중국어 한글 표기법 문제점 고찰 - 중국 지명을 중심으로

A Study on the Korean Romanization Rules for Chinese Vocabulary: Focusing on Chinese Place Names

The Korean romanization system for Chinese is not merely a tool for transcribing foreign language pronunciation but serves as a vital bridge for linguistic and cultural exchange. However, as this study reveals, the current system fails to reflect tonal distinctions and presents inconsistencies between Chinese phonetics and Korean romanization, creating confusion for both learners and general users. In particular, the inability to distinguish tones, as in the case of ‘陕 西省(Shǎnxī)’ and ‘山西省(Shānxī)’—both romanized as ‘산시성’ (Sanxi Province)—highlights the limitations of the current system. Similarly, the conventional practices of romanizing ‘jiang’ as ‘장’ and ‘xiang’ as ‘상,’ as well as discrepancies in representing sounds like ‘ui’ and ‘ü an,’ underscore the urgent need for reform. These issues not only cause confusion in geographic nomenclature but also pose significant challenges to Chinese language learning and administrative communication. Therefore, this study proposes the following directions for improvement. First, a romanization system that accurately reflects Chinese tones and pronunciations while remaining compatible with Korean phonology should be developed. Second, a standardized system that clearly distinguishes tonal and phonetic differences should be implemented and consistently applied across educational materials and public media. Finally, academia, educational institutions, media, and the government must collaborate to conduct systematic research, review, and implementation of the new system. Rather than offering specific solutions, this study aims to reignite discussions on the issues surrounding the romanization of Chinese place names and to emphasize the need for comprehensive reform of the Korean romanization system for Chinese. It is hoped that these efforts will lead to an environment in which Korean users can better understand and accurately utilize not only Chinese place names but the Chinese language as a whole.