Yu in Korean: the Vowel ㅠ (유)
ㅠ is the Korean vowel 유 (yu): yu, as in you. See where ㅠ sits in a block, with 유모차 and 우유; trace ㅠ in 3 strokes, print the ㅠ worksheet.
What is Yu in Korean, the Korean vowel ㅠ?
Yu in Korean is ㅠ, the vowel called 유, read yu, as in you. ㅠ goes below the consonant because it is a flat, horizontal vowel, and you draw it in 3 strokes. You will hear it in 유모차 (stroller) and 우유 (milk).
Yu in Korean ㅠ: sound, strokes, place and mirror pair
ㅠ Yu in KoreanKorean vowel · basic
ㅠ is read yu; it sits below the consonant.
ㅠ (Yu) at a glance
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | 유 (yu) |
| Sound | yu, as in you |
| Sits | below the consonant |
| Strokes | 3 |
| Type | y-vowel |
| Example words | 유모차 (stroller), 규칙 (rule) |
Two ways to remember ㅠ
Shape
Words with ㅠ
차stroller- rule
- supermarket
- glass
Sound: yu.
How to say ㅠ
유With ㅠ (yu), start with a quick y and slide into ㅜ with rounded lips. ㅠ is like the English word 'you'.
ㅠ (yu) is a horizontal vowel and sits under the consonant: 유, 규, 휴. Loanwords use it often: 뉴스 (news), 메뉴 (menu).
Where ㅠ sits in a block
How to write ㅠ
Trace Yu in Korean ㅠ with a finger, mouse or pen: start at the numbered dot, follow the dotted arrow, and press Clear to try again.
Print style 정자체
Follow the numbers and dotted arrows
Handwriting 필기체
Same stroke order as print style
Draw the long horizontal line from left to right.
Draw the left short vertical line down.
Draw the right short vertical line down.
For ㅠ (yu), the whole vowel is three strokes.
In text messages ㅠㅠ is used as crying eyes. That is a nice way to remember the two legs hanging down.
ㅠ and its look-alikes
| Letter | Name | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| ㅛ | 요 (yo) | yo, as in yo-yo |
| ㅠ | 유 (yu) | yu, as in you |
유 and 우 differ by the y glide: 유행 (trend) and 우유 (milk). Count the short strokes below the line: two for yu, one for u.
Learners sometimes confuse ㅠ with the consonant ㅍ. ㅠ is open at the bottom with two legs; ㅍ is closed by a line on top and bottom.
Its closest neighbour is ㅛ (yo); compare the two in the table below.
Why ㅠ looks the way it does
In Hunminjeongeum ㅠ is ㅜ (u) with the dot doubled for the y glide. The two short strokes below the line come from those dots.
A y-vowel such as ㅠ (yu) looks like its plain partner with a second short stroke, and that second stroke is how Hangul writes the y glide.
Words that use ㅠ
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 휴지 | hyu-ji | tissue (noun) |
| 메뉴 | me-nyu | menu (noun) |
| 우유 | u-yu | milk (noun) |
| 자유 | ja-yu | freedom (noun) |
In 유모차 (stroller), ㅠ sits in the first block 유, which is ㅇㅠ and is read yu.
In 우유 (milk), ㅠ sits in the second block 유, which is ㅇㅠ and is read yu.
In 휴지 (tissue), ㅠ sits in the first block 휴, which is ㅎㅠ and is read hyu.
In 규칙 (rule), ㅠ sits in the first block 규, which is ㄱㅠ and is read gyu.
In 슈퍼 (supermarket), ㅠ sits in the first block 슈, which is ㅅㅠ and is read syu.
Syllables you can build with ㅠ
Put ㅠ (yu) behind each basic consonant and the row starts 규 (gyu), 뉴 (nyu), 듀 (dyu), and 류 (ryu); only the front of the block changes.
ㅠ (yu) is easiest to hear by reading the whole row aloud, once for every opening position.
Try it yourself
Change the first consonant and read the block that ㅠ makes, such as 유. Open the syllable builder with ㅠ ready
ㅠ with a final consonant
Closing 유 with different consonants produces 육 (yuk), 윤 (yun), 율 (yul), 윰 (yum), 윱 (yup), 융 (yung).
Whatever final you add, ㅠ (yu) remains the heart of the block.
Add ㄱ under 유 and you get 육 (yuk), closing on a quiet k. Add ㄴ under 유 and you get 윤 (yun), closing on a hummed n. Add ㄹ under 유 and you get 율 (yul), closing on a tongue-tip l.
Add ㅁ under 유 and you get 윰 (yum), closing on a lip-closed m. Add ㅂ under 유 and you get 윱 (yup), closing on a lip-closed p. Add ㅇ under 유 and you get 융 (yung), closing on the ng of song.
ㅠ writing worksheet (free printable)
Worksheet · Level 1 · Letters
Korean letter tracing worksheet: ㅠ (yu)
The one-page Yu in Korean ㅠ sheet shows ㅠ in 3 strokes, traces it, writes it with six consonants (규 뉴 듀 류 뮤 뷰) and ends with a game of finding ㅠ among look-alikes.
- 1 page
- A4 · US Letter
- PDF · 90 KB
- Free · no sign-up
Want more? Get a printable pack of Hangul letters
Worksheet information
- How to use
- Say ㅠ out loud, trace its 3 strokes, then write it with six consonants.
Practice ㅠ
Continue with ㅡ (eu). Then practice 휴, 규 and 뉴 in the syllable builder; print ㅠ worksheet.
A one-page worksheet for ㅠ (yu) sits beside this guide, with the stroke order, space for tracing and a spot-the-letter game.
Try it yourself
Put Yu in Korean ㅠ, yu, into the builder and read the block it makes. Open the syllable builder with ㅠ ready
ㅠ (Yu in Korean) — FAQ
How would you describe the ㅠ pronunciation?
Aim for yu, as in you; keep your mouth relaxed while you practice 유 and 유모차.
How do you write ㅠ and which position does it take in a syllable block?
ㅠ takes 3 strokes: Draw the long horizontal line from left to right. Draw the left short vertical line down. Draw the right short vertical line down. In a block it sits below the consonant.
How many strokes is ㅠ?
ㅠ has 3 strokes: the long horizontal line, then two short lines down, left first.
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