How To Pronounce Taekwondo correctly

When it comes to the Korean martial art of Taekwondo, its name is commonly mispronounced and said incorrectly. Sadly, this has become the norm in the west, where it’s name is almost synonymously said wrongly. Even within the age of the internet, it is still said incorrectly. Nonetheless, it is what it is. Here is how to pronounce Taekwondo properly.

How to say Taekwondo properly

Taekwondo is often pronounced ‘Tie-Kwon-Dow’, which is the incorrect saying. Instead, the correct saying is ‘Tay-Kwon-Do’. In other words, most people get the start wrong as if saying ‘tie’, when it’s actually ‘tay’. After that, usually the rest of Taekwondo is said correctly. An easy way to remember it is by thinking of the word ‘tie’ as in the item of clothing, and remembering that it’s incorrect. Outside of genuine TKD circles in the USA for instance, many people will call it ‘Tie-Kwon-Do’, which is technically the wrong way to say it.

How to spell Taekwondo

Another issue with Taekwondo is that sometimes people spell it incorrectly. From Tiquando, to Teakwando – there are all sorts of bizarre misspellings. Instead, the correct way is Taekwondo. When looking at it, it looks almost incorrect which is because the word originates from Korea. This is why it has an ‘ae’ at the start which isn’t usually used in the English language. Because of this and its alien nature, a lot of people struggle to spell Taekwondo correctly.

What does Taekwondo mean in Korean?

In Korean, the term Taekwondo has three meanings. The first is ‘Tae’ which means the foot. This is obviously a big part of TKD as kicking is the most commonly used form of attack. Next, the ‘Kwon’ means fist, which is used to punch people whilst training. Lastly, ‘Do’ literally means ‘to do’, as in to train and practice. As a result, when you combine the three words together, they literally spell out ‘Taekwondo’.

Summary

Taekwondo is correctly pronounced as ‘Tay-Kwon-Do’ and originates from Korea. It literally means feet, hands, and to do and also remember to spell it with a rare ‘ae’ at the front of the word. With this said, you should now be able to say Taekwondo with ease. Although this article may not be massively important in the big scheme of things, hopefully it will dispel any wrong information regarding the correct usage of the word Taekwondo.