Today’s Korean Word · Guess in 6 Tries

Rules: scoring happens per letter part, not per character

The answer is a two-syllable Korean dictionary word, and there is exactly one per day. A guess must also be a real two-syllable word before it can be submitted, which stops players from typing random letters just to read the colours.

On submission the two syllables are split into six cells for initial consonant, vowel and final consonant, and each cell is scored. Right letter in the right place is blue, a letter that appears elsewhere in the answer is orange, and a letter not in the answer is grey. If the answer is 바다 (sea) and you guess 나비 (butterfly), the first cell ㄴ is grey, the second cell ㅏ is blue and the fourth cell ㅂ is orange.

You have six attempts. If the third guess misses, a one-time definition hint unlocks, and the board shows the number of letter parts and final consonants in today's word from the start. On many days, simply knowing how many syllables carry a final consonant cuts the candidates nearly in half.

Controls: two-set (Dubeolsik) layout on screen and on your keyboard

• Tap consonants and vowels on the on-screen keyboard in order and syllables assemble automatically.
• On a physical keyboard, keep it in English mode and type by Dubeolsik position (for example r = ㄱ, k = ㅏ). Switch the key labels to QWERTY to see the matching Latin key on each button.
• Tense consonants such as ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ and ㅉ are typed with Shift held.
• Enter submits; Backspace removes the last letter part.
• Keys on the keyboard are tinted with the colours you have earned, so you never need to recheck a letter you already tried.

Strategy: test about ten letters in your first two guesses

Instead of betting everything on one opening word, fill your first two guesses with letters that do not overlap. Two words that both end in final consonants cover twelve cells, enough to try most of the common consonants ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ, ㅁ, ㅅ, ㅇ and the vowels ㅏ, ㅓ, ㅗ, ㅣ once each.

There are fewer vowels than consonants, so a vowel clue is worth more. A blue vowel nearly fixes the shape of that syllable; on the next guess, lock it in and spend your effort swapping initial consonants.

When orange shows up in a final-consonant cell, suspect first that the same consonant is the initial of the other syllable. In two-syllable Korean words the same consonant often moves between the end of one syllable and the start of the next. If you are stuck, using the definition hint is usually the better way to protect your streak.

History: Wordle's format on top of Hangul's design

Wordle, the game of guessing a five-letter English word in six tries, was released in October 2021 by the American developer Josh Wardle. Its spoiler-free grid of coloured squares spread quickly, millions were playing within months, and The New York Times acquired it in January 2022.

Korean versions followed almost immediately, but Hangul does not line letters up in a row the way the Latin alphabet does; consonants and vowels stack into syllable blocks. Scoring whole syllables gives too few clues, while spelling the letters out in a line destroys the look of the word. That is why QuizLab keeps the syllable shape but splits each one into initial, vowel and final cells.

This split is possible because Hangul was designed that way from the start. Created by King Sejong in 1443 and promulgated in 1446 as Hunminjeongeum, it combines consonants modelled on the shape of the speech organs with vowels built from symbols for heaven, earth and humanity. It began with 28 letters; today 24 basic letters are in use.

Questions about word entry and the answer list

The game says my word does not exist, but it is a real word.

A guess has to appear in QuizLab's curated list of two-syllable words. Proper nouns such as names and places, non-standard abbreviations and slang, and loanwords spelled differently from the official orthography may be missing. First check that no final consonant was assembled differently from what you meant; if you still think a word is missing, email us via the About page and we will review each suggestion.

Can learners of Korean play?

Buttons and instructions are available in English, but the puzzle itself is a Korean word, so you need to be able to read Hangul letters. That also makes it a good exercise for learners who have just learned the alphabet. Reading the definition hint and the meaning on the result screen adds one new word to your vocabulary each day.