /jukɯ/ | yukL /juk˩/ | ·zyuk /zjuk̚˥/ | niku /ɲiku/ | ʐiw /ʐiw/ |
| 上 | sang /saŋ/ | sang /saŋ/ | sang /saŋ/ | sang:LH /saːŋ˩˧/ | :syang /sjaŋ˩˥/ | zyau /ʑau/ | šaŋ /ʂaŋ/ |
| 下 | ha /ha/ | ha /ha/ | ha /ha/ | ha:LH /haː˩˧/ | :hha /ɣa˩˥/ | ge /ŋe/ | xya /xja/ |
| 中 | chung /tsuŋ/ | jung /tɕuŋ/ | jung /tɕuŋ/ | jungL /tɕuŋ˩/ | tyung /tjuŋ˩/ | tyuu /tʲuu/ | tʂuŋ /tʂuŋ/ |
| 中 | chung /tsuŋ/ | jung /tɕuŋ/ | jung /tɕuŋ/ | jungH /tɕuŋ˥/ | ·tyung /tjuŋ˥/ | tyuu /tʲuu/ | tʂuŋ /tʂuŋ/ |
| 央 | ang /aŋ/ | ang /aŋ/ | ang /aŋ/ | angL /aŋ˩/ | qyang /ʔjaŋ˩/ | au /au/ | ʔjaŋ /ʔjaŋ/ |
| 左 | chwa /tswa/ | jwa /tɕwa/ | jwa /tɕwa/ | jwa:LH /tɕwaː˩˧/ | :cwa /tswa˩˥/ | sa /sa/ | tswɔ /tswɔ/ |
| 右 | u /u/ | u /u/ | u /u/ | u:LH /uː˩˧/ | :wu /wu˩˥/ | u /u/ | jiw /jiw/ |
| 東 | tong /toŋ/ | dong /toŋ/ | dong /toŋ/ | dongL /toŋ˩/ | twong /toŋ˩/ | tou /tou/ | tuŋ /tuŋ/ |
| 西 | sŏ /sʌ/ | seo /sʌ/ | seo /sʌ/ | seoL /sʌ˩/ | syey /sjəj˩/ | sai /sai/ | si /si/ |
| 南 | nam /nam/ | nam /nam/ | nam /nam/ | namL /nam˩/ | nam /nam˩/ | nam /nam/ | nam /nam/ |
| 北 | puk /puk̚/ | buk /puk̚/ | buk /pukɯ/ | bukH /puk˥/ | ·puk /pɯk̚˥/ | poku /poku/ | be /pe/ |
| 行 | haeng /hɛŋ/ | haeng /hɛŋ/ | haeng /hɛŋ/ | haengL /hɛŋ˩/ | hhoyng /ɣʌjŋ˩/ | gyau /ŋʲau/ | xiŋ /xiŋ/ |
| 行 | hang /haŋ/ | hang /haŋ/ | hang /haŋ/ | hangH /haŋ˥/ | hhang /ɣaŋ˩/ | kau /kau/ | xaŋ /xaŋ/ |
| 来 | rae /ɾɛ/ | rae /rɛ/ | nae /nɛ/ | naeL /nɛ˩/ | ·loy /lʌj˥/ | rai /rai/ | lay /laj/ |
| 去 | kŏ /kʌ/ | geo /kʌ/ | geo /kʌ/ | geoH /kʌ˥/ | ·khe /kʰə˥/ | ko /ko/ | khy /kʰy/ |
| 見 | kyŏn /kjʌn/ | gyeon /kjʌn/ | gyeon /kjʌn/ | gyeonH /kjʌn˥/ | ·kyen /kjən˥/ | ken /ken/ | kjɛn /kjɛn/ |
| 聞 | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | mun /mun/ | munL /mun˩/ | mwun /mun˩/ | mon /mon/ | wun /wun/ |
| 食 | sik /ɕik̚/ | sik /ɕik̚/ | sik /ɕikɯ/ | sikH /ɕik˥/ | ·ssik /s͈ik̚˥/ | ziki /ʑiki/ | ši /ʂɨ/ |
| 飲 | ŭm /ɯm/ | eum /ɯm/ | eum /ɯm/ | eu:mLH /ɯːm˩˧/ | :qum /ʔɯm˩˥/ | on /on/ | ʔim /ʔim/ |
| 走 | chu /tsu/ | ju /tɕu/ | ju /tɕu/ | ju:LH /tɕuː˩˧/ | :cwu /tsu˩˥/ | sou /sou/ | tsiw /tsiw/ |
| 坐 | chwa /tswa/ | jwa /tɕwa/ | jwa /tɕwa/ | jwa:LH /tɕwaː˩˧/ | :ccwa /t͈swa˩˥/ | za /za/ | tswɔ /tswɔ/ |
| 立 | rip /ɾip̚/ | ip /ip̚/ | ip /ipɯ/ | ipL /ip˩/ | ·lip /lip̚˥/ | ripu /ripu/ | li /li/ |
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