Korean Vowel Length vs Japanese Pitch Accent

Korean and Japanese handle syllable pitch differently.

Korean: Vowel Length (Nearly Extinct)

Korean originally had vowel length distinction. "눈" (short: eye) vs "눈:" (long: snow). But in modern Korean, this distinction has nearly disappeared among younger generations. Context determines meaning instead.

Japanese: Pitch Accent (Active)

Japanese uses pitch (high-low) to distinguish word meaning. The same "はし":

• はし↗ (箸, chopsticks) — second syllable high

• は↘し (橋, bridge) — first syllable high

• はし (端, edge) — flat

Wrong pitch accent can cause confusion for Japanese listeners.

Learning Point

Pitch accent is one of the hardest parts for Korean speakers learning Japanese, because Korean lacks this system — it's an "inaudible" difference.