Zoe, letter by letter
Hangul is written in blocks. Each block is one syllable, built from a consonant, a vowel and sometimes a final consonant at the bottom.
| Block | Letters | How each letter sounds | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 조 | ㅈ + ㅗ | ㅈ j ㅗ o, as in “go” (shorter) | jo |
| 이 | ㅇ + ㅣ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅣ i, as in “see” | i |
Why Zoe is written this way
- Korean has no “z” sound, so ㅈ (j) is used: 조.
- Say each block evenly. Korean doesn’t stress one syllable over the others the way English does, so Zoe sounds like jo-i.
- Fun fact: Joy is written exactly the same way in Korean — 조이.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 조이 ends in a vowel, so you say 제 이름은 조이예요 (je ireumeun joiyeyo). With friends, Koreans add 야 (ya) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 조이 씨 or 조이 님.
Official documents such as your residence card use your name in English letters, as in your passport. The Hangul spelling is what friends, coworkers and baristas will write.