How did hyangch’al allow Korean sentences to be written with Chinese characters?

Hyangch’al was an early system of transcription that allowed for the writing of entire Korean sentences using Chinese characters.1

Building upon earlier methods like idu—which used Chinese characters for their phonetic value to represent specific particles and inflectional endings—hyangch’al expanded this approach to encompass the full structure of the Korean language. By utilizing Chinese characters for both their meaning and their phonetic value, this system enabled the recording of spoken Korean, which was essential for preserving native literary forms such as hyangga (native songs). Originating in the kingdom of Silla, this system provided a vital bridge for Korean expression before the invention of the Hangul alphabet in the 15th century.12