ㄴ Insertion
In a compound word, when the first part ends in a consonant and the second begins with 이·야·여·요·유, an ㄴ is inserted between them. That is why 꽃잎 (petal) is pronounced [꼰닙].
자음 받침 + 이/야/여/요/유 (합성어) → 자음 + ㄴ + 모음
How It Works
When two words join, a new ㄴ sound appears at the seam. The inserted ㄴ can then trigger further changes in the preceding batchim, such as nasalization or lateralization.
Transformation Examples
See — and hear — how the spelling turns into its actual pronunciation.
꽃잎
[꼰닙]
kkonnip
petal
한여름
[한녀름]
hannyeoreum
midsummer
색연필
[생년필]
saengnyeonpil
colored pencil
솔잎
[솔립]
sollip
pine needle
Exceptions & Notes
If the first part ends in ㄹ, the inserted ㄴ lateralizes to [l]: 솔잎 undergoes both ㄴ insertion and lateralization, ending as [솔립]. It never applies inside a single, non-compound word.
Check Your Understanding
How is 꽃잎 (petal) pronounced?
Where does ㄴ insertion mainly occur?