Hangul Leading Tikeut

ᄃ is the leading form of Korean tikeut. It starts a Hangul syllable sequence and normally joins a vowel; alone, it is a letter component, not a word.

Chinese characters were used to write Korean but did not fit Korean speech well, so Hangul was designed as a writing system that would be easier to learn. The Sejong Sillok, a Korean royal chronicle, records the script in 1443; Hunminjeongeum, the 1446 book explaining its letters and design, documents this consonant too.

Why is ᄃ different from ㄷ?

ᄃ and ㄷ are distinct forms with different text jobs. ᄃ is a leading Hangul component designed to join a vowel in a syllable sequence. ㄷ is the compatibility form used for standalone-letter samples and older text. Software can treat the two differently when comparing or standardizing text.

The 1527 Korean primer Hunmongjahoe records the letter’s Korean name, 디귿, and places it third in its order; modern Hangul alphabet lists keep that position. At a word’s start, the consonant is pronounced without vocal-cord vibration; between vowels, the cords vibrate; at a syllable’s end, it stops without a release.

A leading component and a vowel should display together as one syllable. If an app or font does not join them, ᄃ can look detached; it may also be intentionally shown alone.